Staff Leadership Academy: You Are #3

You Are #3. 
 
I was going to name this tip, “You are #2,” but that does not work for obvious reasons. I say we are #3 because, for young staff, a summer job is probably the first time they are not the most important person in the room. 
 
As parents, our kids come first. We take care of them, we nurture them, we try to help them grow into adulthood. Basically, we want them to “launch.” This is a very tricky dance for parents: How do we not smother them? How much rope do we give them? How far can they “roam?” What is OK, and what is not?  
 
All of this is very difficult, and every family is different. If you lock a kid down too much, they rebel. If the house is too permissive, then the kid goes off the rails when they hear “no” from someone else. The point is that many of you  — our young camp counselors and lifeguards — have always come first in your house, and your world has revolved around you. That is not a bad thing; it is simply a fact in most households. 

So, now you must transition from being a kid to taking care of kids. You are no longer #1. You now have an obligation to the kids in your care, to the Y and then to you. You are #3.  
 
When you were growing up, you didn’t care how tired your parents were. You expected them to have food for you and to pay attention to you. Once again, perfectly normal. However, these kids have the same expectations of you now.
 
I know that we are on the downside of the summer, and it has been a hot and busy one. You are probably getting tired. However, the kids are so excited to hang out with you and with other kids. They want to do activities; they want to tell you very stupid jokes and make up stories that make no sense. They want to make you laugh and make you proud.
 
Yes, they can bug you sometimes.  
 
However, they are #1, and they love to be with you. Just enjoy it. Even when you are tired and hot and a little tired of the kid who asks you questions non-stop or frustrated with the kids who shared a new bad word with the rest of their group. Put a smile on your face and power through. It is “adulting” time. Know that your parents felt the same way sometimes, but they powered through for you. Some days are harder than others and some days are purely delightful. To a certain extent, how you feel is a personal choice, and I am asking you to make the choice for the second half of the summer to just enjoy it, enjoy their jokes and skits and ludicrous stories. When you are faced with challenges, stay positive and professional and calm.
 
I say all this because, someday, you will want to remember your camp counselor days when you are trapped in an office and hating it. You will remember the goofy kids and the bond you had with your coworkers and realize how much fun it truly is.  
 
Here is what I want you to remember, your job may be a hassle sometimes, but you are outside, playing with kids, running around, and coming home every night knowing that you made a difference in the life of a child. In fact, for some, you may be the only person making a difference in their lives. So the hassle is worth the reward! You are doing something very important, please remember that.  
—  Chris Coker, Ph.D. / CEO YMCA of Northern Colorado