Get along with kids?

Post Reply New Topic

I intend to do a job next summer that involves kids, normal and those with an impairment. I don't know yet if I'll manage though, I have no experience whatsoever, but I'm willing to try.

Do you get along well with children?

Maybe have a job that has something to do with children and willing to give me tips? I don't know whether I should be open about my autism, fact is that I'm also in therapy and autism, add and objective (not my opinion though) giftedness isn't making me normal. But I don't want that to get in my way.

Your experience with childcare?

I don't get on with children at all. I know I may get nasty comments for this, but to be honest they irritate me and get on my nerves. I don't dislike children but I like them to stay at distance. Can't get along with them at all and have no desire to do so, you cannot have a mature conversation with children ... I wouldn't do any job myself that involves contact with children, as I know I'd dislike it.

my experience is mostly negative. if the child is very young, 3 or less years, i guess i dont do that bad, but if its a kid 5 to 14 or so, i have major problems. I believe kids are very emotional, and dont do much thinking (opposite of aspies). I find hard to entertain them, because i find hard to understand them. I wouldnt do such a job even if i was paid a lot of money (well, maybe a LOT of money lol).

Im a guy though, i think any autistic girl would do much better than me.

i dont feel i can advice really, but i guess any comment helps.

I love toddlers....after the age of 8 they can get to be a little mean...

I tend to get along much better with kids than with people my age, maybe its cause people my age are as*holes, and maybe its cause I don't talk to kids any different than I do with my friends, and that includes all the swearing and probably a lot of s**t they don't understand at all and s**t. I know when I was younger I preferred it when older people didn't talk to me like I was just some dumbass kid, even though I kinda was.

I have just been diagnosed 3 months ago. I am the Father of a 7 year old boy who I adore and would give my life to protect. Although I don't live with him, I visit him every fortnight without fail.

I was clueless prior to my diagnoses as to why I felt so deeply distressed bing in his company, with all the noise and demands. Now I understand and although I still get overwhelmed whilst being with him, my diagnoses with AS has at least taken the worry out of the 'worryingdisorderlessness.

I heard the other day an autistic man hit a baby over the head with a saucepan because he was so terribly overwhelmed and the poor baby died.

That is exactly what I always say. I also cannot handle the assault on the senses, all the noise they make. My mother says I can't expect children to stay quiet and have opinions on party politics, and of course you can't, I know not liking them is a failure on my part.

Good luck Sora! I would not be able to do it.

I love toddlers too! I babysit a lot, mostly toddlers.

Personally I love being around kids. They DO give me headaches because of the sensory overload, like others here have mentioned, but it is really rewarding for me to help kids.

Sora, depending on how sensitive you are to noise and potential bad behavior (are you tough enough to handle it? ), remember some of the good points about working with kids:

- they're not as judgmental as the adult population (even if they're brats, you're not a friend their age that they can bully, so they won't judge you in the same way, trust me)
- they're open to learning, and even if their behavior is bad, their minds are still young so there is a chance to change them for the better
- some laugh at ANYTHING, which can put things in perspective
- if they like you, it feels like a really honest, innocent connection, I think, which is even better than a connection with most adults (in my opinion)
- you can learn a LOT from kids, about keeping life in perspective, and about how people grow, and if you're a thinker, it might teach you about society as well (and if you're working with kids with impairments, it will certainly be a learning experience)

Plus it sounds like you're doing a good thing. I don't know if this helps you, but I hope it reminds you that much of the experience can be positive. Good luck!

I adore kids and they adore me. Moreover, the great majority of my jobs (teacher, tutor, daycare provider) have involved children in one way or another. I think that the major reason that I get along better with kids than with people my own age is because they are much less complicated than adults.

I love kids. I never could deal with other kids when I was a kid, but now that I'm a grown up, I love them. The honesty is what I like. With kids you always know where you stand and you don't have to go through the morass of wondering what the hell they are really thinking, or what the hidden motive is. What you see is what you get. Plus, with kids, when you do something weird, they are so much more accepting of it. They accept the explanation that you give them.
If you are comfortable talking about your autism I would be up front. I always tell the kids that because of my Asperger's sometimes they get too noisy, so we have to be nice to my Asperger's and get a little quieter. It works well with preschoolers. 4 and 5 year olds are my favourite age group.

I love kids (as long as they don't scream or touch me). When I look at them I feel some kind of emotional connection, while I feel detatched from 10+ people. Guess it has to do with "emotional age".

I'm a mom, I have a 4 year old, and to be honest, I hated him until recently. (I mean, I did love him, but I couldn't stand to be around him), I couldn't stand the crying, the noise the loud, the demands, urgh...

I had SEVER post-partum depression, and did things out of obligation. My son never knew how I felt about him because I faked it.

Now, he is quiet, he self-entertains, and I like him. (He is the only kid I let touch me though). I will always love him, no matter what, and I do try to interact as much as possible, but its hard sometimes, as he is so ENERGETIC!

I only like kids with impairments really... I am SO GOOD with downs syndrome, Autism, and other kind of mental impairments. I could work with those kids easily, and did.

IP

I just dislike the noise but also the fact you cannot have a mature conversation with them. Lot of kids, especially young children, annoy me. I don't hate them but I hate to be around them.

Probably though this will be a big disadvantage to me because I would love to have a girlfriend but most girls will not like a man who doesn't want children of his own...

Perhaps I could share my story with you. I relate very much to some of the posts here.

When I was at school, more than 40 years ago now, I couldn't wait to grow up so that I wouldn't have to have anything to do with children any more. Of ccouse, like most of you here, I was bullied, and was only too well aware how cruel children can be.

When I finished my studies I was asked by several friends of my parents if I could teach their children chess. I had learned that I could avoid trouble by saying yes to everything, so, reluctantly, I agreed. Much to my surprise we got on really well and a couple of the boys I was teaching achieved exceptional results.

To cut a very long story short, my chess teaching gradually expanded and, from something I did in my spare time, it became first a part-time and later a full-time job.

I now work at a small and very unusual independent school, whose Director of Studies is himself a keen chess player, providing one-to-one chess tuition. This term I am there 5 days a week, partly to provide informal support for two boys on the Autistic Spectrum. I find I can particularly relate to children about the age of 7, and, yes, I think it is something to do with my having the emotional and social understanding of a child of that age. The children who are drawn to me are those who are 'different': on the autistic spectrum, or with learning or behavioural differences. Some of them use me as a confidant, often telling me things they won't even tell their parents, and use my room as a sanctuary when they have problems. They know I will be understanding and totally non-judgemental in dealing with them.

I am just starting a course on working with dyslexic children: the school is interested in using me to provide learning support in maths and English.

So, if you have the opportunity to work with children, go for it! You might just be surprised how well it works out.

Kids are great! I remember three years ago, when I was fifteen, I was in Girl Scouts and my troop and I were camping. Anyway, we had to be leaders to the Brownies while we were there and we were assigned a Brownie troop. The Brownies (ages five to eight, I think) just loved me! They even said they wanted me in their troop! They didn't care too much for the other girls in my troop, but they always stuck to my side. I get that reaction a lot with kids.

I guess I am the same way, though I haven't had TOO much luck because I am not stern enough and most groups I have been in charged of, about 5-7.5 have not been well behaved. I didn't mistreat them, and I think everyone else was happy, but I just wanted to rest after it.

I'm SERIOUSLY considering maybe handling kids with mild autism/aspergers if I get the chance. It might be neat.