By Destini Pitts
Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer
We can all agree that there are some people in this world who love kids, and some people who don’t want to have anything to do with kids.
When I started working at the Boys and Girls Club, I didn’t really fit into one spot more than the other. I was kind of just stuck in the middle. No, I didn’t absolutely love kids at the time, but I also didn’t hate them either. It was more of a fair balance between the two. It’s something about their messy dirty hands or their runny noses that made me want to keep a distance from them sometimes, but it was also their genuine loving and kindhearted spirits that drew me close to them at times, too.
My perspective on the members of the Boys and Girls Club has totally changed for the better. It’s something about walking into work every day and witnessing 40-plus kids running up to you, yelling your name and hugging on you because of their excitement to see you. It’s something about the kids coming up to you with a problem because they have developed a certain level of trust towards you. It’s something about the kids doing what you tell them to do because they have a certain level of respect for you. It’s something about certain kids wanting to be around you all the time because they have a certain amount of love for you. It’s truly something knowing you have made a huge impact in the lives of these precious children without even realizing it.
While it may sound like every day is peaches and cream, let me quickly remind you that it’s not. Boys and Girls Clubs provide a safe, affordable place for kids and teens during critical out-of-school time. They offer life-changing programs and services to youth all across America and on U.S. military installations worldwide. Most of the kids who attend the Boys and Girls Club are typically from low-income families, so this is an important and special place for these kids to come to after school. To learn more about this information, please visit https://www.bgca.org/kids-in-need.
Sometimes when you have kids from low-income families, you notice that some of the children have different behavioral issues, and they may be hard to handle. Some of these issues include rough play, ignoring the adult, and exaggeration. As for rough play, a simple way to address this behavior would be to talk to the child about what it would feel like if that behavior was done towards him or her. During the child’s next play time, you can remind him or her of their limits and stop the play time if he or she becomes too rough. For more information and advice on dealing with some of these other behaviors, visit http://www.bgcconejo.org/common-behavior-issues-children-can/.
At the Boys and Girls Club, we have a mission that we follow every day to help us remember why we are there, because it’s all about the children at the end of the day. Our mission is to inspire and empower all young people, especially those who need us most to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.
It’s a great feeling working with these young children and watching them grow up and make something great out of themselves. A lot of these children don’t have the support at home, and they look to us (the staff members) to be that backbone for them. They look to us to have faith and believe in them. They want us to push them further and further everyday so that they very well may reach their full potential as productive caring and responsible citizens.
As Boys and Girls Club staff members, we believe that every child deserves a place to feel safe, to feel connected, and to belong. In doing so, the Boys and Girls Club provides a plethora of different programs and other activates to prepare them for life. These programs include health and fitness, academic success, and good character and leadership. Read more about the club’s mission at https://www.adaclubs.org/about-the-club/mission/.
I work for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Rutherford County. For me personally, it can be challenging at times, but I just remind myself why I am there. These kids have a special place in my heart, and they know they can come to me for anything. At our location, we have 420-plus kids who attend every day. These numbers vary for different locations. As of right now, my club has the most kids who attend every day in Tennessee at 198 Culbertson St., and we are the fastest growing club in Tennessee.
For more information about the Boys and Girls Clubs or if you would like to join a Boys& Girls Club family in helping raise these wonderful children, you can stop by your local club and fill out an application or you can learn more by visiting https://www.bgca.org/.
For more information about the Boys and Girls Clubs of Rutherford County in Smyrna, Tennessee, visit https://www.bgca.org/kids-in-need.
To speak with a director of a local Boys and Girls Club, call (615)-984-4087.
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