Talking to kids

Kids rule, okay?

Good luck with this!

I prefer, "Kids are meant to be seen, not heard."

You'll enjoy it again, Pol. I used to do a lot of that in my newspaper days and it always was fun.

Everytime I try to talk to kids at schools it's just more of that whole tiresome "arrest, restraining order, parole revoke" thing all over again.

There are times when talking to kids is much easier than talking to adults. They really don't hold their feelings back, you know. Plus lots of them look forward to a speaker; you might have something interesting to say, and if not, at least they are doing the "regular" classroom stuff for an hour or so.

Enjoy it Pol. Ten deep breaths...

Good one, Lin.

Thanks, Lin, Dick, and Pam. I know, they're just kids (and Dick, I agree with that rule most of the time), I'll be fine. Pam, I'll be doing the breathing thing, but I hope I don't make myself hyperventilate. Actually, I'll try not to fear the kids as much as a plane ride to Canada we're taking next week. Now that's gonna make me hyperventilate!

Kids. That has been a sore subject at times about people who "don't like kids." I guess they forgot that they were once a kid. And it is likely that when they were a kid they knew adults who didn't like them, and now they're playing that same role.

Pol, you will learn much from them. Try to place yourself in their shoes. Imagine that you are a kid sitting in the audience.

Thanks, Abe. I guess we forget at times that we were all kids. But the sad fact is: We were nicer kids back then than they have nowadays. But there are still some good ones, though.

Pol the big trip is next week? Many good wishes on your journey. Where are you landing?

Pol I agree that kids were nicer back then. We had much better manners, but in a classroom, they may be less unruly. It seems that the kids I am around socially gravitate to me. The less I like them, the more they seek me out. My patience and tolerance is improving, though.

I don't envy you your flight. Can you sleep through it?

WARNING: Oh my. This is one of my soap box subjects.
I'm sorry but I am about to go on a rampage

My first job? Kinder Care. I loved it!

I have 7 nieces (ages 4 - 16) and 5 nephews (ages 2 - 23). And of course my adorable grandsons.

I've babysat all of them at all different ages.

Like Shelagh said, kids rule!

There have always been bratty kids and well behaved kids ... all throughout history. I think sadly, the well behaved kids get less publicity than the naughty ones.

If we look hard enough we will find wonderful children everywhere.

It used to irritate me when I told people I had a teenage boy, and their immediate remark was "Oh, I am sorry, that must be hard for you."

I knew most of the time they were just kidding, but I would let them have it. My husband and I are proud of our son. At age 12 he became a Red Cross volunteer, he started taking Fire Science classes at the community college when he was 14. He raised a guide dog puppy for Guide Dogs of America. At 14 he was the youngest explorer to go through the San Jose Fire Dept's Explorer Academy.

Anyway, the point is, there are youngersters out there who are well behaved, considerate, intelligent, fun, and interesting. Maybe if we took a little time to pay attention we would see more of them.

Oh, and just last week, my husband and I were at a truck stop near a McDonald's. We went it to grab a bite and had seats near the door. We saw two boys about ages 6 and 9 who were leaving with their mother just as a woman, who looked to be mid to late 60s was walking in.
The oldest boy opened the door for her and kept it open while whe walked in and the younger one stood behind him, out of the womans way. She walked in with her nose in the air and did NOT thank them!

Children are born curious about their world and about people and about life. That should be nurtured. It should also NEVER be lost ... even into adulthood. Too often we allow blinders to grow and we forget to see the world with that wonder of a child we once had.

Sadly too many children lose that at too young an age, as well.

Those of us who are writers for children and young adults have a wonderful opportunity to be a positive force in the lives of young people. We can help them nurture their dreams and imagination.

We can help them to see that the world is an amazing place of opportunity and that they can look forward to doing anything the want with their lives.

And Dick, I can't remember how many times my mother quoted that line to me.

Then again, my nickname growing up was Chatterbox. Or was it Jabberjaw?

Sadly, I think too often the rule in some homes today is "Children are meant to be ignored and left to raise themselves."

Children are our future.

And I just wish that any grownup (parents, teachers, relatives, stranges, business person, author of the books they read, friends, etc) that touches every child's life would do all they can to be a positive, nurturing, and encouraging force in that child's life.

Okay, climbing off my box now.

JoElle, you can get on that soap box anytime.
What you said that many forget, is that we hear about the bad kids and not about the good kids. Isn't that the same with most news? Bad news sells and is what sticks with us.

Anyway, I have two grandchildren. They believe literally everything I say to them. They are trusting. They ask lots of questions. Too often, kids are lied to. People think it is amusing to trick them in some way. When kids learn that adults don't tell the truth, they become skeptical at an early age and imitate the adults. "It's okay to lie." And then we wonder why we have rotten kids on the streets.

Kids and dogs seem to gravitate to me. In my early years I use to shudder. *grin* Over the years (could it be aging?) I have learned to embrace the questions and behaviour of our younger generation. Sometimes their questions and thoughts help us to see what life is really about.

I wish you the best with both your talk and your flying, Pol. I drive whenever I can. Have you thought about taking an Amtrak?

Elf--I like your soap box! True, there are many nice young people out there. When I run across them, I always try to reinforce their wonderful behavior.

The other day, I was leaving the store, cane in one hand and bags in the other. Approaching the outer door, there was a group of teenagers blocking my way, clustered around the door.

I smiled, anticipating having to ask them to let me pass. The young man closest to the door opened it, and gestured to the others to move aside.

My way cleared, I gave them all a big smile, and thanked the fellow who had parted the waters for me as well as those who had moved aside. This happens often, and I think by offering appreciation for their kindness, it makes them even more willing to do the same for the next person they encounter.

And I have often stated that I have a deep admiration for those who write for the young. They are indeed our future, and hopefully, future readers of adult works as well.

Maybe the unruly ones I have encountered have all been on sugar highs.

I am enjoying this thread enormously. My first paid work was as a babysitter, and my first unpaid work was as a mom. IT's a great job but darned hard, all of it.

I have a bit of a rant on my blog about it--it's one of the few posts I made that no one commented on (funny how with the blog people won't necessarily comment there, they email me instead. But this entry--nothin'. I think adults are embarrassed at times over the way we think about and raise kids, and yet not willing to get their butts in gear. The links below in case you want a peek.

http://andthebandplayedonmylawn.blogspot.com/2008/03/in-this-day-and-age.html

I'm enjoying this thread, too, Pam. Oddly enough, my day job for the last 18 years has been working in the birth and death certificate office where kids are everywhere at times. And there are times when it seems their parents are nowhere . But there are the kind few.
I did a reading/speaking at a school last summer. It was two fourth grade classes and they were just great. I hope the kids on Wed. will be half as nice.
Sue, we hadn't thought about Amtrak, but I'm actually feeling a bit more calm about the flight (over and over I tell myself). We're going to Niagara Falls to be married (after 16 years, finally) and I'm focusing on that. And by the way, Sue, what's wrong with dogs? They love us unconditionally. I love dogs.

It is amazing what we can see in our young people if we only observe. Sometimes their actions are for their peers and not truly what is inside of them. For part of one of my books I wrote an article entitled, "Riding the Bus with Strangers" which tells of a young man who helped me on the bus. Yet to observe him before and after his trip you would not have wanted to even glance his way. I believe this has become typical of today's youth.

I love the holding door episode you mentioned, Zada. I too have experienced this. I think deep down there is a core of good. Even though it is a challenge, I believe it is up to us to address it whether we see it or not.

the incident Elf cited makes me sad, since those young men were not acknowledged, and their kindness seemingly ignored.

My biggest problem is when kids are allowed to simply run (literally) wild in the stores, Mom tells them to settle down; they ignore her, and then she ignores them, letting them run up and down aisles, screaming at one another. Sometimes I think parents need to be spanked!!

It makes me wonder how the parents were raised; in a barn by wolves perhaps.

Lots of interesting stuff here. JoElle, keep climbing on that soap box.

Let me say one thing about news. It isn't that bad news sells, it is that it is news. Sometimes good news is news, but more often it is not. Imagine headlines reading: 100,000 people made it safely to and from work today. All the children at every school were studious and well behaved today. No crimes were committed today. No one in the area died today. All the politicians had nice things to say about each other today. Every airliner had a safe journey today. There were no fires, floods, mudslides or earthquakes today.
That's the way we want it to be. When it isn't, that's news.

So very true, Dick. On one of my local news programs they have time set aside for a segment called 'little heroes'. I always try to catch it, since I have no little ones around anymore. It is a rare feel good moment on the news.

This week's spot was of youngsters playing baseball. Or playing AT baseball. These are the little ones I never see, they are too busy doing healthy things. It really is a joy to watch them.

Good news/bad news.
Good news: The landing on the moon
Bad news: The space launch blowing up.

Good news: The man resolved the problem he had with his wife.
Bad news: He killed her.

Very funny! It all depends on whether you were the husband or the wife in the last example!

Okay, the day that started this thread has come and gone. I went to the school and had a great time. That happens to me each time I have to do a speaking; I get nervous for a while before then afterwards, realize there was nothing to be nervous about.
When I got there, the kids presented me with a book they made that contained a letter to me from each of them telling me how much they liked The Magic Elevator. I read from the second book, Back to the Elevator, for a little while and then answered a ton of questions. When we were done we took some pictures, went in the front of the school and took more pictures and because we were outside, they were all allowed to scream a "Thank you!" to me, and it was loud!
So, I look back now and smile and the experience. And the next time I do an appearance will get nervous before? Probably.

Pol that's great! Sounds like such fun, and what a way to have your book appreciated!

Will you get nervous next time? Perhaps. I've been speaking and teaching for 15 years and although it used to rattle me and sometimes still does, it got much easier the more I did it. I think that as writers part of the rattling comes from having our work--our personal sweat and love for what we create--held and considered by others. It seems to bring out that little voice in the back of our head that says "I could have done this better. Will they notice?" Stuff a twinkie in that naysayers mouth and shut him up! Enjoy every minute!