1. I have a sense of humor…
Or, so Aiden told his mom at camp this summer when he was regaling her with stories at the dinner table. This is good. I don’t mind that I have the sense of humor kids enjoy! I love it if they think I’m silly, or funny, or goofy. That makes me much more approachable to them – kids KNOW if you like them.
2. Be who you are – and DON’T try to be someone you’re not…
Okay, so I’m a mid-50ish woman who could never, in any circles, be considered “hip”. But, when I misread one of the girls’ aprons at a cooking camp, and thought it said “Holla”, I really should NOT have tried to show off some hip hop talk I learned at Zumba and Hip Hop workout classes. I will never forget the wide eyes and dropped jaws of the three 12-year-old girls sitting together when I pointed at that apron and said, “Holla atcha boi”. When I got no laughs, I repeated it. At that point, the girl told me in an even, clipped voice, “It’s.my.NAME – Holly!” So, as if it’s not bad enough that I’m not “hip”, I can’t SEE very well either. DUH! I sure felt like a dope!
3. I love what I do – and it’s contagious…
When I get kids psyched about making spanakopita or homemade pasta or inventing their own candy bars, it’s because, even after 10 years, I still get excited about what I do. The kids who take my programs have an interest in cooking – my goal is to make it a passion for them, like it is for me. At the very least, though, they should have confidence working in the kitchen after completing a Kitchen Wizards camp. I love hearing from parents who tell me their kids cooked dinner for the family. I remember doing that when I was their age, too.
4. It’s okay to act like a kid…
When I goof around and the kids see that, they know that it’s okay to have fun while you’re learning. Rarely do kids say something disrespectful, and if they do, it’s not intentional. But, when they hear me saying how tempting it is to play with the freshly made pasta because it’s like playing with someone’s long hair, I can see that they relate to that. If I put myself in my cooking kids’ shoes, I can connect with them on their level. Sometimes their level is not so far from mine – I guess I’m just a big kid at heart! They love my story of hating mustard – then realizing that it’s only when it’s in a sandwich, not when it’s in a cooked dish. Having been a picky eater as a child, I can relate to their hesitancy about trying new foods. And, they know that I won’t force them to eat anything they don’t like, but I encourage them to try new foods or foods they don’t like, prepared a different way.
5. I am young…or very, VERY old…
When I tell kids how OLD I am, most times, kids will say “you don’t looooook that old”! But, I’ve learned to just be honest about my age. Once I asked a pre-school class how old they thought I was and they told me “100 million billion”. If anything, that made my REAL age seem not so old!
6. Kids will tell you the truth when they know it’s safe…
I love to ask kids what their favorite recipe of the camp was – and their least favorite. I’ve noticed that they are reticent until I tell them it won’t hurt my feelings. Then, I get it with both barrels – ha! They become quite the food critics as they analyze why the buns didn’t taste as good as they thought (too much sugar) or why the oven-baked chicken fingers were so delicious (couldn’t even taste the mustard). Developing a discriminating taste will help them appreciate quality food, and that should help curb mindless eating, too.
7. I can’t wait until the fall programs begin…
Because even after all the hard work (and faux pas) of the summer, I love making a positive impact on kids’ lives!
Enjoy the rest of your summer, and I'll be back soon to talk about the next phase of my journey!
Great post Kathy ... thanks for sharing some of your summer adventures!
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