Boundary

How has this week been in the office? The youths are really a joy to be around. Its so easy to be with them. I guess they are my cup of tea. Seriously, I have been helping youths since the age of 19, about 7 years from now. How can I survive if I don’t enjoy them? But there are still a lot of challenges. My colleagues and I have to fight for the boundary that we want to set for our youths. Who do we see acceptable in the program? Who do we see as not acceptable. Among those who are not acceptable, how can we reach out to them personally.

There has been influx of youths and children coming to our centre recently. I remember once I see about 10 over children coming to our centre and they automatically come help themselves to the water that was meant for the youth. I felt intruded and I was upset with them. Then I had to hold my upsetness and politely ask them to ask for permission the next time round. And then I have to invite them away. I feel that this boundary to protect is a hard one. Because we are the roof garden and quite a open space, many people would come in out of curiosity. We just had to work harder at playing the gate keeper.

These 2 days at Kidstart! (the children’s program), I find the children more responsive and slightly better behaved. I realized that I feel better about myself. I think I still tie how I esteem myself to how the kids behaved. I rem Kris told me that I do not have to place my worth in the hands of the kids, but its easier said than done. Anyway, this will take time to learn.

I also realized this week that R is responding better toward me already. He seems to listen better to instructions right now. Though I wish that he would spend more time studying instead of playing games, but I am thankful that he is not disturbing others with his play and that others are not following him.

Sy still likes to do his own things and its hard to get him to listen. But its ok. I think he feels left out of the group. Other boys like dancing and they are pretty good at that, but I don’t think he likes it. So I think he felt left out of the group. Maybe that is what is causing him to act this way. Anyway, thank God for this revelation that leads me to be able to have more patience and grace while handling him.