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09-01-2007, 02:17 PM

44. Piggybank
Reflection on my First Job

Ah, money woes. We've all got them. The things we'll do to get our bank account pumped up....

My first job was working at a summer camp for children aged 5-13. I was in charge of the 9+10 year olds. And I must say, that was a learning experience:
Top Ten Things I Learned From Being a Camp Counselor

10. Never Carry Change in Your Pocket
If you give a kid a quarter once, and only once, they will ask you for money every day afterwards. And they'll tell their friends that you're rich, and they'll all repeatedly come begging for money. And they'll actually yell at you and cry after you've told them for the 50th time that you don't have a quarter, let along $5.
9. I Can't Park
I only got my driver's license that summer, and I had discovered that parking the car was not my forte. More often than not, I was not nearly close enough to the car next to me, which caused everyone else to complain about the lack of parking space in the field. That's what happens when maintenance decides not to spray paint lines on the ground.
8. Connect Four is an Intense Game
You really know what you're made of when you get set up against a ten year old at this game. Get complacent, and they will beat you over, and over, and over again.
7. An Ice Pack Makes Everything Feel Better
Hit your head? Have an ice pack. Scrape your knee? Have an ice pack. Get stung by a bee? Have an ice pack. Get insulted by that girl you've hated since preschool? Have an icepack. It's magical chemical formula will make the world a happier place.
6. Tetherball Should Never Be Played Against 10 Year Old Boys
Because I will beat them, then they will hate me. (It's not my fault I'm a foot taller than you guys. You'll all grow eventually, and then kick my butt at every conceivable sport.)
5.Farmer's Tans are Hott
Alright, so I've known this for quite some time already. But my tanlines that year were so awesome that it's worth repeating. Not only was my watch embedded on my skin, but my feet permanently looked as though I was always wearing white socks. And it leads us to my next lesson.
4. Suntan Lotion is My Best Friend
I wore it everyday without fail, and never once got a burn. I carried a tube of SPF 45 around with me and attacked any child that was running around without any on. My kids got used to slathering it on their face and arms before we went out into the fields. It really amazes me how many parents drop their children off without even thinking of sunscreen.
3. Dodgeball is the King of All Sports
Far be it from me to understand what's so great about pegging your best friend in the head with a kickball, but you are a god if you master this game. Sadly enough, I am not yet a god.
2. I'm a Girl, Therefore Nothing I Say Can Be Taken Seriously
I told you to be quiet, so what? I'm just a girl. It's not until the male counselors walk by that you'll actually shut up. Surprisingly, this goes doubly if you too are a girl.

And the Number One Thing I Learned From Being a Camp Counselor:
I Never Want to Teach Elementary School.
Eight weeks of these kids was more than enough.