Tips for Non-Children's Folks Working the Children's Desk

With summer coming up, many youth department staff are reaching out to their co-workers in other departments to give a hand by covering the desk during heavier program times or to help with unexpected illness or other surprises. 

A recent ALSC blog post by Christine Herman gives some great tips to share with this wonderful co-workers to help them feel comfortable working with kids if they don't regularly interact with them. 

Christine writes: "You never signed up to work with kids, you never expected to work with kids… and yet, here you are, covering the Children’s Department. This is a pretty common scenario, and it can be frustrating for people who worry they’re out of their depth or those who just feel rusty or out of place. Even for people who have had children of their own, suddenly dealing with strangers’ children can be an alarming experience!"

Please stop here to find all her practical tips for interacting successfully with kids. [Top Tips for Working with Kids (When You Don't Usually Work with Kids. Herman, Christine. ASLC blog. May 5, 2024.]