Although I didn't see the actual movie, just from the previews I could tell that it was built on truth. My second job was the following summer working as a park district camp counselor for grade school children.
Growing up in such a large household, I thought I had a good idea of how to work with and interact with children. The first couple of weeks were spent planning and preparing for the camp...then the children arrived. For the first week or so, everyone was on their best behavior, taking time to get to know each other and settling into their environment. The weeks after that were some of the hardest days of my life.
I understood that some of these children were dealing with some real issues, being adopted, experiencing divorce or just being dropped off every day so they weren't a burden to their parents. So the days would start out fine - energetic, fresh and curious. By the morning snack, all hell would have broken loose and someone would be crying - sometimes one of them, sometimes me.
We had some good times, even some great times but we also had some challenging times. I do think about those kids sometimes and as a result I have nothing but the utmost respect for anyone who works with children. They also reminded me of what it was like to be a kid and how impressionable and vital guidance is in those years.
Although it exhausts me to think about it, I also think about how clever and imaginative children are and I do look forward to being a parent someday.
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