I think this is probably the first week in a while I've only done
a minuscule amount of schoolwork!
My week has been amazing, but so busy!
I've been doing Work Experience this week at a pre-school opposite my
house.
All of the children most of the children are as good as gold, and
I've found it's really helped me to gain confidence, and have the opportunity
to be independent and responsible.
It's strange, because something I'm not used to doing in my life is
acting mature.
I'm the baby of the family, apart from a cousin that is the same age as
me, and just one younger that cousin only a year younger(although he probably
has a higher mental age).
Being around such young children really made me feel like I had to
mature a lot. I felt so responsible for their safety in
particular, and I had to push aside my clumsiness
and carelessness and really take every single thing I did into
consideration.
I wasn't used to this.
However, in the short number of days so far, there have fortunately
been zero accidents involving
me!
In fact, I've done a pretty good job of caring for the children.
I've even got over my fear of assertiveness and managed to be strict
with the naughtier kids.
I feel I've taken a large step forwards with my confidence.
- I've gained the ability to
talk to new people: I've made a few new friends, spoken to lots of adults
and got on very well(usually, I'd ask friends I was with to go buy
something for me in a shop, because i was "too
scared" to talk to the adults), and spoken in front of the
class many times without feeling shy or embarrassed.
- I've been more confident
about myself, especially in public. Jack and I went to a barn dance on
Saturday. It was so much fun, and I participated eagerly in almost every
dance. A year or so ago, I would have cowered in the corner, concerned I'd
mess up or do something stupid, and worried that everyone's eyes would be
on me.
- I really feel that I've
grown up an awful lot. Although I can still be childish and silly and an
awful brat sometimes, I can now hold
mature conversations with adults, vary my character depending on the
situation and be responsible for others, myself and my things.
I just
thought I'd share all of this to you, to let you know that if you,
like me, thought you were completely helpless... Well, there is hope!
Enjoy being young while it lasts though, by all means.
With all my love,
Elly. xox <3
