Thoughts on Interacting with Kids

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I was just thinking today about how many girls at church (you know specifically the 12 - 18 year old ones) have no problem with kids. The young kids just come up and start talking/playing/hanging around them. Maybe there is an inbuilt maternal side God created I don't know, but it certainly doesn't work for (most) guys. I notice some young kids gravitate towards me if I'm in the room, which is cool. And yes, I'm definetly a guy. But I seem to be the exception to the rule. I love kids and I feel blessed by God for that (can't wait to have my own in the future). I don't know it just strikes me as strange. I know females are more in touch with their emotions in general and I'm definetly more emotion driven than most guys (but I definetly retain my masculinty thankyou very much). I'm not sure what I'm saying but I just thought it was interesting.

If someone knows what I mean please post your thoughts, I'm curious to hear what you think/your theories on why kids like girls more.

Thanks!

[KBMaster]

Well, some guys are awkward around kids and don't really know what to do with them. So, to a child, he might not appear to want to hang with that child. Or it might be the maternal thing, I dunno. Kids might be recieved better by their mothers than their fathers.

But, my opinion might not count for much. The only guy who's ever worked with the kids in my church moved away and now there are only females working with the kids. But I never really payed attention to it before.

[Puguni]

I think it's a maternal thing. Also, guys seem to have a more damaging reputation, what with sex offenders and abusers, etc. marring it for them. People tend to trust women more because of the universal nuturing image.

Me excluded. XD I LOVE little kids, but I think I scare them.

[GracefulRocker]

Now hang on. In my church, the guys always have a constant following of pretee girls and small boys, who view them as the coolest things on the face of the planet because you are strong, probably have a car, and are obviously older. When I was a little girl, older kids were so cool to me, just because they were always having so much fun, and they dealt with things like 'econ homework,' and 'exams,' and 'parties,' and ofcourse, 'babysitting.'

This year, I'm a senior. I almost failed economics last grading period, I hate tests, and baby sitting is so exhausting, plus the kids' parents always under pay. I don't understand why I was so fascinated by being older back then.

As for your observation that kids seem to like girls more, yes, they probably do. I agree that it is most likely a maternal linked thing, but it could also be that the kids see the older girls as more like a sister or mentor. Wouldn't you rather hang out with your friends than your parents? Well, I suppose that kids don't look up to their parents with the same awe as they do someone closer to their age. I have noticed that while in a group of women, ranging in the ages of 44 to 6, the little girls flocked solely to the teenage and college age girls, rather than the women who were the ages of their moms. Even with the apparent age difference, the girls they flock to are still closer to their interests than their parents. Therefore, the older girls are are cooler, and want to be like them.

I intern at an elementary school library, and I find it hilarious that the kids seek me out for help, rather than the librarian, even after I tell them for the zillionth time that I have no idea where what ever they're looking for is. They simply want to be near me. I hope that dosn't make me sound egotistic. If they same kids were in the room with me and a cheerleader from my school, they'd go to the cheerleader, because she looks cooler than I do.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Hmm... okay. The kids certainly don't like me because I'm strong and have a car. I'm neither. But maybe they can 'sense' the people who enjoy playing etc with kids?
While that is all true that us guys are often portrayed as paedophiles (hardly fair I think) that could certainly be one of the reasons guys are less popular.
I still would like some more theories. Some mentioned kids tend to hang out with girls rather than older woman, but my thinking was more why not guys?
I believe its important for both genders to be represented when working with kids and even teenagers. That's why I'm a youth leader. We have two guy co-ordinators, three guy leaders and a girl leader. I'm more an emotion-driven guy so I relate well with the girls in my youth group, but I still relate with the guys also. Whereas the other guys can't make head or tail of the girls and stick to the guys.

[QtheQreater]

Girls are more empathetic. A kid wants to be recognized before they'll just hang on you, and girls are more likely to acknowledge the kids existence right off. Me, I can't stand the little buggers, but I can't help but be all "hi, how are you?" and try to make them feel less uncomfortable whilst they're in a new environment, and then the kid thinks I'm their friend for life. Weird, eh? Besides...the kids may just normally hang out with their mothers, and the transition to any random female is easier for them than to even the nicest guy...[/ramble]

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I figured it was something like that. Darn jealousy gets the best of me sometimes.
It takes more than just a 'hi' for them to like me, but when they see a friendly face and a willingness to play etc with them, I think they latch on.