[Artemisia] Youth activities WAS NMS and Site Fees

[BECKY LEISHMAN]

'Interesting' youth activities come from adults who are willing to participate and make them interesting. As with everything else, you can't please all the kids all the time, but you can come really really close ;0)... Been there done that myself. 

If you're having difficulties with chasing your child at events versus supporting your hubby on the field or even providing whatever activities you have volunteered to do... hire a sitter and bring them to the event with you or ask someone else to keep an eye on your little one while you're busy.  Definitely get folks to help you in the youth center.

Finding out from the kids what they like doing at events is a good thing, but also work with other current and past MOY's to figure out what works and doesn't work for them.  You'll find many willing to talk.  Get on the Youth Ministers e-list and chat it up a bit... you'll get lots and lots of ideas if you will all just participate at that level. 

There is also a WAY cool newsletter, written for MOY's by MOYs that is available both via subscription (small charge)  or free access is granted on their website at: 
http://www.freewebtown.com/JamesandGwen/libellus.htm<http://www.freewebtown.com/JamesandGwen/libellus.htm>

Note, as an MOY, you only turn into a babysitter if you allow yourself to be one.  That's part of why you do your best to get support and participation from other adults as well as yourself. You pick the times and duration of your activities, start and end on time... return the kids to their parents when you are done.  Don't set the expectation that you'll be 'taking care' of kids all day... even if your activities run all day... and DON'T accept kids under the age of 5 without appropriate additional supervision.

If you have a theme for your event and want some ideas, contact me off list, I'd be happy to share some thoughts... I won't be to BLA or Raptor, otherwise I might have even offered to help you.  

You now have a kingdom youth minister, Lady Sorcha, contact her and get ideas as well.  You're not alone, don't burn yourself out.

The MOY is supposed to have just as much fun at events as the kids... if you're not, then something is wrong. It's up to you to change it

My three pence

Bethoc
ex -MOY

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Syeira<mailto:ladysyeira at yahoo.com> 
  To: Kingdom of Artemisia mailing list<mailto:artemisia at lists.gallowglass.org> 
  Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2006 5:57 PM
  Subject: Re: [Artemisia] Youth activities WAS NMS and Site Fees


  Hopefully, we will have more Youth activities that will be interesting here soon. There are a lot of things coming with the youth program. Much room for improvement.
    As far as I am concerned (which right now is running Youth activities for BLA and Raptor) If the kids have suggestions on what they would like to do I am more than will to listen. 
    I know what you mean by a GLOOMY event for all. I spend all my time chasing Emily and miss a lot of things because they happen when Fernando is on the field and I can let Emily loose because she is too young. I am hoping to find solutions to this by being involved in planning Youth activities and not being turned into a babysitter for others.( been there, done that, not doing it again) It is what turned me off of doing youth activities before this.
     
    Syeira 

  Freydis the Good <freydisthegood at gmail.com<mailto:freydisthegood at gmail.com>> wrote:
     I am in complete agreement on the "This is not a baby
  sitting service" thing, but if the kids go, it can end up a three way
  TUG-O-WAR, nobody wins and it makes for a GLOOMY event for all of us,
  so why pay more? (If I'm missing something on how to make EVERYONE
  happy, PLEASE email me privately)

  Now don't get me wrong, I LIKE taking the kids to events and do my
  best to schedule time for everyone, but my opinions are, if the
  majority of the time they are there, they are just "playing" with
  other teen age friends, why are we charging them more, even if they
  are not a member?



  Lady Syeira of Schattentor, mother of DragonBait




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