I’ve been struggling in recent weeks with whether or not I have the gift for youth ministry. Or whether I just can’t figure out how to reach this particular group of kids.
I spent some time talking with my mom about this recently, and came to the realization that I don’t have a “mom voice.” Or in the case of my own mom, “the look.”
You know what I’m talking about – the look that will stop you AND your friends from all the way across the gym at a basketball game. The look that strikes fear into your heart. The look that lets you know she means business.
I don’t have a look, or a voice. While you would think being a pastor carries with it a certain authority, that authority doesn’t really fly with these kids… so I have to muster up some kind of authoritative presence. Something like my own version of the “mom voice” is what I think is needed.
Part of the problem is that I’m so busy focusing on the lesson and the games that it’s hard to also be the babysitter. It’s hard to also keep everyone in line. I have no idea how teachers do it – I’m in absolute awe. I get tired after 45 minutes with my confirmation class of 7 students!
One solution is to get parents more involved… which is the focus of a meeting this Thursday night. Many prayers are needed that even just two or three of them hear the call and want to help out. If I don’t have my own mom voice, I’m just going to have to borrow someone else’s! =)
This whole thing I think also has me thinking about my own family. Is a mom voice something that develops when you have kids, or is it a natural gift? I’ve already figured out I’m the pushover when it comes to our kitties. Brandon’s the disciplinarian, the one who says no. Maybe it will always be that way… only time will tell.
Ginny
December 16, 2008 at 3:38 amI totally understand! I didn’t feel like I had “the look” down – or the “mom voice”. But – recently it sort of came to me. I’ve been teaching for a year and a half now – and I recently went into a classroom where the teacher does not have a lot of control. I was trying to fix her phone while the students were being very disruptive. One was being particularly rude to the teacher – so I shot a look across the room – and all of the sudden he sat down in his chair and was quiet. I realized I had the look! It just took some time – and you almost have to go past the point where you are just sooooo fed up. Just keep plugging along! It will come!
Katie Z.
December 16, 2008 at 7:32 pmhahaha… maybe I just haven’t gotten to the “fed up” point yet. People keep telling me I have an awful lot of patience. I don’t know if that is a gift or a blessing =)
Anna J.
December 16, 2008 at 10:13 pmi second that… you’ll get it when you need it.
i hand out mom-looks as a profession.
but teaching sunday school is so different than teaching school itself…. you can’t be as strict. you can do it, KT!