Lobby Worthy
You overhear a kid call another Club member a fart face.
No lobby!
Wall. This is the perfect reason to use the wall. Have them sit on the wall until assembly is over and then have a conversation before joining the group.
You've got some sick beats playing in the gym and kids are dancing and enjoying themselves. You have 3 kids come ask you for noise-cancelling headphones and you notice one kid who is getting agitated. How do you handle this?
Turn the music down! What may seem like appropriate noise level to you is clearly having a negative affect on kids. It's ok to play music, but remember that everyone reacts differently.
Which internal doors are not safe to leave open during the day?
Cleaning closet, laundry room, maintenance room (both doors), and equipment room.
You're at the park and a parent pulls up to pick up their Club member. What is the protocol?
No pickups are allowed at the playground. All parents should call the Club first to pick up. If they are coming out, the MSC or director will inform staff ahead of time.
You see a Club member in the cafeteria throw their milk carton. They end up spilling milk.
No lobby! Have them clean up their mess and extra trash while talking to them about cafeteria expectations.
You have a Club member who will not join the group and is sitting down in the back of the room.
Pick your battles! If they are not being disruptive, sometime it's best to let them have a moment alone.
One Club member is consistently distracted during Team Talks and is starting to disrupt others. They always seems to be messing with papers and other items around them. What is a good way to address this so that they are no longer a disruption?
Offer them a fidget toy from the lobby that they can use during these talks only. Another option may be to allow them to walk around in the back while listening to the talk.
Is it ok to have kid helpers or to send a Club member to the equipment room to get your supplies?
No. No Club members allowed in the equipment room!
A Club member is easily frustrated and you've seen them get angry when they feel like a game is unfair or they're being targeted. During a game of dodgeball you see them get hit in the face a few times and kids yelling at them that they're out. How can you help?
It's always important to try and get ahead of the reaction and to be proactive when you know this may be a trigger. Pull them aside and let them know they're not in trouble but you can see them starting to get upset. Ask how you can help to redirect those emotions so they feel understood and that the game is fair.
Two kids come running out of the bathroom. Both kids have passes from two different staff. Their hair is soaking wet.
Lobby! Even though they have passes, they were still playing and clearly making a mess.
During a game of killer frog, one kid keeps clearly cheating. You've asked them to stop but now others are getting frustrated too.
Wall. Have them sit out for 3-5 minutes and then go over expectations again with them and why their actions were affecting others.
Your age group wins the weekly contest and you're really excited and so are the kids. You start leading a chant and shouting about your big win. You notice a few kids covering their ears and a few who have disengaged and are running around. How do you learn from this?
Celebration is always encouraged! Just remember that extreme or sudden noises affect kids in different ways and it may be hard to get your group back on track. Celebrate in a way that is inclusive of all needs.
You're on the playground with your group and one other staff. One Club member refuses to go inside with your group. What do you do?
Have the group wait in line while your teammate leads an impromptu activity and you radio for a director or another staff member to come help. If your group has already started to leave, flag two trusted kids to stay with you while you wait for help.
A Club member is refusing to go to the cafeteria because they don't like what's being served. You've been listening to them complain about it for over 5 minutes and the rest of the group is almost all in the cafeteria at this point. What do you do?
Try to give the Club member options. They can eat what's being served that they DO like, they can just sit with their friends and not take the meal, or they can cool off in the lobby for 5 minutes. Make sure they understand the choices and give them a countdown (out loud or in your head). If no choice is made, ask them to cool off in the lobby.
A kid runs up to you and says that their friend, hit them on the arm. After further investigation, you realize both kids were play fighting.
No Lobby! Have them sit on the wall separately and have a conversation about respecting personal boundaries and creating a safe place.
A game is getting heated in the gym and one kid yells "f*** you" to another. You know it didn't just slip out and it was intentional.
This goes beyond sending someone to the wall. They need time to cool off in the lobby and have an intentional conversation with a staff.
You have a Club member who consistently tells you their stomach hurts. Every day they ask to go to the lobby and call home. You have not observed any signs that they are sick and notice that this is happening around the same time each day. What do you do?
Let the front desk or a director know what you're observing. They can contact parents and see if there is a reason to think their Club member is sick. If there isn't, ask the Club member what else might be going on for them. Homesick? Anxiety? No friends or connections yet?
You decide to talk a group for a greenbelt walk. What steps do you need to take to ensure safety.
Always have two staff. Provide a list of kids going to the MSC. Take your cell phone (radios don't always work). Set clear expectations with the kids BEFORE you leave. Always have one staff at the front of the group and one at the back. Enforce greenbelt etiquette.
A Club member comes and tells you they're being bullied. When you ask what that means, they explain that their friend wouldn't share the legos with them. What do you do?
Ask questions! Why aren't they sharing? Is there enough to go around and it's possible to share? Is there a reason why they couldn't share? Also explain the definition of "bullying" to them. Being upset with a friend or not sharing one time may be hurtful but it's not bullying.
One of your favorite Club members who has never been in trouble is not listening to you in assembly and keeps pushing the boundaries, even when you've told them to stop. You overhear them say something that's not respectful.
Lobby. Even if they've never been in trouble, if they aren't following the rules and have been warned, it's important to follow the same rules for everyone.
Multiple kids keep telling you that one particular member is calling them names and gossiping about them. This isn't the first time you've heard about this Club member doing it.
No wall. Bring the Club member up to the lobby, explain what's been happening to the MSC, and have someone talk to this member about what's going on.
You have a Club member who messes up on their art project. They tell you they hate themselves, that everyone thinks they're stupid, and they can't do anything right. How do you respond?
Pull this Club member aside to a quieter space. Address their frustration and provide support for their feelings while promoting positive self talk. Offer specifics about this Club member that you think are great. Have an option to end the conversation by having them say a couple positive things about themselves.
You're out at the park and a community member is walking their dog and you notice them letting a group of our kids pet their dog. What do you do?
Thank them for offering but let the kids know we have to leave the animals alone. Even if they're really cute.
Have the staff member leading tap out and go take a break off the floor. Do your best to regroup the kids and set a positive tone. In this case, it is also best to inform your supervisor just so they are aware of what happened.