Reporting From Work

Here I Am!
Single staffed and i love it.. for the most part...
The boys are doing AMaZing considering how they were acting last time i was on shift. I am proud... happy..
It is a tad frustrating not being able to take breaks.. i kinda need my Bidi's.. but i know it will be over soon and I will be able to have coverage...
JP is gone for the week.. so I only get to talk to him at night.. no visits.. just short chats whenever we have the time...
One of the boys RAN up the road, shouting he had to talk to Thompson (the bossman) about his eating/smell issues... He was VERY upset and before Thompson had a chance to come out to talk, the kid had already pushed me a couple times.. i ALMOST fell down the hill but managed to keep my balance.. meanwhile the rest of the group was down at the bottom of the hill was falling apart.. one was trying to take of the others glasses (as he always does) and people were shouting and it was mild chaos.. but quickly we regained status and headed off to the cabin.
One of the boys was caught looking at porn last night.. poor thing was rather ashamed.. I told him that it was expected for a teenage boy to be looking at porn. PERFECLY normal.. just not appropriate timing..
Today
I seriously was VERY near tears (in fact a few excepted) I was extremely frustrated.. we had Kitchen clean up last night at dinner, today at breakfast AND again at lunch. Single staffed, it was hard to make sure everyone was on task, running in the kitchen to make sure dishes were being washed and they weren't bothering Jenny, the cook.. and then running out into the dining hall to make sure they were sweeping and stop them from humping the brooms, etc. AND my favorite camper here was acting as though he were pissed at me. I really get upset and hurt when people ignore me. THAT is one way to make me cry.. to NOT tell me what is wrong.. what i did wrong.. how i can help...
BUT at the same time, I challenged two of the campers.. took a risk.. had 2 of the kids who were easily frustrated with each other work together on pots and pans.. which meant they had to work TOGETHEr.. talk to each other.. be in close proximities.. AND they did it! no problems! no worries! One of them talked to me afterwords and was surprised, proud and pleased with what he had done.. and his ability to interact/work with the other kid who usually got on his nerves.
:)
Playing down in the canoes is a wonderfully fun activity too.. I always end up getting dumped/thrown in... I dont plan on it, i just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time..
All in all.. i am proud of how my kids are acting... and pleased that i have made it this far single staffed :)
As i said.. it was hard... is hard.. having to be within sight of all 8 teenage boys at all times.. when a lot of the times they want to do different things.. I am trying so hard to make their lives fun here.. I know this is not a happy or fun place to be.. i just want to make it decent for them.. It hurts me that they have all these restricitons on them... different people have different releases.. one kid here LIVES for skateboarding.. but he is banned from it because it is not allowed until he is level 3.. which may take at least a couple weeks.. meanwhile his mood tend to flow downhill.. I try to help give him alternative outlets..
I mean... IMAGINE being a teenager and having to be under the watch of a staff member at all times.. having meals served FOR you.. living in CLOSE proximities with 7-8 other people...
Anyway.. signing out now.. toodles!