Jamie Guilford, M.A

Tina Marseco

Jamie Guilford, M.A.

13 November 2010

My Reflection on Service

When I first went to CitySERVE, I was nervous. I did not know what to expect, or who I was going to be with. I was a little more relaxed when I found out we were going to a daycare center because I love little kids. The ride to the daycare center was horrible, not because the driver took a trip around the world, but because I got a call saying my aunt was in the ICU. My mom told me to stay and do what I needed to do, and that everything would be fine. After that call, I really was not in the mood to do my part in CitySERVE. I did my best to pull myself together and in we went to see the kids. When I got in there, seeing the little kids calmed me down some. Being at the daycare center was a good way for me to make new friends. I made friends with the little kids, especially my buddy, Janelle. It was also a great way to get to know my fellow classmates. Kevin and I were at the play-doh table for most of our time there and we had a blast. However, it was a bad decision for me to wear black that day because Janelle liked to get flour all over me. It was just a sign of the fun we had! In all honesty, spending time with the little kids made me feel better with all the stress I had that day.

The second visit to the daycare center was something I was looking forward too. I enjoyed making the goody bags for them, it was a way for me to be creative and make them happy. When we got there, a little boy’s grandma came to pick him up. He ran to her with such excitement and gave her a big hug. At that moment I realized how much I missed my grandma and my childhood. It seemed like yesterday I was that age and now I am in college. It made me think about how quickly time goes by. The whole experience made me miss my childhood.

Making hand turkeys and playing bop-it sparked memories for me from my younger years.

Being there gave me two hours of my childhood back and I loved it. We were all little kids again.

Going into the daycare center at first, I was nervous. Yes, I love kids but I don’t feel like

I am the best with them. I have not had much experience with children because in my whole family, I am the second youngest. Interacting with the kids was a way for me to loosen up around them and just have fun. We are all kids at heart, so it was easy to be our kid self around them. It made me feel good to know that I made their day brighter, just by spending time with them. It also felt good to know that we helped the daycare workers out as well. They have a fun but tough job and I give them all the credit they deserve.

My citySERVE experience is one that I will never forget. I met new people and made new friends. I learned to not take life for granted because time goes by quickly. After this experience, I would gladly participate in CitySERVE again. It was a great way to start my college career, here at King’s.