I’m a Childcare Specialist at one of the Children’s Corners sites of the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) Centers, an assignment I found through ReServe. Three days a week for a total of fifteen hours, I care for children between 2 and 9 years of age while their parent or guardian meets with a social worker at the center.
I make sure that the children feel comfortable and safe, and are happy during time that they spend at the center. I use my professional experience to motivate and teach them how to perform a task and to feel happy when they have accomplished it.
The experiences I have had with these children have made me a firm believer that “true happiness is not having what you want but what you’ve got.” I feel fulfilled and that my life has purpose when I interact with these children. When I play games with the children and interact with them, I feel as though I’m a child again. And solving the word or number puzzles or building bridges and houses with the children helps me to put on my thinking cap.
Just as the children find a purpose during the time they are at the center, it makes me feel worthwhile and happy too. It gives me great satisfaction to see children feel fulfilled and accomplished. They learn skills of cleaning up and organizing the playroom. These are skills that they take home with them in their own life and as they grow older.
I am never too old to play. I personally gain a satisfaction and happiness when I play and care for the children and provide them a comfortable and enjoyable experience.
Aryama “Arie” Mulchand was a head teller for more than 15 years working at Atlantic Bank, JP Morgan Chase Bank and Commerce Bank. Most recently she was a mortgage officer at Century 21 Crossroads Realty after receiving certification at York College. She joined ReServe in 2009. To commemorate Older Americans Month, ReServe invited ReServists to write original essays about their current or past assignment. This is one of twelve essays. – ED
