Children indoctrinate us with the most desirable characteristics
Says so volunteer Amer, who has been associating with his younger brother for two whole years, and they have learnt so much from one another during that time. Socialization will not continue for this cycle as the boy moved with his family to Germany. Amer has shown willfulness to continue volunteering, which will happen with the new younger brother.
Amer Bajramovic is a student at the Faculty of Philosophy in Sarajevo, major of Psychology, and a volunteer at Association for the addiction prevention NARKO-NE in Sarajevo. In the following text you can read what did their meet-ups look like and what have they learned from one another.
What did your meet-ups look like, where did you go and what did you do together?
We have spent the major part of the pandemic riding bicycles, evading cafes and closed spaces. My boy loves to run and to play with other kids, so we have been spending our time in parks. He loves to play with kids generally, and I have noticed that he doesn’t mind the age or gender, for he only wants to socialize and have a great time. When the epidemic restrictions had abated, we went to cafes too, where the boy mainly order hot chocolate, his favorite drink. We visited couple of locations in the city, but we would always return to the café Tito. Tito is one of his favorite spots that we often visited. Besides there being lots of children and space for running around, he specially loved exhibits there, which are tanks. He would often say: “Let’s go to the tank!”, and that is where you could usually find us.
Have you notice some changes with your younger brother?
Definitely! I have immediately noticed after the first cycle that the boy’s grade had improved, and that there had been less complains about his behavior from his teachers and parents, as well as his peers. I would like to point out that I am proud of him for passing with A grade, and for improving his relationship with his mother. Moreover, we have connected on such a level and became real friends. Everyone that know my younger brother, is aware of his robustness, even aggressiveness, but we have worked on that. I got used to him and his personality, and I tend not to acknowledge his outbursts, because certain things are part of him, and I have simply accepted him the way he is.
And what is your impression regarding the program? Have you learned/acquired something new?
I personally, by participating in such a program, feel better and more useful. Alongside the boy, because of his personality, I have learned “to accept”. I don’t turn around and give people beady eye, especially not children, and that is something that everyone, particularly adults, should learn. Kids are kids, they shouldn’t be judged merely upon some of their behavior. Another thing I would like to mention is how I have learned to deal with the parents (both his and mine), and how to communicate and reach an understanding.
Do you have any message for the youth? Why should they join the program?
The first thing I would like to highlight is the relationship with the children, from whom we can learn so much. We expect the children to learn from us, but we actually learn more from them. A lot gets forgotten growing up, and we should learn to behave as a child, but keep adult’s demeanor. We ought to look at things from a more simple perspective as children do, and let ourselves decompress and play more. Exactly that is what this program offers and what makes it different from others. Besides that there are socializations, workshops and educations at which there is much to be learned, and which are related to work with kids. I would also like to refer to consolatory meetings, which are led by coordinators and assistants, who give us information regarding the meet-ups with younger brothers and sisters, which can prove useful in our everyday lives. Our volunteers are one big collective, our relations are great, full of understanding, and everyone is endowed with friendly attitude and ready to help, and that is what’s important for functioning in such a program.
Will you continue volunteering for the program?
Even though my boy has, unfortunately, moved far away I won’t be able to associate with him, I will continue my volunteeristic engagement. I want to be part of this story, I want to be to someone what I have been to my younger brother for two years. But I want just as much to continue improving myself and making new experiences and memories.
Prepared by:
Elmira Ramadani, volunteers of the OBOS Foundation
