It’s Personal!

I have started tutoring kids again on a weekly basis for the Emergency Housing Consortium. (by the way, if you would like to donate anything – computers, peripherals, books, etc, I know it would be greatly appreciated). EHC is a Santa Clara County organization for homeless families that are trying to get back on their feet.

If you know me at all, you know that I absolutely LOVE kids, probably because I’m a big kid myself. Man, have times changed. When I tutored about 4 years ago, the kids did not have internet access in the computer center. Well, now they do. And they have to be very closely monitored. Here is a brief excerpt of my conversation with a little girl who was using the internet to check her email:

Rakhi: Really, who are you emailing?

Little Girl: My friends!

Rakhi: What do you talk about? Wait…do you talk about boys????

Little Girl (with a goofy smile on her face): That’s PERSONAL!!!!

Rakhi (trying very hard not to laugh): Oh really?? So, is he cute? Do you have a boyfriend?

Little Girl (turning pretty red): I told you, that’s PERSONAL!!

[Another tutor yells that it’s time to clean up]

I look at the little girl’s email while another tutor tells her that she needs to shut her computer down. He then proceeds to ask her if she knows how to shut down a computer.

Little Girl (With a ‘matter of fact’ attitude): Well of course I do! After all, I’m 8!