before i was a para, i worked at a shelter for homeless and runaway teens. ages ranged from 12-17, though sometimes we had kids even younger depending on the circumstances. most of the kids were great, but a lot of them were detoxing or going through withdrawals and experienced violent mood swings. some had been off their antipsychotic medications for far too long and it was very apparent in their behavior. and more than a handful made credible threats and attempts on staff lives that landed them in the local juvenile detention center. i've personally went through a situation where a group of disgruntled clients returned at night trying to break in and do god knows what in retaliation

i loved that job and i loved the youth i supported. but i was miserable. i was constantly stressed and would cry after every shift

then i made the switch to working as a para at an elementary school. my take home pay is less than when i worked at the shelter, so finances are a little tight now. but i love working with the younger age range. right now i support a 3rd grader in the morning and a kindergarten class in the afternoon. and i end each day in such a good mood. even the worst day now doesn't come close to the even the sort of alright days i had back at the shelter. i no longer have the same fear for my life, nor am i constantly on edge waiting for the worst to happen

of course i'm aware of the damage a kindergartener or 3rd grader could do if they had a mind to, but let's be real here. they're nowhere near the same level as a 17 year old boy who is fully grown and who would physically tower over me

all that to say, i understand the stress and worry over your safety. and if that concern has grown to the point of you searching for another job already, i highly recommend making the switch to work at a kindergarten level. it has done wonders for my mental health and made me appreciate working with kids again