Your perceptions of the task and the child's perception may be very different. Discuss the meanings behind the differing perceptions. Let's be the best I may not score or team. Minor inappropriate behavior is best ignored. They need to feel involved and important.
Meaningful involvement is one of the keys to working with youth.
Your enthusiasm will be contagious if you are genuinely enjoying yourself with the children enjoying themselves as well. The concept that children at various stages of development tend to concentrate on similar tasks was first presented by Havighurst, and subsequently many child developmentalists adapted the concept in a variety of ways. The chart will help you better understand what to expect from the child you are working with, and understanding is the first step toward developing a successful relationship. He is not an adult and needs to be viewed as a teen trying to become an adult. She is not an adult and needs to be viewed as a teen trying to become an adult.