Had to tell a volunteer last week that kids were scared of her because she yells when they spill juice. She cried, I felt like a monster, but also those kids shouldn't be terrified of snack time.

Nobody prepares you for these conversations and they're absolutely the worst part of ministry leadership.

Today we're talking about how to have difficult conversations with volunteers without destroying relationships - from waiting until you're not furious to being specific about problems to knowing when someone just isn't cut out for kids ministry. Plus why avoiding these talks only makes everything worse.

If you're dreading a conversation you know you need to have, this one's for you. Fair warning: it's never fun, but it gets easier with practice and kids deserve leaders who aren't making them miserable.

For ministry leaders, volunteer coordinators, and anyone who's discovered that hoping problems will fix themselves isn't actually a strategy.

Check out KidsMinistry.Blog for more ideas, tips, and resources to help your Children's Ministry thrive!