So I took on 4 more kids for 4 days. To those of you who always have 4 or 9 or 12 more kids, I know this does not merit any sort of praise or accolades. But when you're used to two teenagers and one 9-year-old who thinks he's a teenager and all of these 4 kids are 8-years-old and younger, and when one of those 4 kids is Slade, and when another one of those kids has sobbed non-stop any other time his mother has attempted to leave him in your presence, you get a little nervous, so I'm quite proud of my accomplishment!
I don't know what I was worried about! The kids were great. Lindsay and Dave must have been praying good and hard because Sawyer never cried, Nathan never had a bathroom accident, Slade never stabbed any knives into the furniture, and Emma only almost rolled her eyes at me once.
Even better than the kids being great is the fact that they thought I was great! Because I am by nature a very kind and generous person, I feel I must pass along the secret of my greatness (just in case any of you with those 4 or 9 or 12 more kids ever have time to read my blog):
#1. Never say no. Let them do anything, anytime, anywhere they want to do it.
#2. Don't make them practice.
#3. Don't make them do anything even closely resembling academics.
#4. Don't ever even think, let alone say, the word "chores".
#5. Keep the T.V. on all day (and late into the night) long.
#6. Have lots of yummy snacks and huge bags of sugared cereal around for them to eat any time, and in any amount that they desire. Additionally, allowing them to pick out the marshmallows and throw away the dry cereal part of Lucky Charms makes you really nice.
#7. Go out to Wendy's for lunch.
#8. Follow that with McDonald's for dinner (okay, so it was just a ice cream cone after I actually made dinner, but I think a whole dinner at McDonald's would actually have made them even happier, and therefore, me greater).
#9. Live near an Ikea with a play place. The kids can only stay in for hour increments, so you have to live close enough to drive there and back every other hour.
#10. Read a book on the couch all day long, only surfacing long enough to make sure there's no blood accompanying any screams you might (might being the operative word) hear.
Well, those are the main pointers I have to offer you. I wish you well in your endeavors. Now, a few pictures to let you see how well I did during my adventures in babysitting.
I don't know what I was worried about! The kids were great. Lindsay and Dave must have been praying good and hard because Sawyer never cried, Nathan never had a bathroom accident, Slade never stabbed any knives into the furniture, and Emma only almost rolled her eyes at me once.
Even better than the kids being great is the fact that they thought I was great! Because I am by nature a very kind and generous person, I feel I must pass along the secret of my greatness (just in case any of you with those 4 or 9 or 12 more kids ever have time to read my blog):
#1. Never say no. Let them do anything, anytime, anywhere they want to do it.
#2. Don't make them practice.
#3. Don't make them do anything even closely resembling academics.
#4. Don't ever even think, let alone say, the word "chores".
#5. Keep the T.V. on all day (and late into the night) long.
#6. Have lots of yummy snacks and huge bags of sugared cereal around for them to eat any time, and in any amount that they desire. Additionally, allowing them to pick out the marshmallows and throw away the dry cereal part of Lucky Charms makes you really nice.
#7. Go out to Wendy's for lunch.
#8. Follow that with McDonald's for dinner (okay, so it was just a ice cream cone after I actually made dinner, but I think a whole dinner at McDonald's would actually have made them even happier, and therefore, me greater).
#9. Live near an Ikea with a play place. The kids can only stay in for hour increments, so you have to live close enough to drive there and back every other hour.
#10. Read a book on the couch all day long, only surfacing long enough to make sure there's no blood accompanying any screams you might (might being the operative word) hear.
Well, those are the main pointers I have to offer you. I wish you well in your endeavors. Now, a few pictures to let you see how well I did during my adventures in babysitting.
Fun at Ikea...particularly funny was Sawyer who kept putting himself "night-night" in all the model beds!
Cute Nathan being cute Nathan. I hope L & D didn't have anything special planted in that front planter... Also, notice the blue knees... not sure where that came from...I must have been reading at the time!
Mean old Aunt Keri torturing her young wards with things that cut! Slade thought it would be fun to rub his finger along the edge of that metal lid, and Emma thought it would be fun to throw a glass jar onto the driveway. Aunt Keri thought it would be fun to make them clean up their own messes!
The "artwork" done on and around L & D's house. I'll let you guess who the artist is, and, just in case the above picture of Nathan (he was not the artist in this case) sways you, here's a hint:
At Mickey-D's.
After Mickey-D's.
At the playground just before L & D came home--just enough finishing fun to cement my greatness into the children's minds.
Earlier in the week, to cement my greatness into Lane's mind, this is what I did with him:
7:00 am at the DMV--the line to get in the building.
8:00 am at the DMV--the line to have your photo taken once you've passed your written test.
8:25 am at the DMV--the happy hippy holding his lerner's permit.
8:55 am and the rest of the day--Lane is driving!
The "artwork" done on and around L & D's house. I'll let you guess who the artist is, and, just in case the above picture of Nathan (he was not the artist in this case) sways you, here's a hint:
At Mickey-D's.
After Mickey-D's.
At the playground just before L & D came home--just enough finishing fun to cement my greatness into the children's minds.
Earlier in the week, to cement my greatness into Lane's mind, this is what I did with him:
7:00 am at the DMV--the line to get in the building.
8:00 am at the DMV--the line to have your photo taken once you've passed your written test.
8:25 am at the DMV--the happy hippy holding his lerner's permit.
8:55 am and the rest of the day--Lane is driving!
Lane was too scared to drive home from the DMV, and a little bit terrified when I got out of the car and made him drive from "The Store" parking lot near our house. "Mom," he said, "Don't you know that 80% of traffic accidents take place in shopping areas?!" Apparently that was on his written test. Apparently I didn't care, and now neither does he, because he's driving as much as possible (much to Evan's dismay)! Congratulations to Lane, and special thanks to Michael who had to rush over to the DMV to sign as Lane's legal representative. I still don't count as legal for the boys at the DMV. I suppose that as long as I count at home, that's all that really matters.
3 comments:
WOw, if you ever want to prove your greatness across the board, then I will gladly help you with that and leave you with my 4 kids.
Well, I am very glad. VERY GLAD. that you were willing to be adventurous and take care of my children. I am glad they were "good" for you. Dave and I had such a great time. so thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Love you!
I had to laugh at Lindsay's descriptions of the parents' return - Emma wanting them to leave again, Slade making messes, Nathan's accidents, Sawyer being whiney and clingy. Kids! Gotta love them despite 'em.
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