my substitute kids

I've been working as a sitter for a babysitting referral agency for about a year now. It's been my second part-time job while I'm getting through my last few years of school, and a lifesaver as I prepare for my study abroad trip this summer. I've worked most evenings this month, in addition to my 8-5 job, and brought in some extra moolah to compensate for the 4 weeks that I'll be NOT working in Costa Rica (!)

A few of the families have become regulars for me. My favorites are a 3 year-old and almost-7 year-old who I watched weekly til their mom got too big-pregnant play tennis on Tuesday nights. Now I've been going over most nights after work to be a mother's helper & the two of us divide the time between to two older boys and the almost-2 month-old addition (who is SOO sweet, but needs to be held a lot). The older boys have had a hard time transitioning with the new baby, and it's been a struggle to find a place where they feel they are getting enough love and attention from their parents...and that it's not negative attention when they act out! Needless to say, it's been a rough couple of weeks for their parents as well as myself. I felt frustrated pretty often that I was constantly harping on Mitch, despite looking constantly for opportunities for some positive reinforcement.

One evening last week the parents went on their first 'date' w/ the baby & I kept the boys. Back to old times, right!? But the evening, especially bath time, was somewhat chaotic, and I finally threw my hands up after chasing a moving target of a head that needed to be washed & told Mitch "I'm finished...If your hair is going to get washed, you're going to have to do it yourself." & proceded to get Mack, the 3 year-old, out of the tub. Mitch was a bit taken aback & sat contritely in the tub. A few minutes later I asked if he was ready to try again, and he said he was, & everything went relatively smoothly after that.

After their stories & tucking them in, I said my goodnights & started down the stairs. Mitch said 'Wait! How much longer til you stop coming here?' I wondered in the back of my head if he were counting down the days till he didn't have to see me again, and told him I wasn't sure, but that I was going to Costa Rica in a month, so for sure then. I told them I'd send a postcard when i got there, & they seemed intrigued by the idea. I said "Goodnight" again, and as I moved out of the doorway, Mitch said "Goodnight...love you."

It warmed my heart to know that despite (0r, perhaps because of) the frustrating power struggles and frequent reprimanding that makes up most of our interaction, he knows I'm doing my best to help him & take care of him, and I told him truthfully "I love you, too!"

I'm gonna miss these boys when they get too old for a sitter, or when I move on in my life & am not available to be part of theirs. I think about what they'll be like in high school, or later in life, when I'm watching them. And, with these two, I hope it works out that I can keep up with them for a long while!