Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Scribbles and Scrambles - On the Job Dangers

My daughter’s a nanny.

I used to take care of little children a long time ago.

It’s exhausting.

I referred to my most overwhelming day of the week, a handful of five-year-old boys and a two-year-old girl, as Black Thursday.

All day long, everyday, she has three under the age of two-and-a-half.

The youngest, a seven-month-old boy is now crawling several miles a day, usually he’s chasing her. He’s begun growling. She’s not sure why.

Phone calls are always interesting. Sometimes Elmo sings in the background. The A-B-C song is a reoccurring classic. Other times the pitter-patter of little feet and chitter-chatter of sweet little voices fills the earpiece like Muzak in an elevator.

Silence means its nap-time.

One day I had to lay the phone down, and when I picked it up, she didn’t know I’d come back.

She was in the middle of a serious conversation with the youngest, then five-months-old. “Listen, the girls and I took a vote. It’s unanimous. You need to get a new hobby. If not, we’re voting you off the island.”

Apparently, before he could crawl and cling, he was very vocal about not being held constantly.

I just received an e-mail from her. She closed it “the little bald tribal leader’s banging on a toy and chanting! So I should go!"

She probably should have voted him off the island before he learned to growl.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW. You daughter sounds like a champ. She must be amazing. Tell her way to go and maybe you should buy her something nice since she is such a champ!

batgirl said...

Situations like that would leave most men huddled and shaking in the corner. And they call us the weaker vessel! Watching other people's children is NOT my gift.

Heather Smith said...

God bless your daughter! My sister has a 2 1/2 year old and an almost 1 year old, and they can be a handfull! Hope he'll get past the "growling" stage soon!