I love babysitting. I don’t find it to be easy, I do find it exhausting, fun, challenging, patient inducing, funny, nearly all the human emotions you can feel flooding through me on a daily basis.
Recently I lost one of my families because they are going to hire an au pair for their boys this coming fall. I’ve had these boys for 3 years, and I love them so much. They are smart, confident, funny, diplomatic, witty, and just great kids that I’ve loved being with since forever. My heart is broken but that is the nature of my business, and my job. I will always lose families due to the kids growing up and no longer needing a babysitter, or family needs change, etc. But I can always say that I’ve loved them all, and every single one of the children in my life have taught me new lessons about babysitting, and myself.
Last week I had a little one tell his mom that he loved his mom, his dad, and Miss Jaidene (me) for almost 10 weeks (I have no idea what the 10 weeks thing is), and I was so grateful that he included me in his list of people that he loves. I am always humble when a child expresses their love for me, because I’m not family, or really even a friend; I’m in this weird limbo area that, in these days, needs to be filled by someone. I get to listen to the uniqueness that each child brings to the world, their perceptions of good, bad, naughty, nice, and all the new things around them. I get to watch them get excited about a toy car to, being excited about a real car. I love to see them get excited with the mundane we call life, and hear them giggle with delight when they see a commuter train or bus, when all I do when I encounter these is grumble because I know traffic will be backed up behind them.
I am lucky to have these children in my life. I’m tired at the end of every day but when I’m not with them my heart is a little less full. It is a tremendous trust to allow someone to babysit your children when you really don’t know them so thanks to all the parents that are entrust me with all their great children.
