Someone I wave to in passing knows that I'm an at-home mom, so when she failed to realize Spring Break was 2 weeks long for our girls, she came by in frantic need of child care. I am in fact, an at-home mom, so of course I'd be home! I thought it'd be fun for Jay to have someone to play with that Monday and Tuesday afternoon, then we'd be back to our usual lives for the rest of the week. Then...the mom asked if I could watch "Bree" Wednesday and Thursday from 8 am to 3 pm. Again, I'm an at-home mom so I figured, I suppose...though I wasn't thrilled. I usually drag myself out of bed around, oh, 8:30 am. Not today and not tomorrow. I'll have to hit that bed by 10:30 pm and be up by 7 am to look (and smell) decent for the girl's arrival. Grrreat.
So the first day was okay, we were all new to each other and the girls just played.
"This will be a breeze," I thought. Ha, funny.
As the Tuesday went on I realized this child was a bit mouthier (is that a word?!) than I'd like and quite demanding too.
"I brought my bike over for NOTHING?" She asked in astonishment and with the "tone". This came about when I said we couldn't go outside because the 1 year old I always watch was over and 4 kids in the front yard of a house on a street where folk wiz by and run over a rubber ball if it's in their oversized SUV's way was NOT my idea of fun. So...no playing out front today.
Then at lunch, her mom is kind enough to send her lunch and snacks so I prepared Bree's lunch then I prepared my own kids' lunch.
"Can I have oranges?" She asked eyeing Jay and Nas's oranges.
"Sure, just a sec," I say. See, being a cook all day is my least favorite part of being home with my kids so this just meant whipping out the mandarin oranges yet again...grrreat. I start getting the oranges and a plate for them when...
"Can I have oranges NOW?" Bree demanded. The tone that would get Jay jacked up was the end of it. I glanced up at the clock and thought...soon, this will be over.
"I just fixed lunch for 3 people, can you give me a break? I'm getting the oranges okay?" I said in my sane tone. Jay and Nas probably saw the fire in my eyes and wondered why I didn't let the little girl have it.
So after a few days of this "You obviously run things at home" I look at my own daughter and think, Thank God for you. When Bree would say smart comments ("I would never do what your brother did, I'm smart!") Jay would look at me with shock in her eyes. A shock that, unfortunately, came at the expense of her toys sometimes and her bottom sometimes. She's not perfect, but she's no Bree.
I want my kids to grow up respecting other people and a whole list of other traits, but if I ever hear that Jay behaved the way this child did she would surely have to deal with me. It's just funny how God works because when I feel like I'm the world's worst mother He has His way of letting me know, I'm doing alright. There's just nothing like interaction with another child to make you appreciate what you have...I thank God for my Jay.
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