Babysitting

Many of you know that I babysit a couple of little kids during the week--a two year old girl named Lydia and an 18 month old boy named Aksel. For the most part this has worked out pretty well although I do find that it really limits my free time. But I've been really thankful that things have worked out the way they have because it allows me to still be at home with my own kids but also contribute to our very tight family budget (contrary to popular belief, professors don't actually make very much money--at least not Spanish professors). But now I find myself with a possible problem. We are having a new baby in a couple of months which I know will add extra stress to my daily routine, but I am still planning to babysit because we really need the money. So here's the problem: Lydia's parents are job hunting right now and are planning on not being here next year. But word has spread among the other college professors that I do childcare and that I am very good at it. I've already met with one lady who is from China and who will be bringing her 3 year old daughter to live here next year and she really likes the idea of having her in someones home rather than a daycare. So I told her that if Lydia really does move away, I would definitely do child care for her daughter. At the same time that this was happening, I knew that there was another couple who also wanted the same situation for their one year old daughter, but so far they hadn't really talked to me about it and since I hadn't heard anything, I sort of assumed that maybe they were looking at other options. Well, last night Kalen and I went to a tenure celebration with some other faculty at a local restaurant and so did this couple. I knew when they saw me that they were going to try to talk to me about watching their daughter so I spent a good portion of the evening just trying to avoid them, but suddenly there they were and sure enough they brought it up. I thought I did a very good job at explaining that I have other arrangements in the works and that I really need to limit the number of kids that I take care of. But they still gave me their phone number and asked/begged me to just keep them in mind and to be in touch over the summer because I am exactly what they are looking for. I know I should have just said, "Sorry, I can't and won't do it" but I didn't. I promised them that I would at least consider it. I know my Mom will say "Just Say No!!!" And Kalen too said it would be way too much to take on that many kids. But I am so bad about being forceful! So right now I am just really hoping that Lydia doesn't move away because I did tell them that if she stays, I am keeping things the way they are now and not taking on any new kids.

I think my biggest problem is missing time with my own kids. I know I am with them but when I have other kids too, I feel like my own grow up so much faster. I just really want to savor every day with this new baby and I know that won't be possible if I have Spencer plus 3 other kids to entertain during the day. So I know I need to just be firm and say no. But maybe after the baby is born so I can tell them that I really did consider it.

And here's something funny/sad that happened recently that made me realize once again how undervalued babysitters are: A friend approached me at school pick-up one afternoon while we were waiting for our kids and she asked me what I was doing this summer. I said, pointing to my very obvious belly: "I'm having a baby." She said: "I meant besides that. I am going to need child care for Ian (her school age son) a few days a week and was wondering if you could do it". I just looked at her and thought: she's serious! So I said: "I hadn't planned on babysitting this summer since I feel like I deserve to have maternity leave". She actually seemed surprised that I would consider babysitting her son work but she didn't respond because then her son came and that ended the conversation. My point must have been made though because she hasn't brought up the subject again. I still just find it unbelievable that some people think because I stay home, even with other people's kids, that I don't have a job. It's the same thing when the issue of my salary comes up. When I tell people what I charge I sometimes get raised eyebrows as I watch them calculate what that adds up to per week or month. I know I couldn't afford to pay what I charge. However, if they also calculated what I make per hour, they might be shocked that I work for so little--they wouldn't work for that!

And a P.S. that has nothing to do with babysitting. We went to the Kendall's soccer game today and he scored a goal! He was so excited and it was so cute to watch all his teammates high-fiving him while he's trying to act all nonchalant about it. I need to get some pictures of him when he's playing too. He has the most serious game face ever and he just really concentrates on that ball.