bunny ears

I have been babysitting since I was in seventh grade. That is a long time. I have babysat a three week year old baby, to making sure an eighth grade boy is doing this homework. I have babysat one kid to about ten kids. Let me tell you one thing, it has been the best form of birth control ever.

I have heard many people say that they want kids like now, especially from girls at Biola. Haha, try nannying fifty hours a week in the summer and most will realize that being in our early twenties is not when you want a kid. I know Shannon can back me up on this one.

I love kids to death, I do. Every time I see a kid in a stroller or running around I almost instantly bond with them and try to make them laugh. I pull all the "Aww" noises when I hold a baby or see one. I just think they are adorable.

Since I have been babysitting for so long I have seen a lot of different parenting ways.

The family I babysit for now, is the worst. I love them and I love the Mom (who graduated from Biola) but I tell ya the kids are out of control. Cody, the first grader, doesn't even think of throwing away his trash, trashes the house, and his mom cleans his room. Not okay.

Joey, the eigth grader, doesn't even put his dishes in the sink or clean them, doesn't throw anything away, and his mom still cleans his room. And his form of being grounded is only having the computer for an hour.

Bah! I had a good childhood but my Mom was such a good balance. Discipline and fun! They go hand in hand. As you can tell, I am a little frustrated.

This morning I worked with Cody on how to tie his shoes. He is in first grade, and most kids know how to tie their shoes. I was really nice about it, but I am finding with kids today that most of them just don't care and want the easy way out, like Velcro shoes. When I was a kid, I was sooo determined to learn how to tie my shoes and had it down with I was four. I don't think most kids are like that anymore due to tv, video games, movies, and all those things. I tried to teach him the bunny ear way of tying shoes, but after twenty minutes Cody lost all motivation. Such a bummer. Some day he will learn.