Babysitting children by a survivor of eleven children under ten at once
Babysitting?
Can you babysit my children? Calls have been coming in for a few hours now from former residents. They of course are told bring them on. At the moment there are only three full time children living here. Others have moved on however all are still part of the “family.” We take care of children when their parents first start working and have no other help available. There are times when babysitters don’t show up and we take care of the children then also.
As I count heads I find there are seven children now. The only one who has moved on who is not working is called. She has three children and another on the way. In the past she has been great about lending a hand when needed. As the phone rings again another child shows up. His mother was called in on an off day and needs someone to care for her child because she needs the extra money.
She leaves her child; there is just enough time before she has to be at work to bring in the woman with three children. When she arrives with her children she is not feeling well. After about ten minutes she tells me she believes she needs to go to the emergency room. I know one of the women has a lunch break coming up so I call and arrange for her to take this woman to the hospital. No vehicle we own will carry all the children.
Calls are made to see if anyone can help with the children. After several tries the woman on lunch break was called. It appears the hospital is going to keep the one who is supposed to be helping with the children. There is no more time for phone calls; too many children want attention.
The child population is eleven now. Parents are all gone so it is time to bring some structure to the situation. The boys love to be outside; keeping them corralled in the house is becoming a problem. The oldest boy is four. Three of them have behavior problems and require constant supervision. The oldest girls are asked and decide some time outside would be ok. They prefer playing games or watching television in the house.
Onto the deck then into the yard they go. The boys are fighting over riding toys. Girls are looking for a place to use the sidewalk chalk. Within a minute riding toys are coming up the ramp. “Move, you’re in my way” is yelled by the boys. The girls, growling, move around the corner. When they do they are out of sight and the boys get upset when they are asked to move so I can make it down the ramp.
An hour passes no parents yet. Everyone is thirsty and a few need to use the potty. They can’t be inside and out so everyone goes in. The line for the potty is six children long, with one inside. As soon as the thirsty ones drink the older ones join the line. When they are finished fifteen minutes have passed. Three are in diapers so they are all checked and two are changed.
With those needs taken care of back outside we go. The boys all want the same riding toy. A lesson is given in sharing. Girls bored with chalk ask if the can bring dollies out. The oldest is eight so I send her in alone after dolls. About forty minutes later the first parent shows up. Everyone is taken to the potty again. She takes her child and four of the others. My time taking care of eleven children at once is over.
This article was written as a private hub pages challenge
This hub started as a private hub pages challenge. Originally it was to be a hub about nothing. It has being added to and the title has been changed because it was brought to my attention by one of the hubbers who was part of the challenge the hub was really about babysitting children.
It really shouldn't have been counted as it was published three minutes over the challenge limit which was thirty minutes.
It had more readers within 24 hours than anything previously written which makes me wonder what is being done wrong in my others. With the original title it was found immediately. My guess is it had a little help.
Writing this article about the children in my life was enjoyable. There have been way more than eleven through our doors now. I hope you enjoyed my story of survival.