Peanut Butter Babysitter
Recently, I took up some temporary work to make a little extra $$$ (money has been tight lately). On my personal blog, I wrote about how difficult it was trying to catch up on my sleep after working a 12 hour graveyard shift. My toddler kept jumping on me and saying “good morning!” (And all I was thinking was “good NIGHT! PLEEEASE!”) At one point, I became so desperate just to close my eyes for a half hour, I handed him a jar of peanut butter with a spoon. My sister jokingly made a “parenting 101″ comment that got me thinking of other things I have done to try and keep my kids occupied when I am desperate:
- Set my one year old on a barstool in front of the kitchen sink and left the water on at a trickle for 40 minutes so I could complete my homework. And yes, I DO feel bad about wasting water!
- Given my toddler a tube of chapstick (even though I knew she would probably eat it) so I could get ready for work. It was cherry flavored. (Not sure why that matters).
- Handed over my toothbrush to the baby–just please STOP crying already! And please don’t dip my toothbrush in the toilet!
- Thrown the little kids in the bathtub and let them dump water on each other’s heads until the bathtub started leaking into my son’s closet (and I sat on the toilet with my laptop doing schoolwork. At least until the tub started leaking).
- Let my daughter put dozens of rubber bands in my hair so I could sleep.
- Let my daughter apply powdered blush on my feet because I was half asleep.
- Handed the kids the garden hose and let them douse each other. (I am starting to realize a pattern of water waste here).
- Handed my baby a bag of potatoes to play with so I could finish a phone conversation.
- Allowed my daughter to color my toenails with a marker.
And many many more…but I am tired of writing now!
