Old Adventures in Babysitting

When I was in middle school and high school, and even some in college, I babysat a lot.

I was going through an old diary of mine when MySpace used to be popular and found the funniest post I wrote about nine years ago about an experience I had had with some kids as a children's photographer, as well as babysitting.

Please feel free to enjoy this "adventure" from the past. :D

Originally posted Thursday, September 29, 2005. (With edits.)
"First Days"

Today, I am going to write yet another babysitting/child experience story.

Friday, I began my job as a children's photographer and assistant for local daycare centers. I get to either pose the kids on the props, "style" their hair and try to calm them down if they happen to freak out. 

The kids at the particular center that I was at on Friday had some very well behaved children. They also had some REALLY interesting names. Like Niquel (pronounced Nyquil), K-Shonda, and Jai Kumar, who was from India. 

Some kids were also very photogenic, like 4 year old Samir. He came up to me and asked if he could have a comb. I told him that I would give him one after he took his picture and if he gave us a HUGE smile. He got up there on the prop and gave the biggest smile I have ever seen a child his age give. After getting his comb, he began to comb what little hair he did NOT have. You see, his head was shaved. His teacher told him afterwards, "Boy, you ain't got no hair! Whut you need a comb for?!" It was so funny. 

Today, I babysat two toddler boys. Their parents hired me to give some relief to the kid's grandmother, who normally takes care of them.  These kids are heavy. I'm not saying they're fat. They're just muscular little boys that seem to weigh a ton. The older one, Nick, is almost 3. All he talks about is elephants. Elephants this, elephants that, elephants happened... We watched Dumbo at least THREE times. I hate that movie now. The younger one, Alex, wouldn't stop crying whenever his grandmother left the room. It's not like I couldn't ask her what helped calm him down. She spoke only Polish. 

The family had two dogs. A chocolate lab named, guess what? Mocha! How unique!! The other was a German Shepherd called Hilda or Bimbo or something along those lines. Guess what with this dog responded to? German words. Nien or Nein (however it's spelled) means "no" in German. The mother told me that this dog came direct from Germany on a plane and was trained over there. It cannot follow English. 

GREAAAAAATTTTT....

All I could do was sit and think--Why, God? You've blessed me with an ear for languages and I have yet to pick these other languages up?

The older boy, Nick, understands his grandmother when she speaks to him. But all he can say in English is "Elephants", "Happened" , and "Hugs" and a bunch of other incoherent words. The mom called me from work and asked how my first day went. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I didn't want to babysit again, but first days are always a bit difficult in any kind of job.