Babysitting

Here is a true story that will leave you in no doubt how Springate's feel towards the importance of romance, family ties and to each other.

 

On Wednesday just gone, it was my eldest sisters wedding anniversary, and this year she wanted to do something a little more special than just a card and flowers.

 

Knowing that they share a passion for historical sites and castles, she decided to treat them both to a luxury trip on the Orient Express up to ye olde citie of York, where in years gone past it held a much more important role than it does now.

 

However knowing that it would just not be the same with their three young daughters tagging along, she requested that I do a spot of babysitting for the day. Once she explained the reason and that they had not shared a single full day alone together in almost six years ( since their eldest was born ) I knew that it was duty I could not easily shirk.

 

And though it meant having to take at least two days of work myself, the fact that they were willing to entrust their three darlings to me for the duration of their trip, meant that it was with a mix of trepidation and pride that I accepted.

 

Note - I just want to interject with that I have never babysat more than one of my nieces or nephews at any one time, never during the day when they are active and need to not only be looked after but also entertained / occupied and also never for more than a few hours in one stretch.

 

So when you throw in that I had to wake them, clean, clothe and feed them, take them all to and fro school having to drop the eldest one off ( in the pouring rain and with no car no less!!! ), more feeding and nappy changing, more entertaining, home educating the middle one, and lets not forget the fact that I was all alone with at least one hundred miles separating me and any other member of my family for additional support, it was a feat that should not easily be dismissed or poo-pooed even by the most experienced of hardened of souls.

 

However, forewarned with a few tips to tackle most situations and a standing rule of "whatever the eldest asks for say no at first, then consider what they are asking for after" I managed to get through the entire day from start-to-finish without a single raised word or having to give even a threat of a slap let alone enacting a physical punishment.

 

Neither did I need to bribe them with sweets to get their cooperation. In fact, I think it was partly due to my not giving them any sweets, or fizzy drink, that enabled me to have three relatively calm children to cope with, instead of a manicly hyper active rabble tearing the walls down screaming for their parents to come home.

 

At bedtime they all went to sleep fairly on time, save the eldest trying various deceits to stay up, and the youngest managing to slide out the end of her cot slightly, and thus when my sister and her husband arrived at after 10.30 the house was quiet, tidy and pretty much as they found it, if not tidier.

 

The best news of all was that my efforts were not in vain, and the happy couple had thoroughly enjoyed the entire day, and allowing them this luxury with the added bonus of coming home to a calm home was the best present I could ever have given them. ( yup, that's right ... I didn't ask a penny for this special one off call-of-duty tour ).