Friday, January 30, 2009

Above and Beyond

Being the second oldest of 10, you would think I had enough baby-sitting to last a lifetime, but I still remember how excited I was to get my first "real" baby-sitting job (it must have been the lure of $2/hr that got me excited). We had an amazing baby-sitter while growing up, Tiffany Taylor. We would play "restraunt" with her and serve canned peaches then run all around the house playing hide-and-seek. Our favorite thing, though, was when we woke up in the morning she always left a little treat for us. The bar was set high. I had big shoes to fill. I spent the years before in preparation, reading every single book in the "Baby-sitters Club" series, getting CPR certified and I even made this whole baby-sitting kit filled with puppets, coloring books, games, flannel board stories, etc. I spent the next several years working hard for my $2/hour--chasing wild boys, pacing the floor with colicky babies, playing countless games of Candy Land, digging play-doh out of carpet, washing all the dishes and cleaning the house after putting the kids to bed and staying up scared and alone in a quiet house just waiting to hear the sound of the garage open while replaying every scary scene I had ever seen in a movie. It's not that I was an exceptional baby-sitter, it was just the way I was taught and that was what was expected. It was the norm. So fast forward ahead to when the roles are reversed and I am the one leaving my kids in the hands of the baby-sitter. I had just assumed that the world of baby-sitting hadn't changed much, but I have been surprised. It's not that we've had horrible baby-sitters, but it's hard coming home to a house that is completely trashed and the kids are still awake. The last thing you want to do at 10:00 at night is clean the house and put kids to bed, especially when you just paid someone $30 to do it and instead they sat the kids in front of the TV all evening. (The best was the time when the baby-sitter wouldn't let Kylie go to sleep because they had watched ET and the baby-sitter was too scared to be alone). I had just come to the sad conclusion that baby-sitting had changed. Then our little neighbor girl turned 12 and all my faith had been renewed. Her mom enrolled her in baby-sitting courses along with CPR and first aid classes before she turned 12. She even made these cute little business cards to pass out to the neighbors. The first time she came, she showed up with a baby-sitting kit. I almost shed a tear. She only charges $5/hr and the best part is...she even left presents for the kids when they woke up the next morning. She was Tiffany Taylor reincarnated. She was so great, the kids loved her and we even came home to a clean house with sleeping kids and this official report:
It just made me realize what a difference it makes when people go above and beyond what is expected. I've also realized what things are important to teach Kylie once she is old enough to baby-sit. When speaking of above and beyond there's no way I could forget to mention Kylie's primary teacher. I've never had a teacher that is so amazing. We missed church this past Sunday since we were out of town and so her teacher came to the house to give Kylie a little mini-lesson and bring her the homemade soap that she had made for each of the kids as part of the hand-out. She does this with every single child that misses each week. She does so much for her class and really makes each child feel special. I just feel like with my calling I coast along and do the bare minimum, and she has made me realize what a difference it makes to go the extra mile.

9 comments:

Jodee said...

I love it! That is just the greatest little "report". 8:16, how cute!
I can't imagine you only doing the bare min. Jame, but that primary teacher will put anyone to shame, what an amazing teacher! And she's rockin' the camo pants!

Chelsea said...

That's it, move over, I'm stealing your babysitter!! holy cow! presents in the morning? I have never heard of such sweetness. Of course YOU were an amazing babysitter, why am I not surprised?! And don't even get me started on Patsy, she puts us all to shame. The bar has been set!

Cammi said...

W.O.W. That little babysitter reminds me of myself when I was younger. I agree - I worked HARD for that $2/hour too. I usually had a backpack of games, treats, activities, etc. But gifts in the morning? Wow. I love that idea. In fact, I wonder if I could give my sitter(s) a gift to leave "if the kids are good".

I have definitely noticed that babysitters just aren't the same as they used to be, and it's sad. It makes me want to teach the YW how to be good babysitters. I'm usually so relaxed after getting to go out, that I don't mind some clean-up, but it sure would be appreciated!

Amber! said...

I wasn't exceptional either but I made sure there were never any complaints when I left. I loved my baby sitting kit! I passed off a personal progress experience with it. I have yet to see one here with my children. I have had some very sweet sitters, though. It sure helps to be the Stake YW pres....you have a wonderful variety of beautiful YW....and you know who the responsible ones are!
I have yet to come home to a house cleaner than when I left. That was one of my favorite things to do!

Janessa said...

Awe, what a nice little trot down memory lane. Tiffany Taylor will always be my babysitting idol. And yes, I remember those years when our life (whatever "life" we had at that age) revolved around our prized babysitting jobs. I totally remember thinking all baby sitters were like that. We still have yet to find a Tiffany Taylor. I can't believe what a great babysitter you found. She is so great! I love the report and treats and all. That girl is gold! I hope we can find a good babysitter wherever we move to although we only have a couple more years until we don't need to hire a babysitter any more! I can't believe what an amazing teacher Kylie has for primary! Wow!

Diana said...

amen to the babysitting dilemma--it's been hard to find a keeper! I ALWAYS did the dishes when I babysat, so if I have a babysitter that does the dishes that the boys use, she's a keeper. Last June, I found her and the boys love her as much as I do. I'm sorry about your toe--I sliced my foot open about 10 years ago at the end of freshman year at BYU--it was Marc's fault--not so fun to hobble around!

Alisa Larson said...

Are you sharing her? Please, oh please?

Kandice said...

I love your babysitting drama and I think we all can relate. I was having issues with getting a good babysitter this last Sat. We got two sisters for New Years Eve and I ended up having to come home early to put my kids in bed at 10:30. And they were a mess the next day. I finally got a good one this last weekend, so we will stick with her, except that she put the girls in the wrong cribs and she didn't know why they cried forever when they went to sleep. Oh well. Thanks for fitting us into your Vegas schedule. We loved seeing you. It is always so much fun, especially seeing Wade and Jason reminisce. We will have to come out sometime this summer for a weekend, that would be fun.

nicole said...

oh, how I loved the babysitter's club. now that I think about it, those books were so lame. Remember how the first like third of the book just told about each of the girls every single time. but this new sitter sounds like a winner. that little note she left you was adorable.