Re: My experience with babysitting kids

April 3, 2012

> Hi all......

>

> I felt like a fish out of water, babysitting four kids today (through Friday

this week). I have never been a parent in any way, shape, or form. The idea of

changing a diaper is foreign to me (that's right, everyone - feel free to

snicker at me because I can take it like a man and rightfully so in jest).

>

> Today taught me a lot. Taught me that I can be more than simply " an uncle "

(as I have read in many posts before in here), where I am around kids 1-2 hours

and that's it. Taught me that I can say " no " .....

I suspect many Aspies can manage a limited duration " uncle " stint when

necessary although I have to say that doesn't include me, not since the

trauma of my own fatherhood 40 years ago anyway.

But I also suspect that when it comes to the nitty-gritty

24/7/52week/20yr usual responsibilities of being a father, most Aspies

fail to properly match up.

So , you say today's experience taught you a lot, so I think it

would be interesting to hear at the end of the day how it left you

feeling about kids.

Were you finally relieved when your shift was over? Did it leave you

feeling you'd like to do more " uncle " stints? Did it open up an

experience that made you feel you've been missing out on not having a

family of your own? What's your honest overall impression now that

you've managed today's task apparently quite successfully?

> Just goes to show that kids need boundaries (even when their parents are not

around), and that they are not always going to get what they want.

Oh yes! Absolutely! I can't speak from experience, but I reckon

this is one of the most important factors in bringing up kids, and it's

one I suspect is very often neglected by parents because they are too

busy to be there to set those boundaries.

> Furthermore, it showed to myself that these kids could not push my buttons

no matter how hard they tried.

Very good! A tough but absolutely correct approach IMHO.

> Well time for me to go for now. Tomorrow morning comes very early and another

day of babysitting.

Oh wow! You're clearly a devil for punishment! Do you think you're

going to be able to keep this up?

Just so that I can get this into perspective, may I ask whether you're

doing this babysitting purely as a free favour for friends, or is it a

new job you're venturing into?

Recommended Posts