Branching Out

Peter and I are very fortunate to have our parents living close by. As the first grandchild on both sides, Daniel has had no shortage of available babysitters. We have been lucky enough to enjoy romantic dinners and movie nights, thanks to Daniel's grandparents who are always willing to help out. And even though I know they'd rather babysit him than be anywhere else, there's a little nagging feeling of guilt in the back of my mind. Do we burden them too often with the responsibility? Should they feel obligated to watch Daniel whenever we ask? Is it fair to have no "Plan C" when it comes to available babysitters?

Probably not. Which is why I'm so delighted to have found a possible babysitter who is not related to Daniel in any way. Her name was passed to me by another mom in the MOMS Club, who happens to be this girl's neighbor. She is looking for babysitting jobs, and appears to have some child-sitting experience. The best part is that she is 13 years old. If this works out, I could potentially utilize her services for the next 4 years!!!

What is so ironic is that Peter and I were just talking about the need for an "outside" babysitter. I was even willing to recruit a local teenager by stuffing fliers into mailboxes or by posting an advertisement at Montco or Temple Ambler. This girl just dropped into my lap at the perfect time! It almost seems too easy, which is why I'm not going to do any backflips until I meet her and get a sense of how trustworthy and mature she is. If I'm going to leave Daniel in the hands of a stranger (and a very young one at that) she's going to have to impress me. I've taught enough careless and irresponsible 9-year-olds to know how they turn out 4 years later! Here's hoping this girl surprises me and wins my trust.