Ode to Our Babysitters

Ode to Our Babysitters

The very first post I wrote for DC Metro Moms was about avoiding an overscheduled summer to truly enjoy June, July, and August. Part of what makes summer wonderful for my two children is the return of our neighborhood teenage girls as playmates. I suppose technically they are really babysitters but to me they are so much more than that.

J, H, and L are best friends. They have been coming over to play with Little Miss Techie since she was 5 months old and they were in elementary school. In the beginning, each girl came over an afternoon a week. They helped a sleep deprived newish mom make sure that that her daughter was well cared for while dinner was being made. They also gave me a

well needed break to help me stay somewhat sane. As Little Miss Techie grew up, she began to look forward to playdates with her older friends more and more. Greeted with squeals of delight as they entered our home, play was always characterized by huge smiles all around and laughter that filled the air.

When Little Miss Techie’s little brother, Captain Computer, arrived, J, H, and L were her savior. As much as she loved her baby brother, the older playmates allowed my daughter to escape to a familiar world that was free from a baby brother. A game of hopscotch, dancing, lying on the grass and staring at the clouds, sidewalk chalk body outlines, stories, walking J’s dog, picking strawberries, getting drenched with the sprinkler, more stories, dress up, and every kind of pretend play imaginable were part of their repertoire. They even taught her the clean up song. And for an hour or two Little Miss Techie had the undivided attention of someone else who loved her.

J, H, and L are well loved. They are more than babysitters, they are part of our family. They are always the first guests on Little Miss Techie’s birthday invite list and threw a surprise first birthday party for Captain Computer last summer. They join us for afternoon pool trips with pizza dinners and walks to the neighborhood ice cream store on super hot days.

Over the years J, H, and L have served as wonderful role models for Little Miss Techie. They are strong, confident, young women that you want your little girl to emulate and grow up to be. In many ways they are responsible for pretend play themes like homework, fabulous dress up combinations, story telling abilities, and an incredible imagination. It has been wonderful to observe the influence of these young ladies on Little Miss Techie through the years.

Just as they have watched Little Miss Techie and Captain Computer grow up, I’ve gotten to watch them grow up too. Unfortunately part of growing up means that the free time that they used to have as elementary and middle school students has gotten extremely scarce as they have entered the world of high school.

But this summer they are back. They fit Little Miss Techie and Captain Computer into busy summer schedules that include camp counseling, swim team, dance practice, and trips to exotic locales. They can be found knocking at our door to play or calling to see if they can join us at the pool when summer boredom strikes. And they are always welcome because their presence truly is a treasure.

This is an original post to DC Metro Moms Blog. When Leticia isn’t at the pool ordering pizza with J, H, L, and her kids, she can be found writing at Tech Savvy Mama and Being Savvy DC.