Just when I think life is slowing down, it picks right back up. I can't believe it is the end of July already. This summer has flown by. This is Samuel's last week of camp and we are going to have the full month of August together. Actually me and all the kids will have the entire month of August together. Should be interesting. I am starting to get all the back to school stuff ready as well. I am in a little bit of denial that Samuel is going to be starting Kindergarten. I can't believe that he is even old enough to do that. I don't want to talk about this yet, so we will just not think about it until the end of August. All the kids start school the Tuesday after Labor Day, so we have a lot of time to prepare.
Well, I had a first today. I fired a babysitter. Since our wonderful babysitter left in May we have been searching for a replacement. We interviewed four and we have had three babysit to try them out. The kids really liked one of them, but she is only free on the weekends mostly. I was really looking for someone that could babysit on Thursday mornings because once a month I have a board meeting for Woman's Place and Simone was only going to go to school three days a week starting in September. I had this new babysitter twice and I just fired her today. I feel so old saying this, but what is wrong with sitters nowadays? This one totally sucked. She was totally clueless. When I interviewed her she said that she babysat three to four kids at a time and she babysat for a family all through high school and was still in contact with them (I probably should have called them to see if she was telling the truth). Anyway, she said that she didn't like little babies but she was okay with kids that could walk. I figured that was a good sign that she was honest and Simone is actually very easy.
The first day I had her babysit she only had Simone. While I was showing her around and telling her where things were in the kitchen I looked up and noticed she was texting on her phone. What the hell?!?! Strike one. Then she acted like she was listening and everything was fine. I get home after two hours and she says that she changed Simone's diaper, but she put her in a pull-up because she had no idea how to change a diaper. Again, what the hell?!?! Strike two. She asked if I would show her how to do it next time. I was not happy after the first day, but I figured I would give her one more chance.
Yesterday she babysat for both Simone and Joseph. I showed her how to change the diaper. She didn't get on her phone at all and was actually playing with the kids as soon as she got there. I was thinking positive that she just had a bad first day and everything was going to be fine. It was a beautiful day yesterday, so I told her to play outside with the kids. I turned off the TV and left. I ran a few quick errands and was back in a hour in a half. I was planning to get a lot of stuff done at home. I get home and the garage door is wide open, the toys are all over the garage. What the hell!?!?! Strike three. I walk inside and she has the TV on and Simone is sitting on the couch by herself, Joseph is no where to be found and the girl is sitting at the kitchen table chatting away on her phone. WHAT THE HELL?!?!? Stirke four, five, six!!! I was livid. I went back out to get the groceries, while steam was shooting out of my ears. I came in and she was still on the phone, but sitting next to Simone on the couch. She finally got off the phone and said she thought Joseph was using the bathroom. She had no clue. I told her to turn off the TV go downstairs and play with the kids. I didn't want the TV on at all. She tried to make excuses that they played outside for a while. Whatever. Let's just say in the 30 more minutes that she stayed more shit happened and I was so stressed and pissed. I had her leave, I made arrangements for Simone to go to school five days a week and made sure I had a replacement sitter for a night Dave and I already had planned the end of August. Then today I fired her ass.
I am trying to reduce stress in my life and I feel I made one step in the right direction. I am never going to have someone I don't trust watch my kids. They are way too precious for me to let any idiot take care of them.
