Tomorrow morning, I am taking care of five children for at least four hours. The oldest is three. There was going to be someone to help me out, but I think I'm on my own now. Two of them, of course, are the ducklings. Two others are the pastor's children, with whom we play quite often. The fifth is the child of visiting missionaries, who when I saw her in the nursery on Sunday looked like she had had about enough of strange places and people. Rain is in the forecast. We do not own a video player. Three girls in the 2-3 range and two boys in the 10-13 month range, neither of whom is walking so even going to the basement or attic would be unreasonably difficult.
Now, I'm generally all for children learning to find their own activities. But experience has taught that having a plan--a long, long plan--is essential when dealing with a crowd. So here is my list of Things To Do:
Blocks
Bible Story (David and Goliath is where we are, that should work)
Singing
Collage for the girls (old wrapping paper and glue to do with as they wish); ripping paper for the boys or putting things in and out of containers, which children of that age find incredibly absorbing
Snack: apples and cheese
Playing swamp with carpet squares (as much running and jumping around as possible)
Reading books
Stringing beads for the girls; matchbox cars for the boys
Lunch (should be sent with them)
And then . . . . I hope their parents will return. And we can all take naps.
Fortunately tonight's menu is pizza. If all goes well, I'll make it myself. If not . . . we have some welcome-to-the-neighborhood coupons to use up.
I suppose this would all be old hat for someone who did daycare or something, but it seems mind-boggling to me. Wish me well.
6 comments:
You are wished well. Hopefully you will live to blog another day.
Oh well! Good practice, eh!?
Use the coupons. Just spare yourself any thought of being up to making it yourself. You deserve a long bath after taking care of 7 kids all day too. I'm tired for you.-rlr
I wish I could be there. You could even take a nap as far as I am concerned.
Carrie--I HOPE it's not good practice. If I ever, by very mysterious designs of providence, wind up with five kids under four, it had better not be until D1 is old enough to help run things.
RLR--Only 5, but plenty. You were quite right about the coupons.
Juliana--I wish you were here, too. You would have had a blast.
Missed that key sentence: "Two of them, of course, are the ducklings." They'll still keep you busy! -rlr
I hope all is going well for you today!!! That will be quite a handful...
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