Over the Summer I got a MacBook Pro. I absolutely love it! It has made me even more organized and able to plan ahead. I have used the calendar built into it to coordinate my events. Red is for my classes, Blue is for outings or unusual things, and Green is for when I work.
About a week ago I was over at a families house that I am regularly at. It was about 10:30 p.m. all the kids were in bed and I was downstairs watching T.V, occasionally checking on them. I then heard sirens go blaring by the house. When you are in a safe, family oriented neighborhood, hearing sirens is abnormal. I of course got up, being half nervous, half curious. I made sure the doors were locked- why hadn't I done that before? ha just as I was looking out the front door, two silent police cars came speeding past the house. That freaked me out! As if the police action in the neighborhood wasn't enough, I heard crying from upstairs. I bolted up the stairs into the two years old room. He was on the floor rolling around, crying. As I looked closer, I noticed he was asleep. He was sleep crying, you know sleep walking, just not walking, he was crying. I remember being told once you are not suppose to disturb someone sleep walking, I assumed it applied here to. I stood there frozen in the doorway, my stomach in knots from the police action, and really not sure what to do with sleep-crying two year old.
Eventually I said screw it, I'm waking this child up. I quietly started calling his name. He just started crying louder. Just then I heard more sirens go by. These are the moments that you act on pure instinct. You don't think, you just do. I picked the two year old up off the floor, rubbed his back, and placed him back in bed. He stopped crying immediately, rolled over in bed, and was back to a peaceful sleep. I then went to the the other girls rooms and checked on them. They were fine.
I raced downstairs and double checked the doors were locked, again. I started looking out the windows to see if I could see where the sirens were headed too. I saw some lights, but wasn't positive. Now, the glory of babysitting several families in one neighborhood, is chances are one of them are home the night you are at another house. It's kind of a security blanket. I texted a few other families and of course they were helpful in calming my nerves. Apparently there was an ambulance leaving someone's house. I said a little prayer for that family, but was calm now.
Those kind of nights are rare. Most nights are easy, calm, and action-less. But the few times you do get a crazy night, it makes you think about your safety plans.
After thinking about it, I know where each family lives, but I don't know there actual address. I have each parents cell number in my phone, but I don't really have a house number. In case of an emergency, I would be unprepared to give proper information. That night really made me aware of certain things as a babysitter I need to know.
Since then I have sent out an e-mail to the families I regularly babysit asking for all their important numbers and street address. It is all saved into my address book on my MacBook an has been synced to my iPod, that I will have with my for every job.
It's never too late for a Super Sitter to step up her game!
until next time..
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