Last week, my best friend experienced a family emergency and needed to leave town very quickly without much notice. When she asked if I could stay with her three kids for the weekend, I didn’t even hesitate with my response. “No problem!” I exclaimed. She needed the help and I love her (and her kids!) so it was kind of a no brainer.
Five hours later, I was sitting in her kitchen trying to help her pack for the next morning and racking my brain with anything and everything I could think to ask her. To say that I was terrified would be an understatement, but I sure as hell didn’t want her to know that as she prepared to get on a plane and head 1,000 miles away. It takes a village to raise children and being part of the village for others is just as important as building one for yourself.
I couldn’t fall asleep that first night, just thinking about how I could possibly survive as a pseudo mom to three boys between the ages of nearly 2 and 7. I tossed and turned with visions of meltdowns, bribery, and the occasional “you’re not my mom!” in my not so distant future. Here’s a small sample of the conversations that I had with myself during the night:
Ummmm, where are the epi pens? (Kid #1 has severe allergies)
You know where they are, and you’ll never have to use it
What can I give them to eat that is not cereal and complies with above allergies?
If all else fails, chicken nuggets and fries for every.single.meal
How in the world am I going to handle all three of them??
I really had nothing for this one.
How much time is “too much time” on the ipad?
Is there such a thing as too much time when you’re the babysitter?
Will I be able to understand what child #3 is asking for?
I have a two year old myself and I have no clue what he’s talking about!
Can they sense my anxiety?
They are smart kids!
I arrived at their house the next morning in a little bit of an anxious and tired state, the perfect way to start off a long weekend. I walked the oldest to the bus stop (after I may or may not have signed off on his homework for the night without actually understanding the question) and we chatted about our plans for the weekend. As the bus pulled up to the stop, I gave him a hug and waved goodbye before walking back to the house. It wasn’t a huge thing but I smiled a little as I realized that I could give myself a check for the first item on the to-do list.
The to-do list of notes and ideas never left my side throughout the weekend. It may have been my personal cheat sheet, but more importantly, it was my life line towards the finish line. Each hour got a little bit easier as we began to fall into a routine of playing, eating together, and getting ready for bed. I tried my best to keep their mom updated and (gasp!) found myself really enjoying my time with the kids much more than I anticipated.
As we approached our final moments together, I actually took a huge sigh of relief. I was proud of myself for having the courage to step up when I didn’t think I actually could. It made me realize that when faced with adversity, we can take on much more than we would ever imagine. I’m thankful for the opportunity to get outside of my comfort zone and to know that I can handle it.
