I’ve been babysitting for a couple for a little over a year now and they have two of the most caring, cutest, smartest and adventurous kids I have ever met. I’ve been babysitting ever since my cousin had kids and her oldest is eight years old. I always loved cooking meals, playing games with the kids, and keeping the house together while the parents were away. I think it’s fun to get away from your regular routine for awhile and play with little kids in their world. They have a different way of looking at the world that can teach you a lesson or two. I’m only 20 years old, but I know that someday I do want kids, and I think that babysitting has helped me to see that, even though kids can challenge you a bit, it’s good to be kept on your toes once in awhile.

The two little kids that I babysit have brought a lot of insight and happiness into my life. I see them roughly one to two times a week and I look forward to it. This past semester in college has been pretty crazy, but after a long week of classes and countless hours in the library, pulling down the driveway and seeing the two kids in the window waiting for me puts everything else on pause for awhile. As soon as I open the door they’re both there smiling and waiting for me play. Before I even take my coat off I get a hug from both of them and an earful of what their day consisted of. The oldest is in kindergarten and she's the smartest kindergartener I have ever met. She knows the alphabet, her numbers, and just about any Christmas song there is to know, she even taught me a few. The youngest is the most charming little boy ever. He’s only one years old but he is so observant and loves being read to. He is a huge fan of trains and whenever I walk through the front door either Thomas the Train is on or the Polar Express. He loves his trains and if you ask him what sound they make he knows.

Little kids have a different way of looking at the world, and especially around Christmas time they have so much spirit and of course their belief in Santa. The kids I babysit love to watch Christmas movies and especially the oldest likes to tell me how she’s excited for Christmas and can’t wait to put out the reindeer food with some glitter so they can see it from the sky. I do miss being young because everything around the holidays has a sense of magic that fades away as you get older. But the time that I get to spend at their house surrounded by their Christmas magic and Randy the Reindeer, I’ll take.

I am so glad that I started babysitting these two kids. They mean so much to me and they have taught me more than they’ll ever know. They have tested me a few times but like I said, it keeps me on my toes. They have taught me that a horrible day can be turned into a great day in a matter of seconds. They have taught me that motherhood won’t be a walk in the park, but that someday, I do in fact what to be a mom. They have taught me that any heartbreak is temporary and that no guy is worth crying over. They’ve been there to give me lots of hugs and tell me they love me when I put them to bed at night. They are counting on me for a fun night filled with games, movies, crafts and extra buttered popcorn, and I’m counting on them for a fun night with lots of laughter and magic in their little world.

I am so happy to be a part of their little world.