Have you ever babysat for family members? I have on very few occasions. Not for lack of babies or desire, but just because I was in college full-time during the baby boom of my extended family. That, and many of my child-bearing cousins lived in a different state at the time.
During a summer break, as my friend and her grandmother were going with her little cousins, I offered one of my cousins to take her sons to the aquarium, too. I love these little boys. Alex was 6 and Anthony was only 1. I didn’t think to take a stroller (mistake numero uno) nor a leash for Alex (mistake number dos)
We arrive at the aquarium and we’re all excited. There are so many fish, sting rays, and sharks to look at. Little Anthony is mesmerized in my arms. We stay a little longer near the sting rays for him. Alex jumps through the throngs of people like a little sprite. I see mischief brewing in his eyes. “Alex, please stay next to me!” He replies, “Ok!” Two seconds later, he’s gone again.
I find him at the next display of seahorses, talking to kids and adults alike. (Did I mention he’s a ham?) I grab his hand and we move on to the next level. The Baltimore Aquarium has multiple levels. You go up escalators, but on the way down, you walk on angled ramps. At the very top there is a greenhouse of sorts where you can look out on the city. We didn’t spend too much time up there as it was hot.
On our way back down, Alex had the little gleam of mischief again. I was exhausted from chasing him down everywhere, and little Anthony kept getting heavier and heavier. Not good.
As we’re walking away from the shark tank, I see Alex first make a cartwheel down one of the ramps. I give him my best death stare. He looks at me, smiles and giggles, and turns to one of the fish tanks. As I start walking down the ramp to go near him, he makes another cartwheel. “ALEX! Don’t do that!” I say. I am ignored. Only this time, he lays himself down on the floor and rolls, yes rolls down the ramp for about 10 feet, completely unaware of the dangerous drop off to the next level down.
I do the only thing I can muster up, hearing his mother’s voice in my head as she threatens him with a punishment for being bad: “Alex, I’m gonna beatyou!” (Mistake numero tres). This catches his attention. He stands up, puts a hand on his hip and with the other, shakes a finger at me. “You can’t beat me! You’re not my mother!”
As if on cue, all of the adults within earshot turn to look at the unfolding debacle. Pairs, after pairs of expectant eyes look at my face, with slight smirks, silently asking, “What’s your next move, lady?”
Flustered, embarrassed, tired, hangry and red in the face, I mumble something unintelligible. Sometime really adult-like along the lines of, “So?!”
I grab his skinny little wrist and got the hell outta Dodge. Well, we go get food and lemonade because we are BEAT.
Have you ever been outsmarted by a 6 year old?
SMD @ lifeaccordingtosteph says
I was babysitting a 6 and 9 year old. We were playing chinese jump rope. The girl distracted me with hair braiding and the boy tied my hands with the stupid jump rope while my hands were in her hair. It took me like 5 minutes to get out of it. They were full of glee.
Gayle says
Oh my God. That happened at the Baltimore aquarium? I’m surprised you ever found him again. That place is HUGE. I go at least once a year, and I make sure there are no children involved. lol It’s tiring enough as an adult!
I only babysit a two-year-old. He hasn’t figured out how to outsmart me yet.
Stephanie + Walter says
This story kind of made me giggle. :)
Breenah says
Other than actual babies I’ve only ever babysat my siblings. When we were about 12 (me), 7 (sister) and 5 (brother). They would NOT stop arguing so I made a game for my brother. It involved taping him to a chair. He sat still and had fun, my sister felt like she was getting revenge, and I had some calm. My mom wasn’t terribly happy.
Whitney says
Hey! I accidently linked up the wrong post, so I added the new one and can’t figure out how to remove the first one. If you can do it, go ahead :). The St. Patrick’s Day post is the wrong post! Easter is correct. Sorry!
Whitney
http://www.missmamame.blogspot.com
Limefreckle says
ya gotta love the straight up attitude of a 6 year old! They know how to push our buttons and make us laugh, all at the same time!
SH says
Haha!! Sounds like an eventful time. They are pretty darn smart and inventive at that age! Your story made me chuckle, especially when he waved his finger at you!
Hope you have a wonderful day!
Sheree
The Hartungs Blog
thehartungs.com
[email protected] says
The more time you spend with kids, especially in public places, the more you learn about how they think. This lessens their ability to outsmart you. Although it still happens, occasionally. :) Great story!!
Susannah says
Oh my word! What a hilarious (and mordifying) experience!!! Kids really are too smart for their own good. :-)
Leeann @ Join the Gossip says
Haha that sounds miserable! I never babysat, maybe that’s a good thing. I would’ve had a meltdown.
Linking up for the first time :)
Rachel says
LOL. I’m going to beat you!
I used to babysit my little cousins all the time while in high school. Every time I was over, they would seriously get butt naked and run around the backyard… and I couldn’t stop them. Their neighbors would look at me like I was crazy. Babysitting just sucks.
Gwen says
When my niece and nephew were 8 and 5 they spent a weekend with us and my nephew fell backward off a swing and hit his head. Of course, head wounds bleed like crazy so it seemed really awful. He was OK, but he’s now 16 and because he keeps his hair super short, you can see the scar on the back of his head to this day. Oops.
kimberly dyan says
kids… ha ha!
MarlaJan says
I am laughing my ass off. Kids are so freaking smart.
Shelley says
Haha what a little smart A!
Julie-Becoming A Navy Wife says
Been there my friend…what patience it takes to babysit. It’s one thing when they are yours, and a whole different ball game when they are not! lol. Great story!