Childcare Difficulties

With the H1N1 flu scare going on, I'm definitely being much more cautious about sickness than I ever have been before. Also, with my new job, and having gone through a little bit of sickness already this year (did I blog about that?), and knowing that nothing productive will happen for my students without me, I am doing everything I can to be there at work.

Little Girl's babysitter has not been able to keep Little Girl for the last 5 work days. Her poor daughter has been sick with fever for 7 or 8 days in a row now, I don't even remember how many days it's been. She dosn't have the dreaded "swine flu", but she does have something nasty, keeping her fever in the 101 range for all these days. I don't need to be bringing that home with Little Girl, so to limit her exposure, I've been picking her up from school about 45 minutes before the usual end of her school day, and taking her with me to my afternoon school to hang out in my office while I teach that one class. I've been bringing my laptop and playing DVD's for her, so she's been pretty happy. And she's very fascinated with the "big kids" who come to my room.

We knew that having a private babysitter left us vulnerable to this very situation. This has been the worst-case scenario, but I think it's working out better than I expected. My principal doesn't seem to be bothered by Little Girl being there at school with me, and the other teachers who see us in the halls smile at her, and some even talk to Little Girl. She has "helped" me carry papers back from the copier and things like that too, which is very good for her. She loves to be a helper.

The thing that's difficult in all this is the drive to work, then back past home to pick up Little Girl, then back to work. It's about 40 minutes of driving in the middle of my day that I need to be spending on work. In an ideal world, I'd also be dropping by the grocery store during some of that time too. We've been needing bread and milk at home for the last 3 days, but having Little Girl with me, I don't think to make that stop. It's just different... Since my schedule is as complicated as it is, with a break in the middle of the day, I'm not actually missing any official work time in all this craziness. That's my own time that I'm spending to drive across town and back, or that I'd spend working.

Little Girl has been such a champ. She has not been disruptive except for the 2 times she's needed to go potty in the middle of class (which isn't bad considering that she's been there 5 days). The choir kids let out an "AWWW!" every time she pokes her head out of my office when they're around. She is pretty cute, I can't blame them.

I have been able to spend quite a lot more time with Little Girl through this, which has been kind of nice in a lot of ways. I really was missing her. I think she was missing me too. We have had lots of little snuggly moments in the last week. It has been a blessing. Now I can be ready to not have to go get her anymore once the babysitter's child gets well, and I won't long for her like I had been. I'll appreciate my autonomy quite a lot more!

I think it's been good for my choir kids too. They can have a face to put with the stories I tell. They have seen me as more than just their teacher, they've seen me as a mom. I had told them before that I missed my daughter, and now they've seen her, they've heard her little voice. They've seen her holding her crotch and telling me that she had to go potty, and then me running to take her as quickly as possible!

Let me say here that I'm so very thankful that she actually GOES POTTY!! It wasn't so long ago that I was doubting if she ever would.

Timing... it's so important. The timing of Little Girl's becoming potty-trained, of my schedule allowing enough time in the middle of my day for me to pick Little Girl up and eat lunch and still be in place for class. God had this whole thing arranged to work out just right. Even in the midst of crazy circumstances, there is still order, and needs are met. God is so very good.

I really do feel for the babysitter who is caring for her sick child. She's been torn up that she hasn't been able to do for us what we've hired her to do. She has two other children at home that she's trying to keep healthy at the same time as taking care of the sick one. And the poor girl who has been sick will have at least 6 days of school-work to make up when she finally goes back to school... She's probably on the mend, and we're hoping that tomorrow will be the last day that the she'll have to stay home and I'll have to pick up Little Girl and take her with me. Please, God? Will You make it be the last day? Will You please put things back the way they were with everyone healthy?