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Thursday, August 18, 2011

Little eyes, little ears.

I remember growing up, thinking that one day I would get to drive. I remember looking up to anyone who could drive as someone who was "really mature." Even when I was 15, I still thought that people who could drive were cool. They were the "ones to be". Now that I have my license, my perspective has changed a little. Just today, a ten year old girl asked if I could drive, when I replied yes, I have my license, she was like "Wow, that's so cool! Your so lucky. I want to drive." It reminded me that not to long ago I was that girl.

The same has happened in so many area's of my life, but the one I see the most is babysitting. All growing up, I LOVED having a babysitter. It meant that we got to spend a fun night with people that spoiled us, and that we got pizza or some other type of treat. We also got to watch a movie, and maybe eat popcorn if we were extra good. Babysitter nights were the bomb.  And the babysitter's were the best part. I adored each one we had. I thought they were the coolest, and I wanted to be them. I looked up to them like no other person. I can still remember LL and KK (a babysitting pair we had, their real names were Lauren and Kelsy.)  who totally rocked at making frozen pizza and mac and cheese. And they read the best bed-time stories. 

But now I am that babysitter. It's my turn to be the expert mac and cheese cooker, and to read bed-time storys like never before. And now I have littles that look up to me, and ask me to tuck them and hold them, and play with them. And I try to daily remind myself that the position I am in is a gift. And that all the little girls that look up to me, they aren't just watching while I make the mac and cheese. They are also watching when I start to lose my patiences with their younger brother, or when I frantically race through a night because I packed way too much into it. And if they come over to my house they are also watching when cut my mom's instructions off, and when I whine about taking the trash out. Little eyes and ears are all around me. And a lot of them think I am cool. 

I want to take this role seriously . This "role" is something little one's will try to copy. And I sure as heck don't want them back talking to their moms. It's not just me that is going to be effected by my behaviors. It's many other's, including those that look up to me. And I want those effects to be good ones. One's that set and example of Christ and His grace and love. 

So a warning to all of you out there-even if you are still young and look up to your babysitter's-be careful and watch what you do.

We have a family with 7 kis staying at our house right now. So that will make 7 little pairs eyes and ears to watch out for!

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