Plotting to Nap

I woke up feeling like garbage. I tried to eat breakfast but I was gagging before I even had it on my plate.  It was just toast. I forced it down anyway and went about my morning routine. Turns out I wasn't the only one under the weather. 

I'm usually okay during the kids' nap time. I rub their backs to get them to sleep, I go on lunch for an hour,  I tidy as much as possible and entertain the kids who's parents prefer they don't sleep. There was obviously something in the Kool-Aid (that we don't serve) today because it took forever to get the kids settled. I got two kids to sleep and starting working on a third. This kid was not going to sleep. He gave it a good effort, I could see that he was really trying, but it just wasn't going to happen. I wanted to tell him to just get up and then steal his bed, because honestly, I was falling asleep and that damn soothing music wasn't helping. I eventually did tell him to get up and watch the construction (which these kids love to do), but I resisted the urge to snatch his empty cot and run away to the storage closet with it. 

In other news, I'm thinking of opening a bike rental shop. I have no idea how it happened or how it's continued and dear God! progressed, but I've become the booking agent for the tricycles. Somehow I'm expected to keep a mental list of who's turn it is, kick kids off the tricycles, explain about turns and ensure that everyone's turn is the same length. The degree of difficulty comes from not knowing the names of the kids from the other group, not having a piece of paper to write names down on, not having a watch or time telling device as well as the fact that kids move away then reappear, hawk-like, when they sense their turn has come. I'd just come outside and some kid came up to me and announced that he wanted a turn on the bike. The bikes weren't even out. I was just walking by the asphalt where they play with the bikes and I was instantly swarmed with declarations of wanting a turn, needing a turn, preferring this bike and complaints about how long someone's turn was. I had no clue what was going on. A new context for "hey! I'm walkin' here!"

I also discovered the key to adapting to this age group. When I started on Monday I had very little experience with young children. My experience base is with teenagers. Turns out the only thing that really separates them is language abilities. Little kids will keep doing what you tell them not to in order to spite you and rebel. They do it because they don't have the language capacity to tell you to f*** off and mean it. So you have to get in front of them or pull them aside to stop them. Teenagers on the other hand will stop doing what you've told them not to in order to cuss you out and point out how lame you are. Then in a show of maturity, they'll storm off or commence ignoring you. The bright side of little kids is that they don't have it in them to hold a grudge. 

It's been a tiring yet educational and satisfying week. I had fun. I learned a lot about kids, taking care of kids and myself surprisingly. I also got sick, so I'm tired and this is where I'm leaving off.

Night night.

Lauren.