Thoughts on childcare

Cuddling his baby

First wake-up smile

When I tell people that I care for two extra kiddos two days a week, meaning that I juggle four children aged three, two, one and three months for nearly 20 hours a week, I receive looks of sympathy. I appreciate that because I have had a few long days. I quickly add though, as I will here, that it sounds much worse than it is. Honestly, the situation couldn't be better for us. The kids' parents have them on a schedule that meshes well with ours. They are well behaved. Francis is a miniature priest and recites, I am convinced, at least two full masses daily (complete with hand motions and voice intonations that crack us up). He is serious and intelligent and requires little extra attention. Rosie has a sweet disposition and my kids LOVE her. Both Nora and Joseph play with dolls when she is not around to compensate for missing her. Nora begs to feed and dress her. Joseph tries to hug and kiss her constantly, and he is really rather gentle. Both my kiddos are learning to share -my attention and their toys. Good prep for a future Shipp, I say. Stephen, thankfully, does not have evening classes those days (since I watch the kiddos until 9pm), and we've gotten into a routine of dinner, walk to the park (both of us pushing double strollers, we're quite the sight; while the kids play, Stephen goes running), baths and bedtime. As nice a situation as it is, I admit that I am grateful, at the end of the day, that I am not the mother of four children, ages three and under. That would take loads of grace.