TENDING ANGSTROM

Sunday, January 6. 2013

Tammy and Ray, after years of living in the lighthouse off Cape Qualm, NC, finally took a vacation for just the two of them. Fenton and I volunteered to babysit their four-year-old son Angstrom for the weekend while they went skiing at Maggie Valley.
Previous babysitting experiences for us were...exhausting. Okay, that’s unfair. Coney and Francis haven’t been so bad when they’ve been under our care, and the other time involved a whole crowd of skunk children. Still, we were surprised at how smoothly the weekend went.
This mainly speaks well of Tammy and Ray’s parenting skills. We roll our eyes at what a helicopter mom Tammy is, but her son is happy and well-adjusted. Angstrom was polite, and was able to entertain himself most of the time. (I guess growing up in a lighthouse does that.)
After Tammy picked him up, Fenton and I had a surge of panic at the prospect of being good at child care, as that leads to...parenthood. While we have no problem being “Uncle Fenton” and “Aunt Pincushion,” (Thank you, Francis) we’re still not ready for our own.

Posted by Lindesfarne at 00:53 | Comments (7) | Trackbacks (0)

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Just because you are good at child care does not mean you are ready to have your own children. Having your own is a 24/7 job. Believe me it is like having a full time job with double overtime.

about 30 years ago someone added up the cost of hiring someone to do the work of a wife. It came to about $40,000 a year. At this time it would cost 2.5 to 3 times more to have the same thing done today.

#1 STEVEN BRAMS on 2013-01-06 08:33 (Reply)

It looks like Mark just avoided signing a bad contract.

#2 STEVEN BRAMS on 2013-01-10 05:15 (Reply)

Got to say, I enjoy the irony of a mouse relying on a bunch of cats to keep him from becoming "prey" . . . to a bunch of herbivores.

I'd suggest he make a deal with some cat sponsors, but then I remember the bobble-head doll contract.

#3 Mark I. on 2013-01-10 18:22 (Reply)

Mark may want to take the same route another person took. If you don't like a contract rewrite it. If they don't like it that's their problem.

#4 STEVEN BRAMS on 2013-01-11 09:42 (Reply)

Good. I see Mark is into recycling. Everyone should do it.

#5 STEVEN BRAMS on 2013-01-11 16:25 (Reply)

"Still, he's able to find a practical use for it."

That's probably the best way to treat any non-negotiable contract. (i.e. Cellphone, furniture rental, etc.)

#6 Reynard on 2013-01-11 17:03 (Reply)

If your smart, you'll NEVER be ready. Once you turn that corner you can say goodbye to freedom, lots of money and even at least one of your careers.

#7 Mortar on 2013-01-12 16:38 (Reply)

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