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A Day in the Life of Babysitting |
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I have a neighbor, Mrs Tan. She is a career woman - pretty, smart-looking but
constantly wearing a harassed look. This is because she has a baby to look
after. Her husband is constantly overseas. She had a succession of maids, but
none of them stayed for long.
One day, Mrs Tan called for me. "Jasmine," she smiled in her sweetest manner.
"Can you do me a favor? Please look after my baby. My maid has just left. I need
to go to town to meet my boss."
How could I reject a request couched in such a sweet cajoling manner? I agreed
to try looking after Baby Ethan until her return. Anyway, I was on school
holiday. I always had a fondness for babies. I used to play with baby dolls when
I was young. Now, I would have a real, live one! It would be cute and fun. Mrs
Tan gave me some instructions on feeding the baby and burping him. Then she left
in a hurry. I was now the guardian of a little plump baby.
Ethan, the "cutie", however turned out to be a pesky "monster". His wails were
heard upstairs shortly after his mother left. The persistent cries summoned me
up. I tried my best to cradle him comfortably but his wails did not cease.
Thinking that he needed a change of environment, I walked around the house and
even ventured into the garden. However, it was to no avail. Mrs Lim, my neighbor
to the left, saw me and gave me some disapproving stares. Finally, she blurted
out, "The baby might be hungry, you know?"
"Food! Why didn't I think of that?" I thought. Putting Ethan in his cot, I mixed
some milk powder with hot water and eagerly gave the little one his bottle.
However, the baby took a few hungry sips before he rejected it and started
wailing again. At my wits' end, I called his mother but her line was busy. In
desperation, I tried to remember my Living Skills lessons and suspected that the
milk powder was not enough. Sure enough it was! The baby stopped crying after I
had put in more scoops of the milk powder!
The next two hours were the happiest hours of my child care. Ethan smiled and
chortled as I sang lullabies or acted silly poses for him. Then, as he started
crying again, I took him in his arms. The next moment, he yawned, nodded
sleepily and instantly fell asleep.
After depositing him in his cot, I went down wearily to the kitchen to fix
myself a meal. However, this was not to be. While I was taking a drink, the
familiar wails started again. When I entered his room, I saw that his diapers
were loose. He was wet and had soiled himself. Yucks! It took me ages to clean
him up and change his diapers.
Ethan slept after this and I lay down on the floor to have a nap. Before I could
nod off to sleep, I was awakened by the tyrant's screaming again. I carried him
out of the house when I could not stop this. I noticed Mrs Lim in her garden.
This time, the nice lady was very helpful. She came over to my side. After
examining him, she pronounced "Colic!"
It seemed that the baby was not burped properly and now he had stomach
discomfort. Then my guardian angel appeared in the form of Mrs Lim. She
volunteered to look after him until the mother came back. I was to be her
assistant.
When Mrs Tan came home, Mrs Lim briefed her on my misfortunes. |
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