In addition to writing, I have a day job - daycare to be exact. I take care of kids before and after school and all day long in the summer - I've done it for the last sixteen or seventeen years. Most days, I genuinely enjoy it. I love kids. I love how they think. I love their senses of humor and their creativity. I even love their stubborn determination.
Syd Vicious, my eldest daycare kiddo started when she was five weeks old and is now 16 and dating some boy and not coming to daycare anymore but still calling me several times a month for a ride to school when she misses the bus. She also bakes me cheesecakes and come to visit "just because."
Jess started when she was eighteen months old and is now is 13, boy crazy, is desperate to be Goth and insanely creative - I'm teaching her to sew and she's designing her own clothes.
Abby aka B (because love her though I do, she is a big one) is Jess' sister and started when she was two weeks old and is now 9. While she no longer plays pet proctologist, she's still nuts about animals and very sweet.
Then there's The Young Prince. Don't get me wrong, I care about him, I really do, but right now he's pissing me off beyond belief.
I have never met a person - child or adult with such an overdeveloped sense of entitlement. At 10, one would think that he'd realize that the world does not revolve around him. Alas, he does not. He doesn't seem to understand that homework isn't something that only happens to other kids. He demands to be waited on, spoon fed the answers to his assignments and allowed to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. This doesn't fly at my house. It never has, and it's not about to start.
I've had this particular child in my care for four years, and I'm sure it will surprise no one when I say his mother is exactly the same way. It's all about her, her her. His mother, despite having very little discernable income, buys him things constantly. Cell phones, video games, video game systems to keep him from pestering her and then wonders why A.) she has no money and B.) why he's so demanding. Gosh...let me think.
This morning I've been warned that he got up at 12:30 am and stayed up all night dinking around on the computer. Which means that by the time I get him in the afternoon, he'll be a bloody nightmare. Before you ask, I'm not making enough money writing yet to give up my day job. Some days I want to scream. I suspect this afternoon may be one of them.
BTW, about my (latest) spectacular fall. I'm okay - just sore and bruised and oh so clumsy.
Anny! I'm so glad you liked MC - made my day! :)
Now on to things that require no bitching...free books!
Eternally Yours Contest
What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.
The prizes –1st prize--5 books
2nd prize--3 books
3rd prize--2 books
Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.