I had Kids before I had Kids

I had kids before I had kids.

The years I spent as a nanny to three amazing little boys, I feel, gave me a leg up on motherhood. Learning from three different personalities from three separate families exposed me to countless scenarios of what babies eat, how they play and what disasters happen to a baby’s body when they teethe.
Landing a job as an in-office nanny at 20 years old I felt like I just scored the greatest gig of my lifetime. It was. Duties included blowing bubbles, prepping snack and soothing tears. While others went through computerized personality tests to work in stuffy offices, I was so excited to spend my days hanging with the babies at the park, indoors at playgroups, or riding the bus to the library. I could find educational experiences for the one year old's in the most mundane of tasks!

I also experienced the sweet satisfaction of rocking a child to sleep in your arms, it was one of my life’s greatest joys hands down. Likely because they are such precious angels of cuteness when they’re asleep but mostly I think it’s because it's a part of the job that makes you work the hardest. It tested levels of patience, perseverance and the ability to withstand noise that I didn’t know I had. The cuddle of cuteness was the best reward, and admittedly, I'd hold them for just a little longer once asleep in admiration, rather than place them in their playpen right away.

This experience was invaluable when my first born was not a sleeper. Nearly three years later I still struggle to get him to sleep most of the time and it's definitely not my greatest joy in life. It is a little easier knowing at least one other kid I knew who also wasn't big on sleeping and needed lots of assistance falling asleep. Normalcy is such a comfort and shared experience makes tough times less scary.

As time went on I continued to count my blessings, the babies I first met blossomed into awesome little kids and their families became extended parts of my own.

I knew that things would be different when I would be on the mommy side of the equation. I witnessed the boys often melting down for their mum’s at 5 o’ clock. I watched in disbelief as they occasionally lost all manners, patience and gross motor ability as soon as their mum’s came though the sliding door. I tried to reassure the moms that the boys were stellar for me all day and that they’re just acting out because they ‘love you so much’ and it’s a sign of unconditional love (or so I read in the What To Expect Books during nap time). I had all the answers back then.

I knew things would be different as a mom but I didn’t know in how many ways until I had my first baby. I now honour the times when it’s the same.

The times I can channel that inner playmate/guide and forget about the tasks of being at home. It’s a magic time I can spend with my kids because it reminds me of the time I spent with 'my' first three in the days of youthful enthusiasm for natural teaching.