The Realisation

On the way home from work tonight, I caught myself doing something I was embarrassed about. No, not speeding, and no I didn't give the finger to the guy who pulled out in front of me. I was singing. Now this is nothing unusual for me, as I don't have a radio in my old lil car, so I often sing. And when it's raining, I sing in time to the windscreen wipers - as I was tonight. It's not the singing I was embarrassed about, it's what I was singing.

It was a very upbeat version of Baa Baa Black Sheep. In time with the windscreen wipers. And I didn't realise it until I'd been driving for at least 5 minutes.

So I had a little laugh at myself. Then a few minutes later, I realised I'd started singing again - this time it was There Was a Great Big Moose. So I stopped myself. And a few more minutes down the road, it was Baa Baa Black Sheep again. I swear, it was like a never-ending circle that I just couldn't stop!

See, the 2 1/2 year olds favourite song at the moment is Baa Baa Black Sheep - it has been for a while, and when I want him to sit still for teeth brushing or hair washing, I just sing that song. And the older kids like the Moose song. I sing them both many many times each time I'm there, so of course it's natural I just keep going when I leave...

So on the way home, I started composing a list in my head.


You know you've been doing childcare long enough when:

8. You can recognise the "I need to pee" dance a mile off.

7. You somehow seem to find room on your lap for 3 children.

6. Poo? Nothing.

5. You can simultaniously feed one child, wipe another's nose and watch another do a handstand, all while singing "there was a great big moose".

4. When your husband doesn't want his vegetables, you offer him one chocolate raisin after dinner if he eats them.

3. You can easily read "Where's Spot?" seven times in a row.

2. The baby covers you with a combination of snot, spit and baby food, and you're not phased at all.

1. You sing "baa baa black sheep" when you're driving by yourself, and only realise you're doing so after the seventh run through.