© 2026 Robert Sickles
We had many opportunities to watch over our grandchildren for a day or overnight. We enjoyed all the games and silliness, the trips to the park, baking cookies, and decorating for the holidays. Of course, there were incidents… some bad behavior, some tears, a need for a band aid here and there; and there were some rich little moments that almost defy description… like, you had to be there.
Bubby
Kids need a special cuddly toy or blanket for security, especially at bedtime. Linda, all on her own, had an overnight job at her daughter’s home, babysitting the 3-year-old twins and their older brother. She was supposed to pick up the twins who were at a birthday party a few miles away. Somehow, in the struggle of getting them all packed up and buckled into their car seats, the little boy’s dearest friend, Bubby, the beloved stuffed rabbit, was left at the party. She made it all the way back to the house and had dinner, baths and bedtime stories all done when she heard a little voice ask, “But where’s Bubby?”
Foreseeing that the night would be impossible without Bubby, Linda was in a tight spot—would she be able to substitute another toy? Or would she have to struggle with those infernal car seats, bundle all the sleepy kids into the car and go back across town in the night to get Bubby? Fearing the worst of all outcomes, the only option was to call the host of the birthday party and plead for mercy. Fortunately, the very kind host father understood the situation and drove Bubby over, in time for sleepy-bye!
Linda still shudders when thinking of her close call with disaster.
The Baby Monitor
Another time, Linda was once again doing solo babysitting at her daughter’s house, and after getting the wee one to bed, settled into the living room sofa to read her book. Suddenly there was a man’s deep voice coming over the baby monitor, scaring her to death! Imagine hearing something like, “Shee-it, man. It's jammed up bad.” Apparently, the monitor was picking up some trucker’s CB radio out on the highway, which would have been nice to know happened occasionally. Linda raced to the bedroom, figured out what was happening, and turned the monitor off. She spent the rest of the night in the boy’s room, shaken and wide awake.
Sea Shells
We took the 4-year-old boy and girl twins to a Puget Sound beach where they spent their time gathering sea shells to take home. But when we got back to our house, Linda noticed that the shells were sandy and stinky, and suggested their mother wouldn’t want them in her house. So, the kids decided they’d better clean the shells, and spent a good hour at the hose outside, earnestly scrubbing and sorting so Mommy wouldn’t make them throw the shells away. We never expected them to stick to the project! Diligent little workers, both proud of their shell collection... they were so sweet!
Day at the Park
Linda wanted to get fish and chips across the road and asked if I’d be OK watching our 2-year-old grandson who was dabbling in the lake and playing in the sand at the park. I said, “Sure, I can handle it, what can possibly go wrong in only 20 minutes?”
But something about a cold wet swimsuit clinging to his skinny legs really bothered the boy, and next thing I know he’s tossing it on the beach, perplexing a group of little kids who had never seen such immodesty. I tried insisting that he put something on. But that sent him running away, zigzagging all over the park; in frantic chase and making things much worse, I tried to lasso him with a big beach towel. A couple of dogs on the loose, keen to join a hunt, started barking after me. Some concerned-looking mothers gathered their frightened kids close; obviously they thought I looked like a blatant child abuser!
At last, Linda arrived with the food and got the boy to sit with us on the blanket. She started laughing at my predicament and wondered why I was so concerned about getting him to put pants on! I defended myself, “Hey, you were gone an awfully long time. I didn’t know what to do. I don’t see any other nude little boys running around the park… this isn’t France, Linda!”
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