I was pretty active in the care of my three children from infancy; nearly forty years have come and gone.    Now, I have the opportunity to watch the progress of kids from infancy to 5+ as Linda provides daycare for them.  What an eye opener!!

Bubbles is now eight months old.    She came into our world as a 4-6 week old infant.  For months she seemed to do nothing except sleep,  pee, poop, and eat.

So much growing in such a short time

“My word, is something wrong with this little being?” I impatiently wondered, in typical male fashion,  as I watched her being cared for.  She seems to give nothing.

At first the only evidence of personality clear to me is her insistence on being held,  immediately wanting diaper changes , and demanding feeding.   Her only talent is the ability to fall asleep instantly!

It amazes me how the women can get so excited over the simplest movement, smile, turn, coo.   And, oh Lord, I have learned, that a change in consistency, frequency, or color of a poopsy diaper can send a caregiver and mother into euphoric bliss or near hysteria, depending on the circumstance.

Another thing I have learned, as grandpa in the daycare,  when  invited  to dinner with my wife and an infant’s Mommy—do not order an avocado salad.   What is considered taboo for table discussion in  polite society, is exciting conversation between Grandma and Mommy!  Be damn, whoever else is at the table!!

Linda very patiently explains the expected monthly signs of progress–each thrilling advancement becomes a cause for celebration and excited reporting to me and to  Mommy when she come each evening.

It is truly amazing  to watch as this basically stationary, squirming human develops  skills.    Never realized  humans must  learn to focus eyes, smile, grasp, coo.    For some reason, I guess, I figure one day a little one just starts being…. well, human.    How much I have forgotten, or never knew.

Already all girl!

Just eight months in this world, already Bubbles is smiling, laughing, in her own way, talking.  She rolls over,  pulls up, tries to balance, crawls, all within a couple of weeks, it seems.  Her little eyes gleam with delight or glisten with tears.   She screams insistently for attention; then instantly turns off the tears when something  attracts her attention.

She is a little human in the truest sense.  She can turn on the feminine charm!   She steals my heart one minute, then drives  me insane the next.

I understand, more than ever,  why men should not have  children in their senior years.  As Grandpa in the daycare, I am free to walk away (Linda cares for them, after all.) I just happen to live in the daycare;  there is a degree of comfort knowing by 6 PM my home will  be a quiet haven until  morning.

All life’s experiences are  educational adventures.  Learning to use them as a way to better appreciate  the world and the efforts  that  bring us  where we are, makes us better people.   Better people make  a better world.

Our children are our hope for a better world, but they must learn from infancy to be caring, contributing members of society; not selfish, demanding leeches who take, but never give.

I recently read that a child’s personality at the age of 3 is pretty much what it will be as an adult of 23.   That is a scary.

It places an awesome responsibility on the shoulders of  daycare workers; children, like Bubbles, are in daycare most of their waking hours;  women like Linda accept the challenge to mold minds and hearts.

A good daycare provider must always remember she is a tutor.  Her responsibility is to direct and lead her charges so that they will  respond to the teachings of those who have the legal and moral responsibility for their care — their parents.