To a Child, the Most Important Job

I am lucky, living where I do, to have two neighbors who are at home with their children. We've shared babysitting during emergencies, given rides to auto mechanics and emergency rooms, and are a "community pantry" when someone needs an ingredient in a hurry. It's been great, and we moms have benefited as well as the 7 children between the 3 of us.

One day last year I needed my Next-Door Neighbor to watch Little Brother. It was a "playschool day" for him, and I would be able to pick him up but not drop him off. She was happy to drop him off at playschool, and he was thrilled to ride in her truck. He's talked about it ever since.

Now that playschool has started up again, he's been looking forward to the day when I will need Next-Door Neighbor to give him a ride.

Then Next-Door Neighbor got a part-time job in the cafeteria of the primary school here in town. Both her kids are in school, and this works for her.

But it doesn't work for Little Brother. He asked me yesterday when he could ride to school in the truck again. I had to tell him that Next-Door Neighbor has a job at her daughter's school now, and she's working at the time when he goes to playschool.

He was outraged. "A JOB! She already GOTS a job! In her HOUSE!"