[speaker001:] [Talking] Okay. So, uh, then, do you keep kids? Is this two year old yours or do you keep children for other people?
[speaker002:] [Noise] [dryer] [child talking] [TV] No. I have two children. I have a two year old and a three and a half year old.
[speaker001:] Oh, that's exactly what I have.
[speaker002:] Really?
[speaker001:] Yes.
[speaker002:] That's wild.
[speaker001:] I know.
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] I, my, my little girl was three and a half in March and my son was two in January.
[speaker002:] Oh, boy. Well, mine was two in March and the three and a half year old will be four in, in July.
[speaker001:] That's pretty close.
[speaker002:] So that is pretty close [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] But I'm home with the kids all day and I have really, uh, tried to make that a priority even though it's financially a big strain on us.
[speaker001:] Yes, it is.
[speaker002:] But,
[speaker001:] Have you been able to do that all along or,
[speaker002:] Pretty much, pretty much. Uh, I work part-time but, uh, my husband's able, you know, mostly to take care of them when I'm working. So.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] But, uh, we adopted these two little guys
[speaker001:] Oh, how neat.
[speaker002:] and that was another reason why I really wanted to be here because, you know, they have had a couple foster homes already.
[speaker001:] How old were they when you adopted?
[speaker002:] The baby was eleven weeks old and his brother was
[speaker001:] So he probably doesn't remember.
[speaker002:] twenty, twenty-two months.
[speaker001:] Oh.
[speaker002:] Yeah. So.
[speaker001:] Yeah, definitely needed. Well, that's, that's pretty interesting. Well, I have always wanted to be able to stay home with my kids
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] you know. That was always my dream, you know. I wasn't necessarily a career person
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] but as long as I was single and had to work, I was going to get a good job and do the best I could.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] And my husband was in the type of business that, you know, it's insurance so you have to build a clientele and by the time we had kids I couldn't quit.
[speaker002:] Oh, boy.
[speaker001:] And so I haven't been able to quit yet. So I've had to deal a lot with child care and course, we're hoping within, hopefully, the next two years I'll be able to quit and stay home.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] But, uh, I started out, uh, my best friend kept my kids from the time my daughter was born
[speaker002:] Oh, that's neat.
[speaker001:] until she went to work last year in August and it worked out pretty good. You know, we had always said from the beginning that if it gets in the way of the friendship then I'll take them somewhere else. You know, the friendship is more important.
[speaker002:] Yeah, yeah.
[speaker001:] And, uh, it was a wonderful experience for my kids because she really loved them, you know. She loved them like they were hers and I
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] I knew, you know, I had good peace of mind. I knew that they were taken care of and,
[speaker002:] That's the hardest thing I think, you know
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] to, to deal with is that people love your,
[speaker001:] [Sniffing].
[speaker002:] kids. I put, uh, my oldest in a preschool program just for him to have the experience of
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] two mornings a week of being with other kids and starting to learn some taking turns and, you know
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] that kind of thing and, uh, he was in there for three months when I pulled him out and the, the teacher had eleven kids. It was excellent, supposedly. The reputation was fantastic for this place. Was supposed to be an excellent school and I had several friends who had, had recommended it, too. But it really gets down to the particular teacher.
[speaker001:] Huh.
[speaker002:] And she was a new teacher at the school and she had eleven, you know, three year olds in a room and I just think it was way too much. The were almost all boys.
[speaker001:] But she had no help?
[speaker002:] Pardon?
[speaker001:] She had no help? She was alone with them.
[speaker002:] I didn't think much. I don't think much.
[speaker001:] Oh, that is hard.
[speaker002:] Yeah. And she was just my, uh, three year old is real active.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] And she just kept saying how wild he was. Well, you know, there was kind of a connotation there of him being, you know, it being a problem. Like he ran back from the bathroom singing and skipping she said. Well, you know, at three years old
[speaker001:] Jeez.
[speaker002:] I don't find that to be a behavioral problem [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] I don't either [LAUGHTER]. So.
[speaker002:] You know [LAUGHTER]. I mean, it's kind of like she was, there was so much going on that she felt like she needed to control more
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] and it's really hard to con-, you can't control eleven three year olds with one person, you know.
[speaker001:] You have to let them have some wild time
[speaker002:] Yeah, you know.
[speaker001:] if that's considered wild [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] So I just finally took him out. Plus financial reasons.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] It was expensive. But I was real careful and visited and everything ahead of time. But I still felt like even after all the checking I did, [sigh] you know, you really can't know everything
[speaker001:] .
[speaker002:] about what's going to happen. I felt safe that the kids weren't going to be left alone somewhere in a room where a teacher could do something inappropriate with them, you know, because
[speaker001:] Right.
[speaker002:] there was enough classrooms close together that it was like a house with different classrooms. And I
[speaker001:] Right.
[speaker002:] felt like that was a big factor for me. That they would would be safe
[speaker001:] Yes.
[speaker002:] you know, from any kind of abuse or that
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] kind of thing.
[speaker001:] Well, when, when my friend decided to go back to work, and whenever we had problems, it worked out okay because she would come and tell me and we'd work it out.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] After that, I found another girl that had gone to church with us that, you know, they needed it financially. She had a little boy that was the same age as my little boy and I though, well, you know, we'll try her. But she came to our house and that just did not work.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] Uh, I mean, she loved the kids and she was good with them. But, uh, you know, they were filthy [LAUGHTER] when I'd get home. Now I understand kids go out and play and they get dirty
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] but I mean filthy. I'm talking sand in the ears and the eyes and the hair and the
[speaker002:] [Child crying] Oh, gosh.
[speaker001:] and I was, like, gosh. And then, you know, my own furniture and stuff was like, you know, the kitchen table, the, I'd find peanut butter and jelly all over the table and the chairs and the,
[speaker002:] You had to come home and clean before you could
[speaker001:] and clean, and I was like,
[speaker002:] even do anything probably.
[speaker001:] Yeah. And then, in the end, uh, she basically ended up stealing a hundred dollars from me so I was, I had a pretty bad taste in my mouth. She told me about five thirty one afternoon, it was a Friday, that she wasn't keeping kids anymore as of Monday morning.
[speaker002:] Oh gosh.
[speaker001:] Well, you know, I work eight to five thirty so what am I supposed to do [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] So I, well, I had been sick and I, it ended up that I didn't go to work Monday because I was sick. So I stayed home with them and we went to some of the Kindercares.
[speaker002:] Oh, yeah. I was, I took the kids there once just to try it. They had a free day at Kindercare.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] Well, that's what they said. There were two pretty near our house and they said, well, bring them in this week for a free day so I lined up someone Tuesday. They had a Mother's Day Out that my baby-sitter took them to, you know, which was fine. They liked it. They had been going to it for years.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] And so I stayed with them Monday. Tuesday they went to that. Wednesday I took them to one Kindercare. Thursday I took them to another Kindercare [LAUGHTER],
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] and then Friday my husband and I split. But on Thursday I didn't like the Kindercares.
[speaker002:] I didn't either. I had
[speaker001:] They,
[speaker002:] one bad, I had two bad experiences just that one day with medicine that my son was supposed to have for a cold that they never gave him.
[speaker001:] They didn't give him.
[speaker002:] And the other one was that the, the younger one got bit
[speaker001:] Oh.
[speaker002:] really badly by another child and what they did was they took my [swallowing] younger one out and put him in a crib and left him in a crib the rest of the day.
[speaker001:] Oh, that's horrible.
[speaker002:] Instead of taking the kid that was biting out [LAUGHTER] and do something with him.
[speaker001:] And doing something with him.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] Well, not only was it going to cost me like a hundred and fifty dollars more a month, which I didn't have [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] you know. I didn't, I, you know, we're, we're a Christian family and, you know, they, because they're, you know, like public, [printer] they're not private
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] you know. They can't pray, they can't talk about God. They can't do anything like that and I don't want them indoctrinated
[speaker002:] So you feel like your values aren't getting, yeah, yeah.
[speaker001:] you know, but I'd like them to be able to say, gee, God made the flowers, you know, and
[speaker002:] Yeah, yeah.
[speaker001:] things like that.
[speaker002:] God loves you.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] You know, basic things like that.
[speaker001:] Yeah, basic.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] So, uh, I talked to another lady at church. It was like Thursday of that week and she said oh, I found the most wonderful place that I've been taking my daughter and I've know this girl, I went to college with her so I really, I, you, I, I value her opinion. And she told me about a private one. It, it was associated with one of the churches here. It's not the church I go to but it's, you know, it, it was Lubbock View Christian Church and it's a private academy.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] And so I went over there and I talked to the lady. Well, they have like a three year waiting list. But she said, I had a mother tell me that she may take a job in San Antonio and she has a three year old and a toddler, which mine was at the time.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] And she said I should know something by tomorrow, which was Friday, and she said if she leaves, she said, I'll let you have her spot.
[speaker002:] Wow.
[speaker001:] And so Friday afternoon at five thirty, she called me and she said she's going. You can bring your kids Monday [lipsmack].
[speaker002:] Oh, what luck.
[speaker001:] I know. I was just like, God set this,
[speaker002:] [Dishes].
[speaker001:] up for me.
[speaker002:] Really [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] He knew I needed this and, uh, so since October then, they have been going there and i-, I love it. I have been at
[speaker002:] Oh, that's great.
[speaker001:] such peace with myself. It's just been better than even when they were with my best friend because we don't have the little day to day hassles and
[speaker002:] Yeah [dishes].
[speaker001:] the cost was not near as much as the Kindercares [printer] were going to be.
[speaker002:] Oh, really? Wow.
[speaker001:] Did you hear my printer in the background. I'm sorry. I hope you can understand what I s-, [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] That's okay [LAUGHTER]. I got the dryer going
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] in the background so [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] I was only about twenty dollars more a month than I was paying because being a private institution they're nonprofit.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] So, they don't have to charge as much.
[speaker002:] Oh, that's great.
[speaker001:] And the hours are wonderful and I just, I think it's the best thing. I told Russ yest-, that we should have done this a long time ago
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] you know [LAUGHTER]. It's great. So I guess as long as I have to work, I feel good that they're there. they're getting the love, the care. They have a little curriculum. They teach them, you know, the alphabet, the numbers, the things which, you know, if they learn, they learn. If they don't, they don't. I don't feel like I have to indoctrinate them by age three
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] but it's kind of neat when they
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] come home with it, you know. and, uh,
[speaker002:] They think it's fun. It's not a big, you know
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] trauma to them to learn something. Yeah.
[speaker001:] Oh, and the teachers. Well, Taylor got bit several times and Taylor bit several times and the teachers dealt with that. We're like, hey they're two and we keep them apart and we scold them and we correct them and, you know, they mark it all down and they let you know and, [swallowing] and, you know, they get over it real quick and he doesn't do it anymore and
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] they work at the potty train-, I just, just so mu, I don't know. I just feel like a big burden was lifted [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Really. Because sometimes it is a burden having them all day because I can't
[speaker001:] It is.
[speaker002:] do anything with them here. I can't even go grocery shopping right now
[speaker001:] I know.
[speaker002:] with the two of them because the baby is so into everything and the older brother is [LAUGHTER] you know, running around all over the place so
[speaker001:] I know
[speaker002:] it is, it's hard.
[speaker001:] and that's hard.
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] Yeah [sniffing].
[speaker002:] Yeah. So.
[speaker001:] Well, and it, it, you know, but I understa-, I, I, I wish you could find a good Mother's Day Out because that would be good for your
[speaker002:] Yeah, I need to.
[speaker001:] peace of mind also.
[speaker002:] Even for just a couple days a, mornings a week or something
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] to have something like that, so I, I think I'm going to look for that. Remind me of that now that you mention it [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] I was, been meaning to do that, you know.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] Because some of the churches do have them, uh, you know, for like six dollars per child
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] and that's not that big a deal, you know.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] For a couple times [sigh].
[speaker001:] And that's usually like, you know, I don't know when mine were going to Mother's Day Out, it was like from nine to three so that was a pretty good
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] pretty good time, you know. My baby-sitter would take them and then pick them up.
[speaker002:] Yeah [thumping].
[speaker001:] So, that worked out real good.
[speaker002:] That's sounds good.
[speaker001:] Well, I'm tickled to death. I hope you find something and
[speaker002:] Well, thanks.
[speaker001:] it was good talking to you.
[speaker002:] Did we cover everything we need to?
[speaker001:] Well, I guess.
[speaker002:] Okay.
[speaker001:] It said child care criteria
[speaker002:] Okay.
[speaker001:] and I think we both listed an experience [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Yeah. Okay. Well, great. Well, thanks a lot. You have a good day.
[speaker001:] And you too.
[speaker002:] Bye-bye [clicking] [NOISE] [child talking] [TV].
[speaker001:] Bye [clicking] [talking].