Kids babysitting kids is my favorite thing. It appears to defy all logic, and yet it represents prism-like simplistic beauty. I have taken my kids and friends' kids in all permutations and combinations these past few weeks, and I have come to some mathematical conclusions.
Theorem #1:
Having one of my children at a time is enjoyable.
Theorem #2:
Having two of my children at a time is not enjoyable.
Theorem #3:
Having one of my friend's children, and none of mine is enjoyable.
Theorem #4:
Having two of my friend's children, and none of mine is not enjoyable.
Theorem #5:
Having two of my friend's children and two of mine is very enjoyable.
Theorem #6:
Having one of my friend's children and two of mine is enjoyable.
Ergo, having four children is much easier than having three (they compete for one another's attention.) Having three children is easier than two, especially when those two are mine. Having one child is the easiest of all. Which affirms the egos of all those only children out there, and confirms the argument of every first born who claims that his/her sibling ruined everything.
Peer babysitting, the foursome combination, is by far the best. The faces and toys are new. The games are more fun, and the refereeing is minimal. I can poke my head in, demand all murder stop, and then leave them be for another half hour. With the twosome combination, the bickering is relentless, the arguing is petty, and the nerves are jangled, at best. The twosome of other people's children is tricky when navigating the rules of punishment. I am reluctant to punish other people's children, but often feel compelled when they are demolishing my house. And of course, the children I know tend to be charming and funny and bright and lovely when I am with them in an individual setting. (I qualify that statement because I am sure there are god-awful kids out there who are not fun to be with at any time. Thankfully, I don't know any of those.)
So, if any of my friends are interested in the geometry of peer babysitting, let me know. I am willing to use my children as guinea pigs for testing your own theorems!
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