Living someone else's life for any period of time is a great privilege. I've gotten to experience it a few times throughout my life and it's an experience for sure. Each time, I learn more about them, myself, and the things I want to do with my own life. Earlier this month was one such opportunity. Some friends of ours were going on a trip and asked me to stay with their five kids for a week. The oldest two are high school and were responsible for themselves, but the younger three I was in charge of getting to and from school, getting homework done, etc. I've stayed with this family before but never for this length of time.
What I Learned About Them Each time I've stayed with someone else's kids or spent a lot of time with a family, I start to get an idea of their family culture. The struggles and challenges, as well as the really cool things they do as a family. This time was no exception. I have such a huge respect for the mom and all she has to juggle. The youngest one's teacher said that I got the kids to school earlier than their parents ever do but that was because I didn't have to get myself ready for the day as well! I could just drop off but she also works at the school. One of the things that I love about this family are the sibling dynamics. They are very close and for the most part, get along pretty well. I admire that, especially with the wide age range. But staying for a week means that I got to see some real struggles as well. If you're just babysitting for the night, you can be a lot more lenient and fun, but for a week, you have to enforce rules and actually discipline! And I did. What I Learned About Me Mostly I learned that I am more capable than I think. Getting up at 6 AM is never my idea of a good time but I did it and I wasn't a zombie! I really feel like things went very smoothly and I handled new experiences very well. The mom asked me to get the oil changed (something I've never done before) and I ended up having to take one of the cats to the emergency vet with the oldest child, something neither of us have ever done before! But I wasn't panicked or worried. Even the major discipline issue I feel like I handled well. I gained a lot of confidence in myself through the experiences of that week. What I Learned About Life Since getting up at 6 AM is not something I enjoy, my desire to homeschool is solidified each time I have to take kids to school. I also find the schedule of a school day to be rather disjointed. That might not be the best word, but I feel like the timing of things just doesn't work well. Especially when you have evening activities but you need the kids to go to bed at a decent time to get them up at 6:30. It's working for this family, but it's not something I want for my own. I think that is the biggest thing that I am learning. I am so thankful that I get the opportunity to experience what life is like with kids in school because it just confirms what I've already thought I want! I am so thankful for experiences like these. They are filled with fun and great memories but also let me learn and grow in a way that I would not otherwise be able to. Every time I walk away with gratitude for my own life, for what mothers do day in and day out, year after year, and a new knowledge about myself. And even thought each experience has challenges, I would definitely do them again. I guess that is exactly what a mom would say - even though there are very hard days or seasons, they would do it all again in a heartbeat. Have you ever gotten to live another person's life before, for any length of time? What kinds of things did you learn through the experience?
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Hi! I'm Sarah!
I am a natural light portrait photographer. I've been taking photos since 2014 and would eat a smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Cafe for lunch everyday if I could. Thank you so much for stopping by. I blog about sessions, things I'm learning, stuff in my life, and information for YOU, my client. If you like what you see around the site, I'd love to work with you! I'd also love to connect with you on Instagram. I'm @sarah_jayne_photo :) Archives
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