tomato.sauce.with.anything.

I love kids.

I love their perspective on life, their simplistic outlook, their imagination, their lack of concern for what adults worry about, their adventurous living, their capacity to love, their acceptance no matter your flaws, their inability to lie and not be caught out, their constant growth, their understanding of what is right and wrong, their eagerness to share their views and opinions, their emotional vulnerability, their lack of constraint by social norms, their freedom, their trust and their love of fun J

Over the last five months I have aupaired for three different families. Each family has taught me certain rules and ways in which they run their households. It has been interesting and I have learnt so much. What I thought would be a simple, temporary route to gaining a bit of an income has turned out to be a beautiful learning curve.

These kids have taught me more than I can dare to describe.

They have challenged me. They have frustrated me. They have inspired me. They have made me laugh till I have had tears streaming down my cheeks. They have had me walking through mud in my best All Stars because ‘playing in the park when it rains is fun’. They have had me jumping up and down on the St Stithians rugby field. They have had me drawing cartoons in a made-up sheet and duvet tent. They have had me playing hide-and-go-seek more than ten times in one day because I'm apparently brilliant at finding new hiding places. They have had me playing cricket by their own rules - where all i do is fetch the ball and bowl. They have drawn me stunning crayon pictures and bought me chocolate with my money. They have clutched onto my hand when crossing the road like their life depends on it. They have had me dancing to music on the couch and pulling my 'cross face' to make them laugh. They have looked into my eyes and told me things that have literally altered my perspective. They have asked me questions like, "Faye - will you be my aupair forever?" with such genuine concern in their young eyes that I have been tempted to do just that. 
Be an aupair forever.
Each of these kids have crept so deeply into my heart.
I cried after leaving each family.

And yea I know what you are thinking...
Its not just because im a girl ok J

For instance, my first little boy was Josh (the four year old who rocked my world)…

Josh loved ice-cream more than anything else on this earth. His mom warned me to not give in to his persistent request (each day - without fail - after school)…

He would look at me with his huge brown eyes and say: “You know what Faye?”…

I would reply, “Tell me Josh?”

He would stare into the distance (each time) and answer: “Today’s a good day for an ice-cream”…

(and this was never weather dependent as he said this in rain, snow or sunshine)

Then there was Leigh (7 years) and Ty (4 years)...

They would beg for sweets at least three times a day: 

Directly after lunch at home. 

Straight after homework. 

Always after sport.

I initially gave in to their request as their sweet cupboard at home was packed full of sweets and biscuits and I figured they were therefore allowed. 


Big mistake…

Lastly, I had the awesomeness of Reece (9 years) and Rory (6 years)…

They would cleverly trick me into paying attention to something else whilst taking turns consuming junk food in the kitchen.

This was the same Reece who tricked me by sternly telling me: 
“Faye, when you fetch me from rugby you must always come straight onto the field”… 
In ignorance, I did this for two weeks. Until realizing that as Reece walks off the field and gives me a large hello hug – he looks (with a massive grin) in the direction of the field… where I see all the highschool boys arriving and staring. 


The 9-year-old scores big!

The fascinating thing that i have noted about all of these families is that each of these kids were always allowed tomato sauce with their lunch, supper or snack. I have noticed that almost all kids LOVE tomato sauce!!! (It has a high sugar content) 
Hence, my confusion as to why the strict ruling on sweets and biscuits but the liberal approach towards tomato sauce consumption. Perhaps, it is simply because it aids the process of the kids eating proper, substantial food?

Anyways, my advice to All Gold is lets get going with some good ol tomato sauce sweets.

From what I’ve seen – they’ll sell like slush puppies at tuck shops J