My Second Job

I have a second job of watching our neighbor's boy after school. His name is Cameron and I watched him after school last fall, too. I took a break during the spring semester since I had Molly, but started watching him again this past August. Cameron just turned 16 and has Downs Syndrome. He is a junior at Kickapoo High School here in Springfield and has the mental capacity of maybe a four or five-year-old.

It's a very easy job. The bus drops him off right at my curb and we have a routine of him getting off the bus, coming in to use the restroom, and then hanging out on the couch and watching a movie until his mom picks him up. I have him anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours and get paid $25 a day. It's a very easy job for me and easy money.

Last fall that's exactly how I saw it - an easy job and easy money. This fall is a little different, though. I'm so happy to watch him. I know it is a big relief to his parents to have him go somewhere they trust and he feels right at home at. His Mom has shared with me some of the issues she has with Cameron and his classes and I'm happy to listen to her and just be an extra support or encouragement to her by providing worry-free afterschool care for him. Lucy isn't usually awake when Cameron is here because it's nap time, but when she is up, she loves playing with him. It's really a win-win situation all the way around for everyone involved.

Cameron's 16th birthday was last week and I had a little cake and present for him to celebrate today. Cameron really liked me singing "Happy Birthday" to him and he enjoyed blowing out his candle. I'm so happy to be able to watch him and help his family out in this way!

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