The Gift Of Childcare

Here's yet another "inspirational" that I thought up.  I was inspired to write this yesterday, after a fun experience. ;)

I love kids.
Okay....allow me to explain.  A lot of teenagers these days are quite self-centered.  Even I am sometimes...wanting to do what I WANT, when I WANT, and not really caring about anything else.  It's not easy to grow up in a day and age where society encourages you to sit back and have everything handed to you on a silver platter.

But that isn't what this post is about.
I like doing more than just sitting back and being lazy.  I love helping out adults/parents and I especially love taking care of kids.  Especially small ones.

For as long as I can remember, I've been a "little mommy".  When my sister was born (though I don't remember this TOO well...since I was only six...) I took care of her, I loved her, and I took care of ALLLL my baby dolls like they were my baby sister.  (nawww)
Whenever me and my cousin and sister would play dolls (which we did a LOT growing up) I was always the mom.  I always had that maternal instinct to take care of the babies/kids.

As I got older, I was able to nurture those passions and loves.  Now I work at our dance studio, teaching ballet, tap and jazz to 2-3 year olds and 4-5 year olds.  My little girls are the highlight of my week.  I love spending time with them.  To them I'm "Miss Fallon (insert real name there)", and I get to carry them, hug them, let them sit in my lap, and just get to be there with them.

I've heard some teens say that they don't like kids, or that they're not "good with kids".  Essentially what I've got from that is that they are A. have no siblings, B. don't know what to do/don't have that maternal instinct or C. they think all kids are bratty, snot-nosed, and gross.
I don't have any of the above.

Yesterday I was helping my sister's music teacher at her little kid music class.  They were learning about stringed instruments, and Miss Susan (Glory's teacher) asked if I could come in and show the kids my violin and viola.  I agreed, and brought three instruments with me (my viola, my violin and my student model violin for the kids to play with).  The first kid to get there was a little girl.
I knew this little girl because I teach her dance class.  The way her face lit up when she saw me made my heart melt.  :)
"Miss Fallon (insert real name here)!" she yelled, and ran to me to give me a huge hug.  Her mom knew me, and went to pick up her son from school, knowing her daughter was in good hands between me and the Miss Susan.  ;)  This little girl held my hand the entire class, she sat at my side or in my lap, and she was really interested in hearing the violin/viola since I was the one playing it.  ;)  I was honored.  When Miss Susan introduced me to the class as just "Fallon (insert real name here)" My little girl said "No Miss Susan, that's MISS Fallon, and she teaches me dance!"  *heart melts into puddle on the floor*
I received hugs and kisses from this little girl yesterday, and she said that she would see me at dance in two days.  :)

I also knew one of the boys in the class, since I taught his sister last year.  His sister knew me when she came to pick him up, and rushed to give me a hug as well.  So did the mom (she's also my dentist! LOL)! ;)

This got me thinking.  So many little girls look up to me.  They know me as "Miss Fallon (insert real name here)", their dance teacher.  I've seen little girls around town or at the store a few times, and the moms always recognize me and say hello, and talk with me, and the little girls always give me hugs.  I'm so happy to be in those little girl's lives.  I feel like I'm making a difference.  I love helping them, I love taking care of them and getting to be their teacher and pseudo-big sister.

Glo's other friends all look up to me, they talk to me, and play with me, and know if they ever need anything, they can go to "Fally (insert real nickname here)", Glory's older sister.  :)  It's an amazing feeling.Even at P.E., I'm a big sister to my sister's friends.  Her best friend takes dance with her, and that little (not so little, she's ten like Glo) girl loves me.  I get a billion hugs, she sits on me, and she and Glo are always playing with me, and cracking up together.  She's my second little sister.

To know that I am making an impact on the lives of these little girls (and even some little boys too) makes me feel so incredibly blessed.  It's a gift to take care of small children (and even big children).  When a little girl gets hurt in dance class, the first person she runs to is me.  She knows she can find comfort in me, and that I'll either take her to mommy or give her a bandaid and help her feel better.  One of my three year olds did that  few weeks ago in dance, she hit her head on the ballet barre and got scared.  She instantly ran to my side, crying, wanting to be held.  I picked her up and helped her feel better.  I got her to stop crying and continue dancing in less than three minutes.  Not a lot of people can do that.  I've been told that I have the magic touch.  ;)

I thank God for this gift that he's given me.  The gift of childcare.  I hope someday I can use this in more than just a volunteer setting.  I'll follow wherever He leads me with it, whether it's to have my own family, or take care of other people's children, I'm up for the challenge.

Do you have the gift of child-care?  If not, what are special gifts that you DO have, something not everyone else can do?  We're all made special and individually, with God's hand on each of us and our talents.  Tell me about yours.  ;)  Own it!  Be proud!