Welp, that was fast

As I mentioned recently, both James and I have both recently started new jobs. One of us has already quit.

Fortunately, the quitter was the one who was only going to make about $30 a week, so you don't have to worry too much about our financial outlook. I'm actually seriously considering starting to do mystery shops again. Not the ones that say "no children," which I did when D was little because D was zero distraction. Just the other ones.

Anyway, why? Why couldn't I do childcare for two-three freaking hours a week?

This wasn't a matter of my not liking other people's kids, because although that's often true, these kids were great. There were two other things. The first thing was on me, and I was prepared to suck it up if Mal loved it and kept wanting to go. But he spent the last half of the time last week begging to come home (they didn't meet today, which is the 5th Wednesday of the month), and then when I've asked him if he's looking forward to going back to the "new" church and playing with kids, he's said either, "No thanks" or "I don't want to go back."

I think the reason is that there were just TONS of kids, and Mal isn't used to the cacophony.
So that did it. I told them today I couldn't commit to it. D was (and REALLY is, but even when little) the same way. The main problem D had with the Disney cruise was how busy and loud and high-energy all of the kids' stuff was. On Royal Caribbean, they were so laid back that D wanted to spend time every day in there. Apparently Mal is the same way. It's just a lot of kids. Lots and lots of noise.

And then here is the part where it intersects with what bothered me.

They are just starting up for the semester, and are trying to get more organized, by repeating the Sunday school lesson from the previous week. I think they expect the kids to wait way too long for them to get their stuff together.

Last week, they had all of the 4+-year-olds line up at the wall to get ready to go across the campus to a portable. But they didn't really know exactly what they were doing yet, so they kept the kids standing there for a good 5 minutes before I finally just said, "Okay, let's go!" and took them over before they started wandering off, as they were clearly wanting to do.

Then they have a Bible story program that is, frankly, very boring (it's not Moppets, with which I have no experience; I just know it's whatever they're doing on the weekends). And long. And a few of the kids had no problem sitting for it, but a couple wanted to wander. The lady telling the story kept calling them out, but they weren't distracting anyone (else). They were just getting up. And they're 4 or 5. I would have let them quietly do their own thing.

Later, the lady who was "training" us told us that "any discipline needs to be handled positively; we want the kids to have a good time and want to come back." I appreciate that attitude, but what she considered as needing discipline directed at kids, I considered adults needing to get it together and be more organized and concise.

So, with all of that, we out.

Oh, plus I would start having anxiety about getting Mal up in time about 7 PM the night before. When I did BSF with D, we could go to breakfast before class started at 9. That child was always up and at 'em by 7. Mal is just starting to get moving around 9 AM, so trying to get somewhere by 8:30 was a challenge I don't mind passing up.

I had this same issue when D was little, too: After you don't have anyone to answer to for your time, it's difficult to submit to that again.

If you need us, this is where Mal and I will be.

And, in case you're wondering, James's first three days have gone well. They've fed him two of the days, and that's the most important thing.