Lateral Thinking

Sometimes, it helps if you can think outside the box. I've done it for years and now my daughter Michelle is doing it too. She cares for a group of mentally retarded adults, most of whom also suffer diabetes and epilepsy. She looked after them on her own yesterday and she was worried about getting them bathed, medicated and in bed at the right time because this group is known to play up at bedtime. Michelle is a resourceful and imaginative girl so she came up with a plan. During supper she told them that as a Special Treat, they were going to have a Pyjama Party. They thought that was a great idea and she had absolutely no problem getting them bathed and ready for bed. No tears, no threats, no tantrums - just a happy bunch of people. Result!!

Another time, she was babysitting a friend's hyper little boy. Apparently, he never went to bed early and it was a fight to settle him down. This wasn't helped by the fact that he had unlimited access to Coca Cola and crisps. Michelle was willing to babysit but wasn't up for an evening of an overtired hyped-up kid with too many E numbers zinging around his system. It was before Christmas, so she sat him down and told him stories then suggested that they play Father Christmas. He was calm by this time because of the stories (Michelle had turned the TV off) and he thought playing Father Christmas would be a great idea so they put out milk and biscuits in the kitchen and they left them there while he bathed. Then he had the milk and ate the biscuits then crept into bed very quietly to practice for when Santa would really come, because everyone knows that Santa only comes when the children are asleep in bed. His mother was very surprised when she came home - he hadn't ever settled that early before. Result!!