A useful babysitter

Some people use TV as a babysitter...I'm not ashamed to say that I use it every evening while I'm making dinner.  The three older kids are hypnotized by the television...sometimes if one of them is not interested in the show we're watching, they'll come into the kitchen and ask to help me cook.  I'm fine with one kid helping me cook, but only one at a time!

Lately, Dominik is in the kitchen with me, but he is NOT helping with dinner!  So last night I carried him and plopped him in Lukas' lap to watch TV, and said, "Lukas, please hold your brother so I can make dinner."

Lukas was a little bewildered, then held Dominik for a few seconds on the couch before he said, "I forgot, I don't like to hold babies."  Right!  A few months ago, he was constantly asking to hold Dominik.  I admit that Dominik is no longer as cute and cuddly to hold...he's a squirmy pile of elbows and knees.

I told Lukas I needed his help...and then Dominik turned into that squirmy pile of elbows and knees that I wouldn't expect Lukas to be able to contain safely on the couch.  So I asked Lukas to hold Dominik on the floor.

That worked a lot better...Lukas was happy, and Dominik mostly stayed in the living room.  It seems he wants to be held a lot lately...and Lukas is a good babysitter for about five minutes!

 What a great big brother!