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The main lesson from my recent vacation was being reminded that raising kids is a full-time job.

We spent the week in full grandparent mode doing some live-in toddler-sitting, while the parents were getting ready to move to their new house.

That brought back memories of when we were young parents in a small apartment. I even had a list of all the things that had to be done before the morning trip to daycare…

• Cut up vegetable snacks, bell peppers, some broccoli, pack in Tupperware
• Pack a tablespoon of ranch dressing – the child loves ranch dressing
• Pack a bag of snack nuggets (made from exotic super-healthy grains)
• Pack a main lunch (frozen lasagna) and some pickles

And the most important ingredients: Pack Baby Doll and Mr. Bunny.

On non-daycare days, there are books, blocks, Play-Doh, crayons, the playground, bubbles — so many bubbles —  and of course, as a reward for the proper use of the potty, on grandpa’s video.

Patti and I are very proud of ourselves — we got through it mostly uninjured, just a little out of breath.

I don’t know how we did it ourselves, but we must have gotten something right because our kids seem to be pretty good parents… so far.

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