Dylan's First Job

Long ago when I was a wee little girl growing up I dreamt of the day I would be an adult with full authority over my life. My fantasy included water fountains filled with soda and the termination of a bedtime. And although I knew one day I would have a family of my own to love and cherish, I wasn’t the type to dream about a wedding, my ideal husband or the babies I would be a mother to. The only time I imagined having kids was after my four sisters and I finished eating dinner and it was my turn to do the dishes. “I will make them do all the chores I don’t want to do!” I thought to myself. Now that I have my own little baby it’s game time.

Dylan’s a little too young to be on dish duty and despite his knack for finding what the vacuum doesn’t suck up, he isn’t quite ready to be my slave helper. But I’m a problem solver so I found a job he can do: make mommy coffee. I take my brew very seriously and my big investment has been a coffee machine that operates with a single push of a button. Babies love buttons! Dylan can’t reach the machine by himself but that’s okay, he’s still job training. 

So each morning when Dylan and I are both up I take him from his crib and tell him it’s time to make mommy coffee. I carry him to his job site, put a cup under the dispenser and as I lean in toward the buttons I tell him to push it- and he does. The loud sound of grinding beans ensues and Dylan looks at me with satisfaction. Within seconds the coffee begins dispensing and Dylan wiggles about, drunk with pride. I thank him profusely and tell him what a good job he’s done then put him down so I can enjoy the fruits of his labor. Everyone’s a winner! I always knew I’d love having kids.