Ask Amy: A potential parent ponders the possibilities
No one on the planet looks forward to arguing with a teenager, and yet if said teenager was once your own obstreperous toddler, most parents manage to get through this phase because they’ve grown enough as people to push up their sleeves and wade in.
Do you connect with your friends’ children – or your nephews and nieces – in a special way? Do you have a strong instinct that having a child will somehow “complete your family?” Then you might be ready to take the leap into this humbling and profound human experience.
Keep in mind that when it comes to parenting, you are never “done.” To paraphrase a line from the great movie, “Parenthood” (you should watch it), even after surviving toddlerhood and teenage tantrums, parents never get to spike the ball.
Dear Amy: During the summer I work as a housekeeper at local rental cabins. The guests are mostly fishermen and vacation travelers, so the duration of their stay may be one night or several nights.
If they are staying multiple nights, I visit the cabin while they are out and make the beds, replenish the coffee, condiments, soaps, replace used towels and remove the garbage.
If there is a kitchen with dirty dishes, I will wash those, even though there is a posting that indicates they are responsible for leaving the dishes clean upon departure.
Oftentimes the cabin looks like a bomb went off. I do the best I can.
I figure they are on vacation and have better things to do than clean. I take pride in my work.
More often than not, I receive no gratuity.
I do not spruce up the cabins only to receive a tip, but since I rarely see the guests, this is one way they can show their appreciation.
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