Walter

There have been three Walters in my life. 

This is the first Walter.  For those of you too young to remember him, this is Walter Cronkite.  Walter Cronkite was the news anchor for CBS for many years.  Everyone loved him and at one point a survey ranked him as the most trusted man in America.  I lost both of my grandpas at a young age and decided that I wanted Walter Cronkite to be my new grandpa.  Of course that never happened but it was one of my dreams as a little girl.



 



                                                    

 

This is the second Walter.  Walter is my oldest daughter's dog.  Years ago we were at a cookout at a campground out in the middle of nowhere.  This little white dog was running around visiting all those attending.  After a while he kind of settled in with our immediate group.  I asked the campground manager whose dog he was.  The manager said someone had left him there a few weeks ago.  He had let him stay thinking maybe the person would return but they never did.  Since it was obvious they were not coming back he had decided he was going to have to take him to a shelter because he couldn't find him a home.  Long story short - my daughter and her roommate took him in.  I'm sure just by looking at him you can tell he has a bit of an attitude. Walter immediately won my heart.  There aren't many people who actually like him but we have a special connection.

 

When it came time to name him we kicked around numerous names.  One of the names I put out there was Walter.  Not just Walter but Walter Cronkite. For some reason he reminded me of Walter Cronkite.  Truth be told I think it had something to do with his bushy eyebrows and gruff kind of exterior.  While he seemed all "crunchy" on the outside I knew he was mush on the inside. 

 

 

This is the third Walter.  Walter came to my child care program when he was just a few weeks old and stayed until Kindergarten. 

 

When Walter's mom called to talk about child care openings she was unaware that I was at a point in my career where I had decided I was not going to do infant care anymore.  She explained to me that she and her hubby had been on an adoption waiting list and there was a little boy that they could adopt.  There was only one problem - he was ready to be placed NOW.  We all know how hard it is to find child care let alone infant care.  I explained to her that I wasn't sure I was going to do infant care anymore.  She asked me to think about it and get back to her.  I did as she asked and put deep thought into whether or not I wanted to do infant care.  I came to the conclusion that I did not.  When she called I was trying to find a way to break the news to her that I had decided not to take her child.  Before I could tell her my decision she began to talk about her little guy.  I asked her what his name was and she said (you guessed it) "His name is James, but we are going to call him by his middle name Walter!

 

Okay I don't know about you, but I am a "signs" type of person.  Not the Mel Gibson alien in the pantry type of signs but a sign that makes me feel something inside.  What are the odds of anyone in this day and age naming their child Walter?  For me the name Walter stirred strong, happy memories for me.  I knew that this child was supposed to be a part of my child care.  Did I ever regret my decision?  No.  Walter went on to be one of the most intelligent, happy-go-lucky children that has been in my program.

 

What is the bottom-line reason I am sharing my Walter stories with you?  I want you to recognize and respect the little voice inside of you.  You know the one.  The one that starts talking when you are about to make a decision that might or might not be the right one.  Trust your feelings, don't talk yourself out of them.  I know a lot of people that would disagree with running a business like this but I firmly believe that you have to go on gut instinct when running a family child care program.  Family child care is a very unique situation.  Your family and your business are truly intertwined  in a that no other career is.  What other profession invites their clients into their home?  to interact with their family day-to-day? 

 

Follow your heart when making decisions.  When I say this I don't mean to the detriment of your child care program or your own family (like letting a child care family rack up a huge child care bill or constantly letting them walk all over you) but rather doing what you know is right.  It may not always seem like it, but it's true - you are the only one in control of your program.  Make it what YOU want it to be!