It was the 1970’s to the 1990’s.

I remember a couple when I was 5. They had a smaller than me son who liked to bite. They stayed with me for a week, and then put me on a plane (alone) to meet up with my parents in CA. The lady in the plane row with me said she would slap me if I was annoying.

Later there was Mrs. E.  She made unfamiliar foods like casseroles and I barely ate that week. She said I was a brat, but I’d never been fed food that was smushed together like that because my father couldn’t stand stuff like that. I was 11 and I lost weight that week.

Then there was a college girl who stayed with us. She invited her boyfriend to stay as well. I did not know that she did not have permission to do this until she freaked out that he was still there smoking on the porch when it was time for my parents to come home. She had me chase him off. I was 10.

Another college student made my sister so freaked out after getting high in my house that she walked to the neighbors. She was 11.

When I was 20 and my sister was 16, they went on a six week trip. I was “in charge” but my sister said (after they left) that she would not be bossed around. It was a tough, tense 6 weeks.

The best caretakers were my aunt and uncle, but I guess my parents travelled too often to always ask them.

This is NOT the full list, just a colorful sample of the people entrusted with my parents children. And this is why we have only spent one night away from our kiddos.