Macaroni and cheese soup

My daughter officially became a babysitter Monday. She graduated from a babysitting certification course this past spring but hadn't had the opportunity to hone her sitter skills until this week when a couple from our church called and asked her to babysit THREE times this week for their two young sons. Erika was so excited.

As a mom, of course I was worried. I was worried she'd get spooked about being at a stranger's house past 9 p.m. when the kids were in bed and that she would have a hard time preparing dinner for the boys. I started babysitting when I was 11 but my first venture into cooking dinner for my three cousins was a disaster. I couldn't figure out how to use my aunt and uncle's ancient stove so I forced my cousins to eat cold hot dogs and green beans for dinner. I still haven't been able to live that one down.

Well, Erika had her own cooking disaster Monday. She was convinced by the 7-year-old boy that she had to keep the water in the pot from the noodles and then add the cheese powder, thus creating her own version of mac and cheese soup. She said it wasn't that bad, that she and the boys ate the whole box of mac and cheese. The 3-year-old even had two bowls. The funny thing is, their dad is a chef. I wonder what he thought when the boys told them that they ate runny mac and cheese.

She is babysitting for them now. I can't wait to call later and see what adventure she had today.

If you have a youngster who is just starting her own babysitting business, I found a cool Web site that may help.

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/babysitting/