Auntie Edna, babysitter and family supporter

[grahamg]

I'm sure others will have had someone like Edna, who assisted their mothers with caring for us children, and was called aunty but wasn't related to our family at all.

She was under five feet tall, had brought up two sons, one of whom moved to California with his German wife, and then she worked in the kitchen at our local first school, making meals as good as you might get at home. However, what was most remarkable about her, was that whenever she came to babysit, or help out mum, all of us children seemed to want to behave well for her, and she was just fascinated with youngsters, and always seemed happy, interested in us all, and making a fuss of you without pretensions.

Woe betide the headmaster even if he crossed her, and Edna would step in to comfort those children getting it in the neck for being naughty.

When she retired, (if she ever really did?), she travelled to see perhaps her favourite son and grandchildren in the USA, and learnt to swim and play tennis when in her seventies or eighties. When asked to comment on a forthcoming US election back in the 1970s, she gave them short shrift I believe, much to the amusement of the people she met.

I say all this, but I must admit too, that she perhaps wasn't appreciated much as you'd think, and my mother dropped her as a friend for a while, over nothing she'd done to upset things, (mum was maybe, "struggling with her nerves").

However, the magic touch she had with children without any apparent trouble doing so, is the point of this OP I wish to focus upon. There will have been others like her I'm sure, in your lives perhaps, and her tough start in life, working in a textile mill, or later skivvying, coming through a world war, all this must have built such a strong, and usually calm person, as long as no one tried to take her too lightly.

There you are, a jet setter once she'd retired, worldly wise, but mainly there for any child she could assist and their harassed mothers. .

 

[Aunt Marg]

I'm sure others will have had someone like Edna, who assisted their mothers with caring for us children, and was called aunty but wasn't related to our family at all.

She was under five feet tall, had brought up two sons, one of whom moved to California with his German wife, and then worked in the kitchen at our local first school, making meals as good as you might get at home. However, what was most remarkable about her, was that whenever she came to babysit, or help out mum, all of us children seemed to want to behave well for her, and she was just fascinated with youngsters, and always seemed happy, interested in us all, and making a fuss of you without pretensions.

Woe betide the headmaster even if he crossed her, and Edna would step in to comfort those children getting it in the neck for being naughty.

When she retired, (if she ever really did?), she travelled to see perhaps her favourite son and grandchildren in the USA, and learnt to swim and play tennis when in her seventies or eighties. When asked to comment on a forthcoming US election back in the 1970s, she gave them short shrift I believe, much to the amusement of the people she met.

I say all this, but I must admit too, that she perhaps wasn't appreciated much as you'd think, and my mother dropped her as a friend for a while, over nothing she'd done to upset things, (mum was maybe, "struggling with her nerves").

However, the magic touch she had with children without any apparent trouble doing so, is the point of this OP I wish to focus upon. There will have been others like her I'm sure, in your lives perhaps, and her tough start in life, working in a textile mill, or later skivvying, coming through a world war, all this must have built such a strong, and usually calm person, as long as no one tried to take her too lightly.

There you are, a jet setter once she'd retired, worldly wise, but mainly there for any child she could assist and their harassed mothers. .

OMG yes!

When my oldest two baby siblings were still at the four on the floor stage, there was a neighbour that did occasional babysitting for mom, and we actually called her, Auntie Marble. She was all of about 4'11", stout, wore snug-fitting polyester-fortrel slacks and blousy dress tops, and played solitaire and drank tea the whole time she babysat.

We loved her dearly, and she was so good with us. I still remember her witch-like laugh, her long pointed fingernails, and her slow as molasses, methodical ways. Auntie Marble, never rushed a thing. She had aaaalll day... and believe me, she showed us many, many times.

What great conversations I had with Auntie Marble, while sipping my tea, and aside from her being the best babysitter I ever had, it was Auntie Marble, that mom conditioned us kids to seek the help of in the event of an emergency, for Auntie Marble's door was always open.

 

[grahamg]

I enjoyed a conversation with a woman who knew aunty Edna quite well, (in fact her mother in law "Aida" provided our family with someone to step in when Edna wasn't available).

However, good as Aida was, she didn't have the magic touch with youngsters aunty Edna had in spades, and we children were always glad when mum returned home to relieve the babysitter.

My friend though did remind me of aspects of Edna's life and family I'd forgotten about, such as her two sisters living locally, both cortically challenged too. .

 

[Aunt Marg]

One thing I learned as a youngster, once you were graced with a so-called best babysitter, there was no beating that or taking away the value in it, and it didn't matter who came along, there was no dethroning the original.

 

[C'est Moi]

We also had an "Ada". A beautiful, spirited black woman who was the best cook in the world and had the most infectious laugh. Ada was also short and fluffy, and had the best hugs. She is one of my very best childhood memories. She taught me how to fry chicken and make the world's best tomato gravy. Thanks for the memories.