Count Down

I am looking after  my friends 2 girls this week.  1 is 10, the other is 6.  For the most part they are pretty easy to look after, but every once in a while, one of them like to see how far they can push their boundries.
I don't have kids of my own, but I do remember trying that act myself.

I also remember the countdown.  So figured I'd give it a go last night.  "You've got till I count to 10".  I didn't even get as far as 1.  I have no idea what I would have done, if I'd gotten all the way to 10... but seems it worked out OK.  I've never really understood why the countdown works so well.  But it certainly does.  Even the mention of it, seems to drive panic deep into the child.

Other than some minor things the week so far is going well.  I honestly have no idea at all how working parents manage to do this.  I have to take the kids to school, around 8:30 am, then pick one up at 3, the other up at 4.  Luckily the school is right around the corner.  But still, if I wasn't working from their house this week, and was actually trying to make it into the office, I'd be having huge problems.  I'd only be in the office for about 4 hours, or I wouldn't be able to get them to and from school.

I suppose theirs after school care, but from what I hear, its really expensive.

Guess I should consider myself lucky to be a DINK household.