The other day I mentioned that I continue to feel a degree of uneasiness when I leave Kate with the sitter. I also mentioned that this might simply have related to Kate’s mood last week and that I would be carefully observing this week to see if there might be more to it. I’m far from saying that I know what’s going on, but today was the third day in a row that she failed to display the kind of enthusiasm she has exhibited in the past. I had grown accustomed to her warmly greeting the sitter upon her arrival and also thanking her and saying goodbye when she leaves. She hasn’t responded this way for the past three visits.
Kate has also changed in two other ways. First, she has been sleeping later. As a consequence, there has been much less time between the time she gets up and the arrival of the sitter. As her caregiver, I have felt it was a little bit abrupt to hand her off to the sitter when we had not spent much time together. I hasten to say that I don’t know that Kate feels the same way. It’s just that I have felt our spending some time together at Panera has been a good way for her to fully wake up and enjoy the day. When I wake up, I am ready to go. Kate has always liked a little time with very little talking before she is ready for the day.
The second change is that she hasn’t wanted to spend much time with the sitter at Panera. Last Wednesday and today, the sitter met us at Panera because we had arrived so late. In both instances, the sitter told me that Kate hadn’t wanted to stay long after I had left. Neither did she express an interest in going back later. This past Friday they didn’t go to Panera at all. The sitter told me she had suggested it, but Kate had not wanted to go. This is quite a change from the past. Upon the arrival of the sitter, I have often mentioned that they could go to Panera if they wanted, and Kate has been excited and wanted to go immediately.
I should add that after the sitter has left, she has been ready to go to either Panera or Barnes & Noble. That leads me to believe they are both still appealing places for her to spend some time.
These changes do not cause me to think about changing sitters. These are the same ones who have been coming for six months, and Kate has liked them. It does, however, make it harder on me when I leave.
