FRED

A boy named Fred. It brings a smile to my face as I type it. The kid that has inspired it all.

In my mid twenties I was struggling to cope with being an adult. I lived in the town where I went to college and essentially still lived like a college student, but with bills and a low paying full time job. I needed out. I had a cousin in Winston Salem that was a full time nanny for a family and she made good money. I liked kids, I had babysat since high school. She said she knew a family looking for a full time nanny and I said why not? I packed up and moved from Wilmington to Winston Salem, fulfilling a dream my cousin and I had growing up of one day living together as roommates. Little did I know how much this decision would change my life.

The Bryan’s. A mom, a dad, a sister, a brother and a dog. This is the family I worked with for a year and a half. I spent most of my time with the boy, Fred. He was still in half day preschool so I had him to myself before we picked up his sister from kindergarten. Fred lived to the beat of his own drum, as most 4 year olds do. He was silly and sweet, stubborn and self willed.

Fred taught me so much. Wearing a Tarheels jersey to bed will more than likely help them win a basketball game. Getting stung by a bee really hurts. Wearing monochrome outfits with matching plastic firefighter helmets is fashion. Cherry 7-up floats are a lot prettier in the cup than regurgitated across the kitchen floor (Valentine’s Day fail). Face paint is still cool even when it is half worn off. Most importantly, be unapologetically and irrevocably you.

I have a picture of Fred, he is leaning on my center console as we wait in the preschool drop off line and he has the aforementioned half worn off face paint smeared across his face with his eyes closed and a goofy grin. My dad asked me to send him that picture and when I asked why, he said it just made him smile.

That’s Fred, he just makes you smile, well most of the time.

Thank you to the Bryan’s who allowed me into their lives and welcomed me as a part of their family. I will be forever grateful for the experiences I had and the lessons I learned. I appreciate their continued support more than they will ever know.