Kim was a favorite along with the rest of my sisters, we always looked forward to seeing her and were never upset to see my parents go out for the night like some children our age might have been. Kim was my babysitter when I lived in Newberry Park, California and she was also a college student.
Kim always went above and beyond what a traditional babysitter would do, but this was just her nature. After she put us to bed after a long night of games, movies and lots and lots of attention, I remember lying in bed staring at the ceiling and hearing the vacuum come to life as she cleaned the floors and hallway. Next, she would turn to the dishes, hearing the quick bursts of water shooting through the pipes snuggled tightly in my wall. This is what I would fall asleep to if I hadn’t already to the soft hum of the vacuum just outside my closed bedroom door. She did these things not because my parents had asked her to but because she was a naturally caring and responsible person. Her bright eyes never looking tired or drained despite her continuous and rigorous college work was something that will always amaze me.
It was shortly after she started babysitting us that I learned something that would completely change my life. She was studying to work in the neonatal. With Kim already being my favorite person in the world I was interested in what she was doing. I asked her many and all questions about her studies my little undeveloped brain could think of. In return she would describe it as best she could to my wide five year old eyes. Since that day I have known what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
Nursing is the profession I have inspired to have. Kim has had a big influence of that choice. If she wasn’t so bright eyed and tenderhearted her career choice wouldn’t have impacted me so much. As I continue to grow I see more and more resemblances in myself that I saw in Kim. The caring, patient, understanding ness and, love for children all reflect in me.
Kim influence on me was tremendous. She made me want to aspire to be the type of person she was. She cared for my sisters and I as if we were her own, she gave us all the love and attention she could while pleasing my parents simultaneously. My favorite thing above all about Kim was her understanding of us, although she was years older than us she was able to transform herself to the level we were on. This forte she had meant so much, even though we were young and too little to understand Kim was able to bend down on our level and get inside our heads on a different level than others had.
I engaged in babysitting jobs like most teenagers do while in their first years of high school. Babysitting a two year old boy and a five year old girl I was thrown quickly into the world of changing dippers, screaming fits, hair pulling, and constant attention. I loved this world. I absolutely adore those two children. I loved sitting and watching Disney movies with them, or making crafts, playing with trucks, even making dinner. After they were in bed and asleep I would feel an impulse to start cleaning, I would wash the dishes, pick up in the room we played in and organize anything the kids may have gotten into. It was a combination of knowing it would make their parents happy as well as making me feel good.
All of Kim’s naturally caring abilities are expressed through me. I’m understanding, patient, caring, and goal driven. Caring and understanding people has always come naturally to me. While growing up I’ve met many nurses, they are all wonderful people who are strong individuals and caring at the same time. Nursing has always been my goal I have never thought twice about it. It’s a rigorous and very rewarding career and that is exactly who I am and what I plan to achieve.
