Do you remember the nursery rhyme, “There was an old woman who lived in a shoe? She had so many children she didn’t know what to do! She gave them some broth without any bread; She whipped them all soundly and sent them to bed.”

Well, I had to care for two additional children, my nieces, for almost a week (wouldn’t that mean forever in dog years?). I didn’t know what I would do to entertain them. After all they think of me as the “fun” aunt. No pressure. Just one of the things we do for our BFF (best friend forever).

Unlike the old woman in the shoe, I didn’t spank the kids and send them to bed. I took them go-cart racing, which also included putt putt golf. Did I mention that these were girls who are not as rough and tumble as my boys?

I rode the go-carts with my 6-year-old niece because she did not meet the height requirements to ride alone. As our go-cart whipped around curves and bounced over small bumps, my niece squealed with excitement. “This is AWESOME.” I held her knee with one hand to keep her from flying out of the car as I thought, "Does my liability insurance cover this? I should have called Geico."

The round of putt putt golf was just as exciting as the go-carts. My niece played more like Venus and Serena Williams rather than Tiger Woods. She lifted the golf club in preparation to swing it like a tennis racket. Stopped in the nick of time, we were spared any injuries.

Caring for someone else’s children requires making adjustments. Will they eat the same foods as my children? Do they have food allergies? What movies are they allowed to watch? How can one manage these additional responsibilities? It helps to ask the parents of the children you’re watching. Of course the information they give you should be considered a guideline.

My nieces didn’t eat much of the foods their mom said were their favorites. However, they did drink plenty of liquids. Are four juice boxes too much for a 6-year-old? I thought so, but she had them before I was aware of the final count.

Children come with a lot of physical and emotional needs. An article by Chris Theisen, www.familyresource.com">8 Essential Parental Responsibilities, lists tips parents should follow to foster their child’s well-being. The tips can also be applied to caring for children other than your own.

One tip said, “Provide a safe environment.” YES! I accomplished this one, as long as you don’t count the go-cart adventure. Another tip indicated that we should provide the child with basic needs - water, nutritious foods, shelter, etc. We had fast food once, but we evened the score with vegetables the next day.

One other tip that stood out said, “Get to know your child.” The article said this could be accomplished by spending quality time together, asking questions, being approachable to your child, and communicating. We accomplished this through our outings, eating together and laughing at corny jokes.

Caring for other people’s children can be a challenge, but the way we approach the task can make all the difference in the world. I have learned that the best tools for this job are a sense of humor, flexibility and patience. OK, two out of three isn't bad.

Angela Verges is a writer and mother two. She can be reached at awritersdream41@yahoo.com.