By guest writer Nia Sowden author of Survival Wytch and Cooking with Nia

It just seemed to be a natural progression for me to have become a day care mum. I have so many resources to draw upon from my own children and so much to offer other children whose mommy has to work.

I have five children of my own, and as my family grew they would bring their little friend’s home so I would have ten children at any one time. Playing their games, pulling out the dress up box and dressing up, using the internet, home work, researching, cooking, watching movies and creating toys and games… the house was always so busy.

I became a Day Care Mum to offer an edu-care environment and a loving supportive home. I have school aged children before and after school and pre schoolers, during the day.

What my program consists of

My service is a multicultural one, and as I have children from other countries it means that we all learn about how they spend their day, what they eat and their celebrations and songs.

We learn as much as we can about other people so that we can be accepting of others and we understand ourselves better.

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One particular story ‘The Wire Man’ is a powerful story about the relationship between a man and his father.

A father set in his ways believing only his way is right, and the son who in trying to not become his father, does just that.

Consumed by work they both miss out on the joys and quality of life, always too preoccupied for family interaction.

The son tries to break the mould by moving on from the father and ends up so entrenched in trying to make a better life for himself and his own son, that he becomes just like the parent and finds himself working day and night to meet his committments.

So the cycle repeats itself and he misses out on spending time with his own son, a young child who prefers to spend time with the hired help, who makes wire toys.

A tragic accident still does not break down the barriers between these men.

I found this to be a moving story in the tone in which it is written, and once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop. I could see many parallels to my own family.

The tragedy of what happens in life is that we can’t do a re-run and fix the things that we do wrong.