Banks Dynasty – Day 21.2 (Part 1)

I wake up and eat breakfast first thing in the morning before Kai is up. I check my online accounts and see that Afu and Harvey have both paid their rent on time. So far, I haven’t had any issues with either of them. I hope they’re enjoying the apartment.     

There’s something else on my mind that I need a solution for before I begin classes tomorrow, and that’s figuring out what happens to Kai while I’m in class. I can’t leave him home alone. He ages up tomorrow but most likely won’t be able to begin school right away. I start a search and find a possible fix that Kai and I will check out later today. But first, he’s up and hungry…so it’s time for us to get dressed and for me to get him fed.

While Kai is busy eating his peas and drinking his juice, I squeeze in a quick homework assignment for my flower arranging class. So far, I’ve completed the homework for two classes. I only have this class and one more to go, and I’ll have a nice head start on the week.

After Kai has eaten, we head out for the day. In my search, I discovered that there’s a child center on the Foxbury campus for the children of students and faculty. It’s exactly what I was looking for; I hope that my attending Britechester college won’t hurt us.

Kai and I step up to the building, which is on the edge of campus. A lady walks out to greet us.

Charlie: Hi there! I’m Charlie Honeycutt. May I help you?

Prosperity: Hi, Charlie. I’m Prosperity Banks, and this is my son, Kai. I was hoping that you had space for him here at your daycare.

Charlie: I’m sorry. We don’t accept toddlers at this time.

Prosperity: Oh, well…he’ll be aging up tomorrow.

Charlie: Oh, good. Then I’ll be happy to show you around if you want.

Prosperity: That would be great, but just one question.

Charlie: What’s that?

Prosperity: Do I have to attend Foxbury for him to come here?

Charlie: No, we service the entire college area. As long as you’re either a student or staff at one of the colleges, he’ll be welcomed here.

Prosperity: *sigh of relief* That’s excellent news.

Charlie: I’m glad. If you step inside, I’ll show you what we offer.

I enter the building into a large room with a long table and several chairs. Charlie walks in behind me.

Charlie: This is our study and reading room. Since we’re primarily an afterschool care center, we encourage the children to complete their homework when they first arrive.

Prosperity: That’s good to hear.

Charlie: It helps take the pressure off of student parents who are often bogged down with their own homework.

Prosperity: Yes, that would be a huge help.

Kai joins us, and I watch carefully to see how he responds to Charlie. If he doesn’t offer her a hug, then I know he’s not comfortable with her, and we’ll be walking right out. But he holds up his arms right away,  which tells me that he likes her.

Charlie: Aren’t you the sweetest!

Charlie guides us into the next room.

Charlie: This is where we serve snacks.

Prosperity: Good, because Kai loves to eat.

Charlie: We try to make sure all the snacks are healthy, but if Kai has any dietary restrictions, feel free to bring your own snacks for him.

We go to the next room.

Charlie: This is our craft room. Children can paint, draw, make crafts, and even learn to knit in here. We tend to get messy, so feel free to bring some older clothes for Kai to change into if that’s a concern for you.

Prosperity: I’m an artist myself, so I’m not afraid of a mess…as long as it’s not on my kitchen floor!

Charlie: Good…let me show you what we have upstairs.

We step into a large colorful room.

Charlie: This is the big playroom. We have toys and games here. Oh, and that’s our pet Hedgehog Thimble. The children take turns learning to care for him. He’s a bit spoiled because the children love him so much!

Prosperity: We don’t have room for a pet, so I’m sure that he will love Thimble.

Kai and I step out on the balcony just off the playroom.

Prosperity: What do you think, Kai? You want to come and hang out with Miss Charlie and play with some other children tomorrow?

Kai: Yes! I play tomorrow!

We all head out to the outdoor play area. I have one more question for Charlie before I am completely comfortable with bringing Kai here tomorrow.

Prosperity: So, how long have you been working with children?

Charlie: Really, all of my life. I have a lot of younger siblings, and I worked as a babysitter during high school. I’m saving up to attend Foxbury as a Psychology Major. Then I’ll eventually start a career in education.

That all sounds good to me. I decide to sit back and watch Charlie and Kai interact a bit more. I’m completely sold when she gets down on her knees in the frozen grass to talk to Kai at his level. I know that Kai will be okay here with her.

Satisfied, Kai and I say our goodbyes to Charlie until he returns to the care center tomorrow in time for my first class.

(Generation 2 Chapter Summaries)