Day in Seth’s Life

The fluorescent lights of Shepherds Daycare flickered overhead as Seth walked through the hallway, his crisp navy polo shirt a stark contrast to the colorful walls adorned with children’s artwork. At 27, he was still adjusting to his role as the center’s manager, a responsibility that demanded both compassion and firmness.

As he rounded the corner into the toddler room, the familiar sounds of controlled chaos greeted him. Two male caretakers, Jake and Ryan, were dealing with Mitchell, a spirited two-year-old who was currently in the midst of a sharing crisis. Mitchell sat in the designated time-out corner, his lower lip protruding in a classic toddler pout.

“What happened?” Seth asked, approaching the scene with a calm demeanor.

Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Mitchell grabbed a truck from another kid and wouldn’t let go. We’re teaching him about sharing.”

Seth nodded, watching Mitchell. The little boy’s eyes were fixed on the floor, his tiny fingers picking at the hem of his dinosaur-printed shirt. “How long has he been in time-out?”

“Just two minutes,” Ryan chimed in. “We’re using the one-minute-per-year rule.”

After ensuring the situation was handled appropriately, Seth made a few notes on his clipboard. The day was long, but not as exhausting as his current living situation. Six weeks in a cramped hotel room had been wearing on him since moving to California.

Later that afternoon, after closing up the daycare, Seth found himself driving through suburban neighborhoods, a list of apartment viewings clutched on the passenger seat. The California sun cast long shadows as he pulled up to the first complex. White stucco buildings lined neat streets, palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze.

The first apartment was promising - a one-bedroom with large windows and enough space to finally unpack the boxes that had been sitting in storage. As the property manager showed him around, Seth’s mind drifted back to Mitchell, to Jake and Ryan, to the daycare that had become more than just a workplace.

“This could work,” he muttered to himself, imagining a space where he could finally feel settled after his big move.