[Girlene]

A woman who has a child, her first, remembers nearly everything about the events of her first child’s first years of life.

Not necessarily.

This woman would certainly remember whether or not she was caring for two diaper-able babies or a baby and a toddler, the toddler being her very own child.

When was Mary supposed to have babysat obama? If it was fall of 61, that would have put her baby at just over 2 years old, and certainly still in diapers.

[bgill]

When was Mary supposed to have babysat obama? If it was fall of 61, that would have put her baby at just over 2 years old, and certainly still in diapers.

Nope, mine were out of diapers by 18-19 months.

[Fred Nerks]

...When was Mary supposed to have babysat obama? If it was fall of 61, that would have put her baby at just over 2 years old, and certainly still in diapers.

Mary didn't say she baby-sat in Fall 1961, Mary said she baby-sat when her daughter, born July 1959, was 18 months of age. That makes it JANUARY 1961.

[Greenperson]

I think you will find that people started potty training children at a much younger age in the 50s and 60s than they do today. Girls usually quicker to catch on than boys.

Did you read what Mary said? She said she babysat Obama in January or February, when her daughter, her FIRST child, was 18 months old.

Her daughter was 18 months old in January/February 1961 but 30 months old by January/February 1962 (which is the year that Charlette incorrectly calculated, based upon Mary’s memory of her daughter being 18 months old at the time).

By 30 months, Mary’s daughter would have been toilet trained or in the process of being toilet trained. Either would have made the timeframe that much more memorable for Mary.

Imagine caring for an infant and a toddler in the “terrible twos” versus an infant and an 18-month old, who is much more dependent upon mommy and more likely to resent an interloper.

Mothers will tell you that there’s a big difference between an 18-month-old and a 30-month-old.

Mary did not say, ever, that she babysat Obama in the fall. Even after she changed her story, she said it was in the springtime.