Nanny in Northern NJ Asks for Your Advice

Received Thursday, January 3, 2007-Perspective & Opinion

Hello, I'm a well seasoned nanny that works for a pretty well off family. Well, I was just reviewing the site, and wondered if I can have a few of the families here--who have nannies--help.

I've been working for a family for a little more than three years. I bring home $885 a week , and work 12 hours or more a day. While I can't stand the father because he's freaking nuts, I love the mom, the moms family, and the kids. I can't take the dads family, they're just as nuts.

Anyway, I don't get medical coverage, and I'm not on the books (I have the option, but they don't push it. As I understand, they will have to pay more money if I get taxes taken out of my pay, and they will pay a portion of my medical insurance). I drive all of the time--in my own car--taking the kids where they need to go. I also get $25 a week for gas--that's tallied into my $885, btw. I do about 60-100 miles a week in my car. I bought a new car at the end of October, 2006. To date, my car is just a little over a year old, with 31,169 miles on it. I will have to give it up by the time it's paid, or before time. I talked to my boss about this this past August. I still don't have a car from them. I just wrote her an e-mail about it again today. No word, yet.

Here is my issue. For he past 3 years I've taken maybe 3 days off...and that's when I'm deathly ill. I always get sick from the kids, I only go on vacation when they do. They are messy, pigs. They have way too much of everything for their kids. I cook dinner, do chores I'm not supposed to like clean out the fridge, take the garbage out, feed and tend to the cat, purge the kids clothes of all of their summer, or too small clothes, take messages, wait for some sort of fix it man, grocery shop, and get rid of broken toys...plus I clean up after them. They'll run their dishwasher over the weekend with tons of company dishes, and leave them to me to put away. Please keep in mind I help the school aged child with her homework, and am desperately trying to potty train the younger child!
When my birthday comes, I get a stupid gift, or maybe 100 dollars. At the end of the year, I get 100 dollars,ONLY! No other gifts, no bonus!
I've never complained because I thought I get good money, because I can come and go as I please, and use their washing machine, but in reality, I'm a teacher, and a trained professional nanny. I'm not someone off of the freakin' street.
The family adores me, appreciates me, praises me, and calls me the kids second mommy. If this is true, why treat me like shyt?!

To the parents that have nannies, tell me, what do you think of my situation, and how to I let this mom know I'm hurt?

PS: One day, I picked up the older child from summer camp. She had a red slap mark --with the fingers-- planted on her cheek. I asked her what happened, she told me. I went to the director and alerted her to the goings on of my charge's class. The director took care of it. When we got home, I hugged her, and placed an ice pack on her face. I then told her the next time he hits you, let me know, jokingly, I said, "I'll get him." Later, I told the mom what happened, she was appalled, and thanked me. When I saw the father, the child told him what happened, he looked at me for more information, and I told him. Do you know what he said to me? "That was nice, S, but next time, just leave it alone, I mean, you gotta go home, right, it's none of your business." I can cry right now thinking of this. For F*&^ sakes,I care for your kids throughout the day more than you, and you can't appreciate me defending your child?!!!! Are you f'ing kidding me?! So, I said to myself, maybe I'll let the little boy rape her next time (not really, just anger speaking, trust me...really, I'll kill first), and then he'll still tell me to mind my business. That's the smart a&&ed comments I have to deal with everyday...w/ no bonus.
Oh, and, can you stay late? This, after an 11 hour day.