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| I Saw Your Nanny - A Day in the Life |
9:00- Arrive at work, 30 minutes early
9:05- Spend the next 25 minutes playing with my only charge (20 month old boy) and talking to MB about whats going on in life while she gets ready for work.
9:30- Charge and I walk mom and out to say good bye, charge has a temper tantrum over seeing Mom leave.
9:35- Get A into the high chair and start preparing his breakfast
9:37- Toast is ready, spread peanut butter and honey on toast, cut into small pieces and give to A
9:45- A finishes toast, and gives the baby sign language sign for more
9:46- begin cutting up some fruit for my charge
10:00- A gives the sign for all done.
10:05- Get A in the tub and get him all cleaned up
10:35- Get A out of the bath and dressed for the day.
10:40- Play in the living room for the next hour. We do various activities such as crafts, dance parties, hide and seek, play with A’s pets, clean up toys, and/or blow bubbles.
11:40- Get A ready for his nap. Clean him up, change his diaper, read a nap time story, and get his bed ready for naptime.
11:50- Get loaded up in the stroller and I change into my workout clothes.
12:00- Leave for our nap time walk/run.
12:45- Return home and carefully transfer my charge from the stroller to his crib praying that I don’t wake him up.
1:00- Jump in the shower and get changed back into my regular clothes.
2:00- Wake A up from his nap.
2:05- Start feeding A his lunch of ramen, pb&j, chicken nuggets, tilapia, or quesadilla.
2:30- Clean up my charge and start packing the diaper bag for our playdate.
2:40- Load up in the car and head to our planned activity for the day. (This can be storytime, trip to the park, trip to a museum, trip to the beach or tidepools, trip to an indoor play area, or trip to one the house of one of our playgroup friends)
4:00- Start loading up in the car to head home after our playdate.
4:35- Finally get home after sitting in traffic for the last 35 minutes.
4:45- Get A inside and change him into his PJ’s.
5:00- Start preparing A’s dinner.
5:30- Get my charge into his high chair and start cutting up his dinner.
6:00- My charge finishes his dinner, and we play in the play room for the next hour.
7:00- Start A’s bedtime routine. This involves: a bed time story, getting a lavender lotion body massage, having a warm cup of milk, and getting the bed made for bedtime.
7:25- Lay A down in his crib and turn on his Rockabye Baby Album. MB and DB own a couple albums. We rotate weekly between the No Doubt Album, the Bob Marley Album, and the Guns ‘N Roses Album.
7:30- Leave A’s room and start cleaning up. Wash the dishes that have built up over the day and get the dishwasher loaded. Walk throughout the house and gather up any laundry that needs to be washed. Make sure all of the animals are fed.
7:45- Go into my charges room and make sure that he has fallen asleep. Tuck him into bed being extra careful not to wake him.
7:55- Get a text message from either MB letting me know that they are on their way. They tell me that they will be picking up dinner on the way home and ask if I want anything.
8:10 - MB gets home and we spend the next hour talking about anything and everything.
9:10- DB gets home from work and I head home for the night.
What's a day in your life like as a nanny? Share your story at isynblog@gmail.com.
You sound like a great nanny with a great family relationship! Another nanny with a very long week, though (assuming this is Mon-Fri).
ReplyDeletePerhaps I'm not the norm here, but an important rule for me as an employer is not having my nanny work more than 50 hours a week. I usually keep it to 45-47.5 hours 95% of the time. Above that, I hire a second part-timer to ensure my nanny isn't overworked. She does work some very long 12-14 hour days (to adjust for my ER shfits), but then always has at least 1-2 half-days a week, never to exceed the 50hr max. I do understand that with two working and commuting parents, it's hard to keep the hours reasonable. I also understand the desire to have only one caregiver. But in reality having a couple of regular part-timers helps me a lot with backup for the occasional sick day.
Perhaps I am underestimating what nannies can do, but I never want to overwork my caregiver. I think I'm sensitive to this issue due to all the studies about work hours and clinical care in overworked doctors, which have resulted in strict limitations on how many hours residents can work. Even though I'm long past residency, and do think those 80+ hr weeks taught me something about endurance, I think I would have been just as well-prepared clinically without them! I have no doubt my nanny COULD work 60 hours a week, but it just seems like an awful lot to me. I understand it in training (residency, first few years as an associate lawyer, etc), but for professional nannies this is a long-term career and a permanent expectation. Working 60-80 hrs/week for 3-4 years is one thing. Working that many hours for your entire life is way different. Kudos to you nannies who can juggle that many hours!
Great post @nycmom! I think it's great that you do that! I have actually found that parents in NYC (where I work now, and have for years) in my experience are really great to their nannies-treating them as professionals. :)
ReplyDeleteI was curious though: in this post and in another, both nannies talk about taking their personal workout time while they are on the clock. I work full time, and the parents I work for would definitely be upset if they knew I used childcare time to do my own activities. I'm just wondering if this is common in other areas of the country?
@Nanny E: I think this nanny actually incorporated her workout alongside the child's as she pushed the stroller, perhaps ran instead of walk (there are some jogging strollers just for this purpose.) Then when her charge fell asleep in the stroller (as many children do at this age) she took him home and put him to bed. Then she took a shower since after exercising, she probably was all sweaty. Some people think that since the nanny is "on-the-clock," she is to do household duties, however I think it is a good idea to devote some of her downtime to herself each day. Then when her charge wakes up, she is refreshed and ready to take him on his daily outing. I am pretty sure the family she works for is okay with this since they would know whether someone was using their shower daily. I prefer to work for families such as these...ones who are considerate enough to properly acknowledge that since a nanny is working twelve hours straight, then she is definitely entitled to some "me" time for herself while the child naps.
ReplyDeleteGreat story, but I could never work hours that long! If these parents were using day care there is no way they'd be able to keep the child there 'til 8 pm. This in someway makes me feel like they are abusing the privilege of having a nanny.
ReplyDeleteI was told that it would be okay for me to drop
ReplyDeletethe kids off at the daycare center at my gym.
I have yet to do this, but mostly because I
Prefer exercising at night.
I feel sad for the child. It sounds like your a great nanny!!
ReplyDeleteIt just makes me feel bad that the parents can't even put their own child to bed.
OP if the mother gets home at 8pm are you allowed to go? Or does she want you to wait until her husband gets home. In case the child wakes up.
Great post from another great nanny!
ReplyDeleteYou totally have crazy long hours though, wow! I work usually 7-6:30. I think it's kind of cool that you get there earlier than your normal start time, and then stay an hour past your quitting time...is this what the parents expect of you, or do you do this just because of the love for your job and bosses?
What do you think about having to put the baby to bed everynight? Do the parents actually work that late that they can't do this themselves? That would be the only downfall of your job.
Great job!
Those are very long hours! 12 hours a day at their home? How do you have time for a social life or to tend to any of your personal business?
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the comments! I work only 4 days a week, so I don't mind the long hours on those four days. I am off Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays. This gives me the time to have a social life :).
ReplyDeleteThe parents get off at different times each day that I work, so this would be the longest day I work, which is usually a Tuesday.
The parents are okay with me working out as long as the child is incorporated. I am not dropping him of somewhere, I am simply taking him for a walk/run before his nap time. If it's not a walk, it is usually a bike ride.
I stay later because I love my job so much, and MB is one of my best friends. They do put the child to bed on the days they get home early as well as on my days off.
You seem to be really good at your job and also seem to love it. Great! I love the sign toddlers make for more. So cute! They are blessed and lucky to have you.
ReplyDeleteWow. Nannies really do have extra long days dont they. I would absolutely get so tired i wouldn't be able to stand it. You sound like a very good nanny who works for a wonderful family. I really like these day in the life posts.
ReplyDeleteNanny E,
ReplyDeleteI'm allowed to workout while the child is sleeping or to do something like a walk/run. My family has a lot of equipment in their basement I am welcome to use. I think every family is different so it is important to ask when you start working for someone new. My family encourages healthy eating and working out: I've lost 50 pounds since working for them! I love that they have supported me through this.
I don't want to offend, but I think you're crazy for hanging out at their house after hours. Maybe I just don't understand the super-close relationships some nannies and parents have. I've always just arrived 5-10 minutes early and stayed long enough to transition the children and update the parents on their day. I'm also not a fan of the baby signs with a 20 month old. Is A talking at all? I found it odd that he signed "more" when most children that age are saying it.
ReplyDeleteDon't think I'm nitpicking you here, other than that I think you sound like a great nanny and it looks like you and A have a lot of fun during the day.
@ Miss Mannah
ReplyDeleteHe is talking, but still chooses to do some sign language. I am not going to force him to talk if he doesn't want to. Children develop at different rates.
Also, both his parents and I have a very close relationship. His Mom is one of my good friends.
@Miss Mannah, it seems to me like you just love to start debates. Sheesh.
ReplyDeletemeganrose, you left that part out about the mom being one of your friends. :}
ReplyDeleteHowever, I find it problematic that the child is not speaking at 20 months old. I think it would be a wise idea to get the child evaluated in case he has any speech delays. The longer you continue with the sign language, the more he will get used to it and possibly it will delay him talking which would be a huge hindrance to his communication skills.
Again, you sound like a great nanny and aside from the sign language issue, don't change a thing!
I find it very disturbing that you consider MB your best friend. Was she your best friend before you were her nanny, or did you develop this relationship as you were working for her? I am close to my MB as well, but I would never get there early just to hang out with her or stay late to chat. And (although I feel like she'd do a lot for me in a time of need) I would NEVER consider her my best friend. She probably thinks you're a great nanny, but I doubt she considers you her BFF.
ReplyDelete@MissMannah,
ReplyDeleteLike I said in my previous post, A is talking. He says the word more, but also likes to use the sign with it. He does not have a speech problem. He is able to speak in short sentences, give commands, point out objects and describe. I am almost 100% sure that he is fine.
And MB does in fact consider me to be one of her good friends. I am nanny by day and family friend by night.
I think it's fantastic that A is still signing even though he is also speaking. ASL is a real (and beautiful) language. And if he continues learning and using it, he'll grow up fluent in multiple languages. I hope to raise my own (future) children to be fluent in ASL. I love using ASL with the children I have nannied for through the years. I've found that many of them lost interest temporarily at around 2 years -- when their verbal language skills really take off -- and then have a renewed interest at around 2.5-3 when their verbal skills level out a little and they are speaking in complete sentences.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you have such a wonderful relationship with the family you work for. I have to admit that I worry a little about nannies who feel that their employers are among their closest friends or are "like family". There are certainly rare cases where these bonds last a lifetime and the nanny really does become an honorary member of the family. But it is far more common that the nanny is "like family" until she's no longer useful to the parents. And then once they no longer need a nanny or find someone cheaper, that is all forgotten. I've had countless family tell me they thought of me as family and couldn't live without me. And yet not one of them so much as sends me a Christmas card now that I no longer work for them and half of them can't be bothered to return phone calls for a reference when needed. I don't mind because this is what I expect after more than a decade in this field and I'm more comfortable keeping things professional anyway. But I can't help but worry a little for other nannies when I hear them talk about their employers as family/friends.
I like my current employers a lot. They are fair and kind and treat me with respect. And I do think that if I didn't work for them, we could be friends. But I really prefer not to mix business and pleasure. I generally stay 10 minutes late each night filling MB in on the day's activities and chitchatting a little. But I cannot fathom staying for an hour. I have a spouse and a dog at home (not to mention chores and recreational activities). The last thing I want to do after 10 hours at work is stay for another (unpaid) hour.
The second MissMannah post wasn't me. I am the original, having been given that nickname by an adorable baby in 2002. Troll, don't steal my identity. You suck.
ReplyDeleteAs for my real response, I am glad to hear he is talking, that was really the only thing I was concerned about. I tend to not use baby signs simply because I don't want to hinder speech development, but it sounds like A is right on track.
April...should I even bother pointing out the irony? Nah.
And for the record, I go on this site daily so I will be keeping tabs on you troll. Don't think you will get away with anything else. You won't.
ReplyDeleteActually, using sign language with babies is not going to delay speech, because you (the caregiver) talk while signing. In my experience, teaching a baby to sign is a terrific help, allowing them to effectively communicate far before they could talk, and reducing frustration on the child's part and on the adult's part!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.child-psych.org/2009/04/will-teaching-my-baby-to-sign-delay-his.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8060750/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/
http://parenting.families.com/blog/baby-sign-language
Yikes..MM..you sound pretty angry.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you start up a Google account. You probably already use one for e-mail. This will prevent someone from using your moniker. I highly recommend this as opposed to sounding like an angry woman since it is starting to sound pretty scary. Remember this is only a blog; I can imagine if someone were to steal someone's identity in real life.....