Monday

Great Kids Sighting

I am a nanny, I have been following the blog for about a year and I feel bad sometimes when I see nannies dealing with problem children and parents as I am lucky with my NF. I don't know if this is allowed, but I want to tell a positive story about my NF. The family I work with love animals and rescue ANYTHING - fish, cats, dogs, birds - even a lizard and a caterpillar. I am nannying to work through veterinary school and my female charge, almost 7, wants to be a vet too! Well, one of her mother's friends who specializes in cat rescue found a cat in her yard wounded without an eye,right jaw harmed - the conclusion of the vet was sad - the cat had been attacked and left for dead by bad humans. My mini-me, I will say her first name - Shaunie- and the NF brought the cat - Maity ( like a pirate) back to life, Maity forgave humans and goes out with Shaunie to play with all the kids outside ( and share their lunches which is another story). So last week as we three - Shaunie, Maity and I were on the porch and several neighborhood kids rode up on their bikes with a question - they wanted to know what had happened to Maity ( Maity's appearance in the face is something that you have to get used to) I watched my mini-me hold forth on what the bad people did and how important it was to care about animals. All her friends were listening carefully. Before they all rode off I said   " You guys are ALL good kids to care about animals, and I  want each one of you to tell your mom and dad I said so! They all nodded seriously and rode off. There is hope for the nanny world !

Sunday

Rant - You Have To Be Carefully Taught

I am really mad and if anyone thinks I did the wrong thing I don't want to hear it! I am from Guadalajara and my two charges,little girls 8 and 6 are African-American. At the playground 3 days ago a boy, about 6, used a very inappropriate word which starts with N. He was up on the slide and when my 2 charges ran over giggling  to climb up the slide he looked at them with an angry look and said what he said.I had heard it and my mouth was open, my 8 year old charge in particular was upset and confused, and wanted to know why he said that. I walked right over to the boy, told him I heard what he said and that it was very hurtful and wrong and I insisted strongly that he apologize to the two girls. He looked very sheepish and whispered "sorry". Then his mother and older brother came over and I told them firmly what happened, the older brother said something like " leave him alone, he can say what he wants" and the mother refused to address the issue of the horrible word he used and said " I will discipline my child, you are not allowed to speak to him." When we got home I told MB what happened and we had a familiar discussion with her girls like - "ignorant people and words do not define you, you can be anything ever you want."What is WRONG with some people?

Saturday

Job Creep Revisited


(Editor's Note :This Post is a clarification of the post directly below this one, the question to the Original Poster was - " How did your NF institute JOB CREEP ? "

The parents began leaving dirty laundry everywhere, in the washer and dryer throughout the downstairs hallways etc. I would come in every morning and pots and pans from dinner with crusted food would be piled high in the sink. Dad began to 'work from home" which meant sitting on the couch all afternoon watching youtube videos while the pile of dishes he made there grew. Granted I was getting paid whether he was at the office or there on the couch but can you see my frustration given the scenario? This dirty dish problem caused me to struggle making breakfast and packing lunches for my charges.

MB worked as a nurse practitioner and the other doctors' children would come over for "playdates" and when I arrived for my shift they would stay until " mom got off her shift" so essentially I was nannying 2 extra kids without pay or notice. I was contracted to leave at 3pm on Tuesdays which became 4 or 5 without notice. Dad would come home and I would be sent home via phone by MB and she explained she would write my check "tomorrow". This happened again on a Friday and I refused to leave until MB came home and wrote my check. Having explained all that,the kids were great, my salary was very good and my vacation days were generous. I did have a discussion with MB about these problems which had no effect.

(Editors note again: for new readers, this anonymous nanny's question is - should she use the above MB as a reference? She worked for them almost 2 years)