I have a peeve that is getting worse as the situation intensifies. Our 25 year old Polish nanny seems to struggle with feminine itching. She has only been with us for three months. This is something I thought I noticed in my peripheral vision when I was leaving for work, and another time from a distance. I of course, said nothing and moved on.
Yesterday, a friend of mine came up to me and told me that she had met the new nanny and she was lovely and so good with both kids. She asked me if she could ask her or if I would ask her about any similarly minded friends she might have because she was looking for a part time nanny.
I said sure, of course. She thanked me. Then as we were parting, she says, "You know, I have to say, and not to be mean, but what is with the itching?" Right away it clicked in my head what I had seen before, but my face must have looked quizzical. My friend says, ""really not to be mean, but she was attentive to both kids, but she kept walking away to the bushes. I realized then that when she turned and faces the bushes, she was frantically itching her nether regions".
I said, "What????" truly shocked by now the "frantically" part.
My friend says, "No, I shouldn't say anything, I'm sorry, I mean she must have some sort of weiner thing going on? Maybe buy the girl some yogurt."
Now, I didn't know how to respond because I am talking to a SAHM and I am a working Mom so the balance always lies in her authority as being present, in the home, in the preschool, on the playground. I couldn't help but feel that this, was somehow reflective of me. I immediately felt guilty and embarrassed, and a little mad.
My friend sees this, and says, "Oh God, no, I'm sorry. It was just hard not to notice."
I said, "Well she must have a personal thing going on, I hope she can sort it out privately."
Now my friend laughs and says, "if she sorted it out privately, I wouldn't know about it." and then she made a snippy comment and went on her way.
The reason I am writing is for feedback. Do you think it is possible that the mom friend noticed something, even obscure and is intentionally making it seem like a public health concern/epic incident just because she resents that I have found a certain caliber of nanny? Do I address this? And how?
Trying to sort something out? Share it with us by email at isynblog@gmail.com, always confidential.
