I have a huge problem which landed from Cincinnati last week. The grandmother has come to see the newest addition to the family. I never met her before. The mother's apprehensive look when she told me that her mother in law was coming is now replaying in my head. Both parents work. The grandmother is not a typical grandmother in that she does not dote and she is barely passable as loving. I live out, but work M-F from 700-600. I have a routine I am in to that works for me and the children. For example, when older child is on the bus, I put the baby on the floor for tummy time and make myself breakfast. The grandmother sidles up to me and asks me what I am doing. She makes comments like, "it must be nice to eat on the job" and "where do you keep your 'nanny food' so I don't eat it". I told her I don't have 'nanny food' and anything in the refrigerator is for anyone. She asks me how much of my salary goes to pay for my food. Stupid comments like this all day long. She does crosswords all day long and watches me. It took a while to get in my routine. She has asked me to make her lunch, help her start a laundry (and then transfer it) and then bring it to her to fold. I could grin and bear it but she has arranged to have some work done on her home in Ohio which is to be completed by Memorial Day. I don't even know that if I talked to my boss (mom), anything could be done. She is really imposing and unapologetic. She suggests housekeeping tasks for me to do. I am not a housekeeper. I nicely pointed that out and she says things like, "well if you have time to sit around reading an US Magazine, certainly you have time to clean the mirrors in the house". Help. I need my job so I can't quit, even though on a daily basis, about twenty times, she has me want to scream, quit and cry. In closing, let me just say that my boss has been extremely complimentary to me about my job performance, specifically that I adapted to the house and she can return to her professional field with focus because she knows things are well handled at home. She has even given me what I would call bonus gifts of appreciation. Part of me fears if I say anything, it will come across as angling for a big gift or something, but it's Friday night and the thought of returning Monday is making me sick.
