A Cheap Cheap Here and A Cheap Cheap There

Received Sunday, July 27, 2008. - Rant
Here it goes, a classic nanny struggle against cheap parents. Who would have ever thought a couple of people could spend so much money on the wrong things in the course of a year, while continuously failing to provide basics for the kids and nanny?

Okay, so you're not rich. Well, let's just look at what you HAVE been able to afford in the past year. Where do I start? You have had money afford a gardener, go on three vacations out of the country, and have purchased a Wii system, karaoke machine, new couch, entertainment system, flat screen TV, video camera, color printer/copier, laptop, ping pong table, hardwood floors for 3/4 of the downstairs, had the patio extended outside, had kitchen and bathroom repainted, dishwasher, new washing machine and on average, one - three UPS boxes a day are delivered to the front doorstep with miscellaneous who knows what inside.

Now, before you go saying, "hey, that's not too bad" let's look at what you haven't been able to come up with the money for.

You have three kids, the oldest two are girls and the youngest is a boy. Funny, you only buy clothes for the oldest girl, and that in itself is rare. The younger girl wears about 90% hand-me-downs from her older sister, most of which are stained. The boy's clothes basically are ALL hand-me-downs from a neighbor. It took forever for you to finally listen to me and get him a pair of sneakers. You still haven't got him any sandals and you expect him to wear the hand-me-down pair that are a size too big for his little feet.

I noticed you didn't buy him any new toys or clothes for his second birthday either. What, the $5000+ vacation was affordable but $100 in toddler birthday presents is out of your league?

And it would be nice if we could buy some craft supplies once in a while. Last time you gave me a $20 budget at Michaels. Are you kidding? The kids haven't had new supplies in months and some things haven't been replenished in a year. Since we aren't allowed to go very many places, I would think you would supply us with some supplies to pass the time.

And food...don't get me started with groceries. First of all, having basically no benefits other than my pay, I accepted your granting me access to your food as a benefit or perk of the job. After all, you did say that you would provide lunch for me in the very beginning. However, when I write things on the list that you used to buy for me to eat, and you don't replenish it for two weeks, it gets frustrating.

I don't mind bringing my own food for lunch most days. However, your KIDS have a limited diet of pasta, cheese sandwiches, and pb&J. So when I show up to your house on Mondays and you are out of cheese and bread, preparing their meals gets a little tricky. I have offered to go grocery shopping for you countless times, and you won't take me up on it unless you actually run out of milk. And then you tell me to only get the milk. But when I write something on the list and it never gets bought, like diapers, laundry detergent, dish soap, I get a little frustrated. Honestly, do I really need to run out of diapers before you go to the store?

What about the little first aid kit I said I wanted to take to the park and you never bought? I actually had to finally buy it myself! It set me back a whole $1.50. And was it really neccessary for you to borrow the $1.00 kitchen gloves (I had to buy for myself ) to clean the bathrooms!

Why won't you buy coldpacks like I asked? They have multiple uses and are quite essential for the park and other outings. Are they really that expensive?

Oh, and water. It would be nice if you actually changed the filter in your fridge, which I have brought to your attention a few times. Now the fridge water line is broken, doesn't dispense water at all and we are now drinking tap water. I am literally bringing my own water to work.

It would also really do you some good to get a housekeeper, since you don't have time to clean your house. I mean, I don't like having to look at cobwebs and spiders in the corners every time I go to the bathroom. Accept the fact that you can't keep up with it and get help.

I could go on and on, but I think one of the things that bothers me the most is that I am watching your three children in the summer and we don't have much to do. Most things aren't free, and it would be nice if we could go on a few fun outings now and then without it coming out of my pocket. I know you all have a Zoo/Wild Animal Park membership and Sea World/Aquarium passes too. How silly of me to think you would get me a pass so I could take them. In fact, I should have known better. After all, when you guys all went to Legoland with your out-of-town friends the day after Thanksgiving last year, you left me home with the 18-month-old instead of letting me come a long and take care of him so we could both have some fun. Maybe you just wanted me to earn my pay that Black Friday. After all, it's not a paid holiday.

What exactly is the deal here? Is it that you don't really have as much money as you think you do? Is it because you figure it is easy to cut corners with the kids and I because we won't really notice or care? Is it because you are too busy with work and your jam-packed social schedule to put attention to the "small stuff'"? Or do you just not have your priorities in order?

My hopes are, aside from feeling better after venting, that some parents with tight purse strings will think twice before going cheap on the wrong things. Think about it. If you can afford a nanny, you are in the top percent of people in the most advantageous economic positions. You have a full-time employee entering your house every day. Whether you like it or not, whether it's our business or not, we are going to notice things you buy. Get your priorities straight or you may find yourself posted on ISYN.