8:20am- Other baby comes and the parent goes over her morning. Unless there's anything that needs discussing (an on coming illness, clarification about an activity or a babysitting request) parent usually quickly. L.J. is a loving and happy child at 16 months. She likes hugs and getting loved on but in her own time :)
8:30am- I clean up T's breakfast, fill snack cups with goldfish and make sure they each have their water cups. I check diapers and then we play. I usually sit on the floor in the living room witand play with the girls. They just go to the play room and bring out what they want to play with. I find this works best because they actually play with what they bring out. When we'd try to play in the playroom they would just pull out all their toys and were quickly bored. Now they bring out their doll stroller, toy shipping chart or duplos. We'll play until they start fighting or throw them (both of which are automatic game overs).
9:00am- If diapers were empty before chances are they've filled them up now. After a quick change I usually watch them play. They come to me for hugs and kisses or need me to referee but they usally just play with each other. I'll sing and make up games but the parents want them to play on their own, too.
9:30am- usually we have a something at the library, toddler class or music class at 10:30. I watch the clock and prepare to leave. I pack the backpack with water cups, diapers, wipes... "hmm the water cups are gone... Oh the girls have them ok I'll let them have them for now." Socks are found, shoes go on. I go out side and put L.J's car seat in my car. The parents installed a large gate on their front porch (so convenient! I love it!) The girls wave bye to me from the top of the steps. They're happy when I come back although they don't have their water cups. *Sigh*
10:00am- I scramble trying to find the water cups... "under the entertainment center? No. In the toy bin? Nope. Dog bowl? Under the couch. Oh yeah the trash can. Yep...here they are." Ok a quick wash and time to go. I then smell poop... Ok a quick inspection, one more change. I look around the house.. Ugh it's a wreck but I'll clean at 4:30pm. "Bye boy! bye Jo-Jo!" I always say good bye to the dog and cat.
10:30am- We arrive at said activitie. As always L.J. is always right in the middle of everything! Doesn't matter what we're doing. She's so social and adventurous. T sticks close by me. She is social as well and is adventurous but just in her own time. She doesn't seem to be scared but likes to stick close for a few minutes. Sits in my lap and looks up at me for reassurance. Before I know it they're both up and playing!
11:30am- after fun with friends I strap two sleepy and hungry toddlers back into their car seats. If it's music class we hang out with one of my nanny friends at the church's park for 20 minutes or so.
11:40am- (they live just minutes from everything) We get home and change diapers. The girls sign and ask "eat? eat? eat?". I prepare lunch while trying to make sure they don't hit each other in their hungry fits.
12:00pm- Finally it's time for lunch. Each girl gets a different lunch. L.J. used to get so mad and would go hungry when she didn't get to have what T was having. She'd just cry and cry but after a few days she realized it was either what was in her lunch box or nothing. L.J. usually has pb&j and cottage cheese (hey she likes it!). T has whatever her parents made the night before. I usually wait to eat. I put the local news on so I can be up to date on the town/world outside this house - parents don't mind.
12:30pm- This is where I wait for poop. Poop needs to happen before they go down for a nap. If not they'll wake up in the middle of their nap, poop, and then that's it for naps. While we wait we play quietly and read books. Usually around 1pm they "go". T goes to hide now and L.J. will just stare at you and make weird faces.
1:00pm- After diaper changes I pick up while the girls play. I usually put them down around 1:15pm. T sleeps in her crib and L.J. sleeps in the next room, they share a wall. Usually T will play and that's perfectly fine but sometimes she'll turn sideways and kick the bars making quite a racket. I pull up the monitor on my phone "T, it's sleepy time". T looks around and repositions herself. L.J. falls alseep quickly and usually without issue. Both girls have video monitors, which I've found I can't live without!
1:30pm- Sometime T is still taking her time settling but she's asleep by 1:40. When they're asleep I usally eat lunch, study or just relax. If we're planning on going somewhere right after nap and plan to be out close to the end of the day I'll do all the chores. Usually it's just clean up what we used or played with. Then I check the backpack and see if I have everything.
3:00pm- If we're not going anywhere I'll let them sleep as long as they need to. L.J. can sleep 2+ hours. T's mom likes her to not sleep past 2 hours. They both sleep 11 or 12 hours a night so they don't need a 3+ hour nap. Usually if we went somewhere in the morning we'll be home for the afternoon. Maybe a walk to the nearby cafe.
3:15-3:30pm- Both girls wake up on their own. We change diapers. T asks "pee pee?" haha. L.J. may need some wake up cuddles but T is happy to go off and continue her day. L.J is again happy to play with T.
4:00pm- The girls give their sign and say "eat? Eat?". I cut up some stawberries, bananas and unwrap a string cheese for each girl. Sometimes if there's really nothing good we'll do nurtigrain bars but that's rare really.
4:30pm- Time to start cleaning. My duties consist of washing the dishes we used- they have a dishwasher but the girl's plates and bowls are few in number so I just wash them and then I just wash my dishes cause why not? I wipe down girls trays and booster seat/high chair. I scrub the counters and make sure there's I no food or crumbs. Then i pick up all the toys, books, games, small duplo pieces, put them away. The girls play well while I perform my tasks but sometimes they just don't get along. When this happens I hand each girl their milk cup, and sit them down in their own space. I tell them in a happy but serious tone (if that makes sense), "this is not time out. I love you very much *kiss and a hug*. Here's your milk cups. Just take some space". They talk and laugh to each other in their toddler language from their little spaces. That's great! Hopefully they'll be ready to play together soon. I bring the girls together and say "let's try playing again". 99% of the time they are back to having a blast. Sometimes T just needs her space and sometimes L.J. gets really clingy. She'll just want me to hold her. That's hard. Sweet but hard when you see them crying and reaching for you. I try to sing little songs and dance but i just have have to get things done. she holds on to my legs na d puts her head between them! Ugh my heart just melts! i just try to be fast but do a good job.
5:00- 5:45- AHHH end of the day. The house is back in shape, girls get one more change so they're fresh and ready for their mom and dad. I think back and man, I was really busy but I did it! L.J.'s mom comes and you'd think a 16 month old would run to her with a big smile and a great big hug!...no she's happy she's there but eh. Let's not get crazy Haha. It's a joke with her mom and me. Her mom loves that L.J. so happy to be there. T's mom gets the goods though.. Hugs and kisses! The moms and I talk about the day, transistion that they're working on or waiting for. Planninh lunch dates for us. We wrap up, say our "see you in the mornings", I leave out the back to take the bag of diapers out and head home around 5:45pm
*Nanny share in North Carolina; 2 toddlers, M-F, 8:15-5:30pm **I love these families and feel so appreciated. I've been with them for a year since the girls were tiny babies. They listen when I have concerns and make be feel like family. I couldn't be happier!*
What's your day like? Email isynblog@gmail.com.
4 comments:
I wish this included pay. I too am a part of a nanny share wih similar hours but in a different city. I can never tell if I'm underpaid or not. I have similar responsibilities wih children just a tad younger 8-6 $700 per week regardless of early pick ups or late drop offs.
Op here - yeah i thought about it but I decided not to. I know I'm not underpaid. I live very comfortably with my 5 pets and nice two bedroom apartment. My days are so fun and I just wanted to share it with others :D
I love these Day in the Life posts :) I currently nanny two little girls as well - sisters, though.
I want to ask about the clingy L.J. while you're cleaning - have you tried including her in your chores? It worked very well for a little boy I had in my last job. I would just give him a wash cloth and ask him to wipe a chair, the wall, whatever. Of course he was no actual help, but he felt important and thus didn't cry for me as he was so busy with his much needed work ;)
Op here, I tried that- I handed her a damp rag asked if she wanted to wipe of the coffee table. She just dropped it, raised her arms up and sobbed! Heartbreaking! T is the helper of the two. She swooped in and started wiping stuff, Haha. I suspect that L.J. is tired when she gets like that. It's the end of the day, she misses her mom and wants a cuddle :)
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