a day in the life

I'm a full time nanny to four kids, a five year old and three year old triplets (two girls and a boy). We started homeschooling the oldest this fall as he was bored at preschool but his birthday was too late for kindergarten, and started doing preschool activities wjth the triplets at the same time. I work M-F an average of 35 hours a week (sometimes a little more or less depending on the week's activities).

I coach and teach swim lessons in the evenings; this is my love and passion, and my bosses have been really supportive about this. They have a second nanny who comes when I'm not able to be here due to coaching commitments, and I charge less than market rate because it's worth it to me to be able to coach. :)

6:59 I let myself into the house and whisper-hiss at the dog to shush (lol). I put my jacket on the table and my lunch in the fridge. The kids won't be up for another half hour so I crash on the couch and check my email.

7:10 MB comes downstairs and gathers her things to leave. We chat as she gets ready to leave. I tell a funny story about one of my students last night (I coach and teach in the evenings) and we share a laugh. She leaves for work; I fix a cup of coffee and make a breakfast casserole and pop it into the oven

7:30 I hear the feet hit the floor as soon as it turns seven thirty (the kids have clocks that change color when they're allowed to get out of bed). I go upstairs; one of the triplets is already dressed, and I pull out outfits for the other two. We head downstairs where the kids use their morning chart to navigate their routine and help get ready for breakfast. I put on an oldies channel and it feels like a party! :)

The triplets are eating breakfast when DB and older brother come downstairs. Older brother is immediately upset about something; I try to help but quickly realize I won't be able to do anything with him until DB is gone ;). DB leaves for work soon after, and the temper tantrum ends almost immediately. All the kids eat, clear their spot, and wash their hands before heading into the playroom.

8:30 I sit in the playroom while the kids play, then facilitate clean up.

9:00 The kids get out their school boxes and find their seats at the table. I get big brother started on a math worksheet and then help the triplets do a worksheet about matching upper and lower case vowels (something we've been working on for several weeks with hands - on activities). Then I give them a fine motor skills activity - giving paper plate people "haircuts". Afterwards they move onto stations - different activities for phonics and math activities. I bounce back and forth between the triplets and big brother, helping whoever needs it.

Big brother finishes math and moves on to handwriting. Triplet #2 zips through stations quickly and goes back to the playroom. I help the other two, one who is struggling and one who is just dawdling. ;) Big brother finishes his seat work for the day and I get him set up with a cutting and pasting project - making a poster showing the long and short vowel sounds (a concept we introduced this week).

Triplet #3 keeps rocking the sensory bin (filled with dried beans) over. I tell her to stop several times, and a moment later she tips it over. I tell her she needs to clean up the mess she made (something else we've been working on!).

I sit for a moment to help older brother with his project, and remind Triplet #3 that she can't play until the beans are cleaned up. Triplet #2 comes in from the playroom and wants to do art; I tell her to get her art journal and box and come work at the table. I remind Triplet #3 that she can't play until the beans are cleaned up. Triplet #1 finishes and goes to the playroom to play.

I text MB about taking the kids on an outing, and she reminds me that DB took the van to get the oil changed. I look in the fridge and start fixing some green beans for dinner, and mac and cheese for lunch. I remind Triplet #3 that she can't play until the beans are cleaned up.

Triplet #2 has finished a picture for mommy and asks me to take a picture and send it. :) I fix lunch plates and put them in the fridge for easy reheating. I remind Triplet #3 that she can't play until the beans are cleaned up. She finally finishes cleaning up and joins her sister in coloring.

Older brother tells Triplet #2 that he likes her project, and then tells Triplet #3 that he doesn't like her project as much. We talk about how he would feel if somebody said that to him, and how you shouldn't make somebody feel good at the expense of somebody else. A minute later, Triplet #3 asks if he likes her projext as much as Triplet #2's. He tells her that Triplet #3's project is his favorite because she used his favorite color, but that hers is very good, too. (Mission accomplished!)

Older brother finishes his project and asks me to make him two paper plate haircut people. I do; he spends the next ten minutes playing with them. The girls put away their art supplies and go to the playroom to play.

11:00 I hear "I'm hungry!" several times, and decide to do an early lunch so we can play outside. Older brother finishes his play and gets the vacuum cleaner out to clean up the mess that has fallen on the floor. Everyone helps set the table and get ready for lunch (today it's chicken nuggets, steamed broccoli, and mac and cheese). I fix my own lunch and we eat together.

Triplet #3 starts spitting at her sister. I tell her to stop, and she does it again immediately. I send her to her room. She's just in time - out but she thinks she's being sent to bed, and I use it to my advantage.

As the kids finish eating they clear their spot at the table, then potty and wash their hands. The boys put on socks and jackets, eagerly anticipating outside play. I call Triplet #3 downstairs to finish lunch.

We head outside to play in the yard. While the kids play, I enjoy another cup of coffee and sketch out some plans for activities for the rest of the month.

Everyone plays well for about an hour, then Triplet #1 poops his pants, older brother gets put in timeout for pushing, and I catch the girls stuffing dirt into the playhouse (which they know they're not allowed to do). I herd everyone back inside where they put away shoes and jackets and wash hands.

1:00 We all snuggle on the couch with our current read - aloud book, the Boxcar Children's Yellow House Mystery. I've barely started reading before Triplet #3 is slamming her sister into the sofa. I give her a warning, start to read, and she does it again. I send her to lay on her bed and continue reading. We read our usual two chapters, and the kids are so engrossed they ask for a third. Older brother wants a fourth, too, but the other two are tired of reading.

I send them into the playroom and watch them play while I work on a busy bag for working on numbers 1-10. I call up to Triplet #3 that she can come down now. She's had a little nap and seems much happier.

2:00 I call in big brother to do his reading at the kitchen table while I laminate the busy bag pieces. He's really taken off with his reading this month and it's very exciting!

After he finishes reading, I help the kids add a feather each to their "thankfulness turkeys" (we write one thing we're thankful for each day on the feather). Today it's "my toys" and "my sister" (both girls). Older brother has had a spat with Triplet #3 and asks me to write down all the members of the family but her on his feather. I decline. ;)

I set out grapes and granola bars for snack time. Afterwards, everyone piles onto the couch to watch an episode of Odd Squad (we're phasing out naps and this is our compromise to give the kids some downtime).

2:55 The other nanny arrives, and we chat about the day. I leave for my second (and third, haha) jobs (coaching and teaching lessons). I'm surrounded by kids all day, and I can't think of anything better! :)