Kidiversary

The Kid shortly after I first met her

One year ago today, I (kinda) nervously boarded a bus over to an area of Brooklyn I wasn't super familiar with to meet with a family who needed a summer nanny. I knew nothing about the place I was going besides the address and that it was a second floor apartment, and I knew practically nothing about the family I was going to see besides the fact that they had a two-year-old and her mom was a nurse. Now, if you know me at all, you know that this is just the kind of situation that would make me super nervous. But I wasn't. There was a slight case of butterflies in the tummy, but I mostly felt incredibly calm. The commute was long(ish), but easy. And the family? Well, they were just right. From the moment I stepped into their home I felt comfortable and at ease. I spent two hours there that day getting to know The Kid and her family. Less than an hour in, she was crawling into my lap and trying to feed me strawberries from her fruit salad.

The Kid at the end of my first summer with her

I have always gravitated toward children, and they usually gravitate towards me. If there's a baby in the room, I want to be holding him/her. Just last month, I met one of my boyfriend's friends and his family/neighbors on Memorial Day. There was a shy, little two-year-old girl who didn't really go to anyone she didn't like and avoided men. By the end of the afternoon she was happily snuggled in my arms as I sat right next to my boyfriend (a strange young man *gasp*). However, most people who work with children will tell you that you don't warm to all children the same way. You may love all children and be great with them, but there are just some children who find an extra special place in your heart. The Kid is definitely one of those special children. She was even before they offered me a long term position.

Today is my Kidiversary--one special year with one special Kid. I am so looking forward to the upcoming year. It's gonna be great.

The Kid Today (picture stolen from her mother as today is my day off, and they are out having happy family adventures. Go them! :D)

Sincerely,
 

Nanny Confessions

1. Sometimes I tell The Kid she can play for ten more minutes and then tell her time's up after five.
2. I don't always know what type of animal her cracker is, so I make it up.
3. Sometimes The Kid asks to do something that I don't want to do, so I tell her we can do it after her nap hoping she'll forget. Sometimes she does, and sometimes she doesn't.
4. Nap time is as much for my sanity as it for her rest.
5. I like when she wants to play outside because she tends to play more independently outside and I can work on my tan (or lack thereof).
6. I really wanted to put on my swimsuit and join her in the sprinklers at the park today.
7. She loves bath time. I hate it.
8. I time how long it takes me to get her to sleep at night. Partly because it helps me to know how long she's been trying/fighting me, and partly because I'm always trying to beat my personal best (by the way, it's two and a half minutes).
9. It's really hard not to laugh when she says inappropriate things ("Me no even like this friggin' thing in my friggin' mouth).
10. I will never get tired of hearing her say "dear, God" during her nighttime prayer in her tiny, little Brooklyn accent ("dear, Gawd")

Sincerely,

The Sweetest Sound in All the World

I sound like a broken record. Everyday, it's the same phrases.

"Don't do that. You're going to hurt yourself."
"Stop screaming. That behavior is unacceptable"
"No."
"Come here. I'm not going to chase you."
"What do you need to say?"
"How do you ask?. . . Please, what?"
"What do you say?"

Those last two are the worst. Even on a good day, when I don't need to reprimand, calm, or correct, I still repeat those two. Over. And. Over.

Because manners matter. Because gratitude is important.

And just when I'm tired of saying it, when I feel like it will never stick, she says it. Without prompting, without coaching, without begging, she says it. In her tiny, (sometimes) soft voice, she says it.

"Please, may I have a snack, please, Jojo?"

"Nank you for this, Jojo."

Yes, you may, my precious girl. You are very, very welcome. I'd do it all again just for those sweet, sweet words--the sweetest sound in all the world.

Sincerely,
 

Sunshine on a Cloud Day

Yesterday was horrendously rainy. We're talking flash flood rain. While I normally love rain, it makes for a looooong day with The Kid trapped in the house. Even though she slept till 9 and took a one hour nap, it was still feeling like the never ending day. So we decided to get crafty. Or rather, I decided and she followed along. We attempted a craft I found on Pinterest. Luckily, I had all the supplies on hand, and it involved paint--The Kid's favorite!

We made a handprint sun using a paper plate. The Kid thought it was pretty fantastic, but she didn't like having her hand traced for the sun's "rays." So our sun is a little short on rays.

All in all, I good choice for this rainy day.

The Kid has also started creating dialogue for her dolls while she plays with them. Her most recent favorite is to have The Beast Ken doll threaten her Belle Barbie doll. "Come to dinner or my gonna break down the door!!" Can you tell what movie we watch all the time?

Sincerely,
 

So You're a. . . Nanny??

Random Acquaintance: So what do you do??
Me: I'm a full-time, live-in nanny.
Random Acquaintance: (chose one or more of the following responses)

• "Oh. . . that's nice."
• "You spent for years in college to be a nanny?"
• "Oh, cause you couldn't get a teaching job mid year, right? But you'll be looking in the fall."
• "Well that must be a fun and easy job!"

Since starting my job in December I have received each of those responses several times. People who don't know me well can hardly seem to grasp that I'm doing this because *gasp* I want to.

• Why yes, it is nice, isn't it? 
• Yes, I did spend four years in college to be a nanny. I also spent four years in college to hopefully someday be a stay-at-home mom which will give me no income. At least I'm getting paid for this.
• I didn't think it would be easy to get a teaching job mid year, but that's not why I took this job. And no, I won't be looking in the fall. I took this job for at least 18 months.
• Yes, it is fun. But it is also hard. You try being trapped in the house for 13 hours with a screaming two-year-old who refuses to take a nap and throws a tantrum every 10 minutes. Having fun yet?*

However, I think my all time favorite question is the one that I seem to be asked all the time by stay-at-home moms: "So what exactly do you do??"

Well, I do everything you do with your child on a daily basis. . .

I dress her and do her hair.

I take her on walks.

I clean the jelly off of her after I feed her.

I feed her.

I take her to the park.

I snuggle her when she's tired.

And I snuggle her when she's sick.

I play with her outside.

I do hand tattoos.

I potty trained her (and Belle).

I do crafts with her.

I put her in time out.

I do silly with her.

I put her to sleep at night.

I love her.

. . .only I get paid for it.

Sincerely,
 


*In defense of The Kid, these types of days are few and far between, but that doesn't mean the other days are stress free. Nannying, like parenting, is exhausting, draining, and stressful. But oh so worth it.