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.