My Life as a Nanny
It’s been too long since my last blog entry. Sorry about that. Haha! I have been so busy for the past couple weeks that I haven’t had the time to blog about anything important. I did get a new job in that past month and that has been the main cause of forgetting about my blog. I am actually a nanny now. It is kindof funny that an English major ends up becoming a nanny. I mean, what else was I supposed to do after graduating from college? My only options were becoming a nanny or enlisting in the armed services. I wish I was kidding. The economy is kicking everyone’s ass especially recent college graduates. I graduated in December and it took me until APRIL to find a full-time job. I still have friends that have part-time jobs because it is so difficult to find a job out of school. I think it’s funny how good ‘ol George W. thinks that giving me a 600 dollar check is going to solve all my problems. Umm… nope, it’s not. I am doing what most smart people would do and that’s use to pay off my credit card debt. I don’t have much debt but I have enough that makes me want to save that 600 bucks and use it for something other than clothes, sunglasses or a night on the town. The economy is shit and he wants me to go party it up with my friends in Vegas with this 600 bucks? What a retard.
So, back to my new job… I am a nanny (full-time) and that consists of me working about 45 hrs a week watching 2yr old twins (a boy and a girl). They are adorable but don’t let that fool you… they are TWO. The boy is crazy smacking everyone in the head with his sippy cups and the girl is sweet and adorable yet sneaky and likes to runoff. They are the dynamic duo. Haha. I do love my job, though. I work 8-5 Monday thru Friday and they nap (usually) from 1230-230. I like the fact that I still have my evenings and weekends free but I tend to fall asleep at 930 now because of my crazy schedule. During their naps, I wash the dishes from lunch and clean the floors and table. I then relax with my pb&j and vitamin water and watch Food Network. I don’t know what’s with my new fascination with that channel is all about but I really enjoy that show Ace of Cakes. Don’t mind me, I’m lame.
I also take them for walks around the neighborhood. If you don’t know, Pittsburgh is nothing but giant hills and valleys. I tend to walk for about 45 minutes leaving me gasping for breath by the time I get the stroller back into the garage with the twins saying, “More, more walk?” I can only handle so much when it comes to pushing 40lbs up a hill. I have re-connected with my classic Disney songs on my computer from back in the day when I worked at a child care center. I started jamming to “Under the Sea” today and it brought me back to the easier times in life watching Sebastian the crab sing about life in the aquatic worlds with fishes and seaweed. I also listen to the new Disney stuff… you know, High School Musical, Hannah Montana, Enchanted. It’s not too bad. There isn’t much to say about kid’s tv today except the fact that Yo Gabba Gabba saved me from the horrible new Sesame Streets. Sesame Street sucks now! I am so disappointed in the show. Elmo is lame and Big Bird is gay. Yo Gabba Gabba at least entertains me. I was watching Sesame Street and slowing filling with rage. It was bad. Yo Gabba Gabba is good though because they repeat themselves like crazy and it helps with speech with the little ones. The songs are catchy too.
I think the fun parts of the job are the times when I jut watch the kids play. They have this thing where they take all of their stuffed animals and place them in chairs at the kitchen table and serve them lunch. It’s too cute. Another thing is when they have their diapers changed and then immediately after they take their Elmo doll and change his diaper. Of course, they do fight with eachother. The boy is at the age where he likes to push, shove, throw, and smack. He always wants his way and cries when he doesn’t get what he wants. The new thing is he likes to run around with no pants on. I had to put a one-z on him because he kept trying to take his diaper off. The girl on the other hand is pretty sweet but again if she doesn’t get her way, watch out. She is starting to defend herself against her brother by shoving and hitting. The thing that they both like to do is when they don’t feel like eating they simply take their plate of food smile at me and then proceed to toss it onto the floor. The sippy cup of milk is not far behind. They are a handful but entertaining. I think this is the best job because my day goes so fast. I start at eight and before I know it it’s time to make lunch then naptime then time to go home. By Friday, I am beat. I am probably going to go straight home tonite, maybe rent a movie and pass out on my couch.
mariechir
Aaron Wakling said,
May 9, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Good Blog. I will continue reading it in the future. Nice layout too.
Aaron Wakling
J said,
May 27, 2008 at 2:33 pm
I have a question about you being a nanny. Are you required to wear some kind of uniform, if: which clothes? Many young girls, late teens and later early 20’s, who work as nanny girls and maid girls, and live in a room in their employers home (where they also get free food and clothing), are required to wear a “uniform” (If you can call it a “uniform” when it’s only one girl working there, “I would call it “domestic worker clothes”, “nanny clothes” “maid clothes” or something) every day. The uniform may have changed, nowadays the old times maid and nanny clothes may be replaced by something like a white blouse, a black skirt with a white belt and a white waist apron, and black high-heeled footwear. Some also have to wear a name tag. The girls often hate wearing these tight fitting clothes, they want to wear their own, comfort clothes with jeans/sweater/t-shirt, but many employers would never accept that. And since many of the young girls have a very bad economy and therfore are afraid of losing their job, they have to obey. Employers can also set up other strict rules for the girls to follow, like requiring the girls to curtsey in front of their employers and adress them like “Sir”, “Mrs.”.
mariechir said,
May 28, 2008 at 3:33 am
nope, I do not have to wear a uniform. I usually just wear jeans and a t-shirt or hoodie. I don’t have to wear anything special because I usually end up spilling stuff and I don’t want to wear anything nice. Plus, I am constantly running around outside with the kids so I need to make sure I wear comfortable (appropriate) outfits.
J said,
May 28, 2008 at 11:14 pm
It’s almost totally up to the employer, so you can be very lucky. The uniforms for these girls are probably still more common than many people believe. I met a person who told me about when she was a young poor girl in her late teens and early 20’s, not many years ago, worked as a combined maid/nanny girl and lived in her employers home. She had just left school. She was not treatened very bad, but very strict. Her employer, a rich woman in her 30’s, was very strict, and the girl was required to wear a white blouse, a black skirt with a white belt and a white waist apron, and black high-heeled footwear. She also had to wear a name tag on the blouse. The girl hated it all, she wanted to wear her own comfortable clothes like jeans/sweater/t-shirt, but her employer would never accept that. It was not what the girl wanted to wear, but what she had to wear both when working and when having time off. The girl also went outside sometimes and often spilled stuff when working in the employers home but that was no excuse. For the most dirty work, like cleaning, cooking, do the dishes, scrubbing and wash clothing, the girl also had to wear a white full length apron over the other clothes. However, the employer was very angry at the girl when she ended up spilling stuff. The girl had to appear polite, curtsey in front of their employer, adress her with title. The girl also had to shorten her blond hair, since they employer though it was “too tall”. The employer often reminded the girl that she had to look and appear good in clothing, and that the girl was there to work and not run after fashion. She could have left the employment, but the girl was poor so she decided to stay there for some years for free food and clothing, even though she really hated it. She lived in a small room, and was not allowed to take friends there. (She at least had radio and TV there). If she wanted to go out during time off, she had to ask the employer, who often said no (she had to be in her room during late evenings and nights). How do you feel for that poor girl? If you were her, would you endure it for a long time: This girl made it from she was 16 or something and for around five-six years, “thanks” to struggle.