On the grown up side of the baby gate, a couple words about The Nanny ... for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week (and a bunch of weeks a year) I am a nanny. In all the other hours of the day I am a sorority girl, a bookworm, a girlfriend, & an avid solo movie goer. My blog, The Nanny by Day, is my way of sticking with my love of writing, getting out all my bubbling emotions, and of course, keeping track of the adventures I have with the two little girls who run my life.
So what's it like being a nanny? It's like being a mom. But, without the sleepless nights, the breastfeeding, the birthing, and the bills. Sounds like a pretty delightful time doesn't it? Most days, it is. Some days, it isn't. On mornings when I am met at the door by two smiling, excited girlies, I love my job. On mornings when I am met at the door by a chores list longer than my arm, or a little girl who only slept for two hours, or a 3 year old with an attitude worse than miranda from SATC, I still love my job. Just not as much.
Through my work, the amazing mommy blogs out there, and twitter (find me @thenannybyday), I've learned A LOT about childrearing. SO MUCH! Just ask my mom! My first few weeks as a nanny, I gained an unbelievable amount of respect for my own mama - she rocked the SAHM role and raised 4 amazing kids (if I do say so myself. wink wink.) And I also gained an unbelievable amount of disrespect for anyone who ever says staying at home with kids must be 'so easy' (or any other statement along those lines).
Back to being raised by a good mama ... I'll stick to the lesson of 'if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all' when dealing with those ignorant individuals. And just flip 'em the bird when they turn their backs. Of course, not in front of the kids.
More importantly, I've discovered just how much parents - and nannies - can influence their children, just how important daily doses of fresh air, healthy food, and good ol' country music can be to kids, and how going with the flow is the only way to go. I've learned that there's no such thing as 'super moms'; just really hardworking, really tired women with more love in their hearts then they know what to do with. I've learned it IS okay to plunk a kid down in front of Dora or Harry & his Bucketful of Dinosaurs for half an hour, just so I can eat my own lunch in peace. I've learned I'm not the only one that has escaped to the sanctuary of the bathroom - locked door, lights off, counting down 300 seconds of 5 whole minutes - just so I can gather my thoughts. I've learned that my little girls are fearless, that they love wholeheartedly, and that some days, they teach me a whole heck of a lot more then I could ever teach them.
When I decided post secondary was going to chill on the back burner for a while, one of the only things I knew was that I didn't want to spend the next year of my life serving tables. Although teaching wasn't the right path, I know in my heart kids is. And always will be. I've wanted to be a mom since kindergarten. Ih yes, i actually wrote that on the 'when I grow up ...' worksheet. I don't have years of training under my belt, or a twitter with a trillion followers, or a show on national television. I don't even have my own little rugrats! I just have a passion for kids, a disney driven imagination, and a free spirit. And so far, it's working out pretty delightfully.
if it's not okay, it's not the end
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