I sat down to write this article at the end of a(n) action- / drama- / fun- / stress-packed weekend I had watching two kids while their mom was out of town. I asked the 12-year-old girl what to write about for an article and she said, "Write about how you're a nanny and how you take your 'victims' out for lots of adventures and yummy food and how much fun we have together." And honestly, she's on to something. If you've read some of my past articles (mainly about food and going on various eating adventures), you may have caught a few moments where I reference these kids. And, if you know me, you know that my life pretty much revolves around them (and the cello-playing boyfriend).
So, a little backstory: I was a sophomore in college and I had decided I wanted to work with kids. I was already working in a restaurant when I agreed to start chauffeuring a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old around to their various activities and help them with their homework. Let me remind you that these are middle school kids. The little girl cozied up to my immediately, but the boy was a different story. After two and a half years, a few milestones (graduating, tennis lessons, swim lessons, first kisses, passed tests), tons of times I've wanted to murder them for not handing in homework, hundreds of oldie songs learned (they now know all of the words to "You Can Call Me Al" as well as "My Girl"), thousands of miles in my car, and countless memories, it's time for me to say goodbye to them.
So, the kids and I composed a list of reasons you should work for a family while you're in college.
1. You have buddies to do things with (and they *usually* won't complain).
From trying new foods to checking out new neighborhoods to shopping, you always have a buddy who is excited to do something different from what constitutes their mundane schedules.
2. You get to be a kid (again).
Who doesn't want to go to a giant indoor trampoline place and jump around with all of the other seven-year-olds and who doesn't want to go see movies like "Inside Out" without getting weird looks?
3. Kids have no filter and they don't lie (at least to me).
If I ever need someone to tell me whether or not something looks good on me, I ask the kids because kids don't lie about that kind of stuff — in fact, they are sometimes brutally honest.
4. You have someone who is not your own child to bestow knowledge onto (and that someone actually wants to hear it)!
This is a big one for me. One of my favorite things to do is impart information, and I get to do it three times a week — and, they listen to me! And they follow any and all advice I give.
5. Who else will laugh at your terrible puns?
It's unclear if they laugh with me or at me, but whatever, because a laugh is a laugh nonetheless and my puns are funny. (Seven days without a pun makes one weak!)
6. You get paid to do all of these things.
This is easy, guys. I mean, come on — who doesn't want to get paid to have a great time, be a kid, and go on adventures?
7. And lastly, you get to have a home away from home and a family.
This one was the most important for me. I have a pretty contentious relationship with my mother and my little sister isn't too interested in my life; I go to school pretty far from home (NYC to Houston) and now I have a family here that will console me if needed, invite me over for holidays, and, above all, show up for me.
So, despite all of the utter and actual sh*t, working for this family has arguably been the best experience of my life. Go out and get yourself a job like this because you really won't regret it. And if you do, your family obviously won't be as cool as mine.
P.S. I wrote this article while getting my hair "Kim K-French braided" by the girl. Life is good because I don't know how to French braid.
