When summer is approaching, kids are ready to sleep in, to not do their homework, and to not see that stupid boy that has been annoying them every day on the bus! In families where both parents work, summer raises a lot of questions: Who will watch the kids? Maybe a daycare? Or the grandparents? Although some families choose these options, another popular choice is to hire a nanny. Growing up, I watched my two older sisters nanny every summer, coming home at the end of each day with a stack of money and some amusing stories about the children they watched and grew to adore. This summer, a nannying opportunity was presented to me and so, I took it, assuming that I would have a similar experience as my sisters did. Little did I know that that the only stories my sisters chose to share with me were the glamorous ones; I went into this job completely blind as to what was to come. If you are thinking of becoming a nanny, here are some realities that you definitely should know:
Myth: "The dog is very calm and he will always listen to you!"
Reality: The dog is 100 years old; he has trouble walking and doesn’t move much. Sometimes you forget that the dog is there... that is until you get a whiff of his horrible stench. He's also blind and if he somehow manages to get up the stairs, he will have trouble getting down and chances are you will have to help him. The first day I met the dog, the only thing I could think was “please don’t die on my watch.” Sounds fun, right?
Myth: “We have plenty of food for lunches!”
Reality: There is one option for lunch… on a good day. You could probably find enough food to slap together a sandwich, but if the kids don’t want a sandwich, a trip to the grocery store is necessary. No matter how many times you tell the kids not to run in the grocery store, they will always run. No matter how many times you tell the kids they have to agree on one single flavor of ice cream, they will never agree. No matter how many times you feel like leaving them in the store and never returning, you will always have to suppress that urge.
Myth: “Taking the kids to the beach would be such a fun day!”
Reality: Getting children dressed in swim suits is not an easy task. Where is the top to this bottom? Where is the bottom to this top? Don’t you just have a one-piece? Once the kids are dressed and ready, you have to sunscreen them; spraying children's flailing bodies is underratedly an extremely difficult task. Kids are dressed and sunscreened, towels are located, and you're set for a lovely day… until you get home and realize that there is a pound of sand in the back of your car.
Myth: "The kids will listen when you say 'I’m in charge!'"
Reality: This is a statement that you will have to repeat many times. So many times that even you will wonder if it is actually true. After screams and tears and tantrums, one of you will eventually get too exhausted and give into the other, and sometimes it’s not the children.
Overall, nannying is an exhausting, but also rewarding summer job. You remember your childhood babysitters growing up and how much you idolized them; it's strange to realize that the tables have turned, and now you’re the one who is looked up to. Nannying really is a sneak peek into the world of parenting, and after the summer is over, you want that door to be closed for a very, very long time (maybe even forever).
