What’s the first image that comes to mind when you hear the word “nanny”?
Old? Creepy? Hairy? Mrs. Doubtfire playing air guitar? Or maybe the young, hip, and beautiful Fran Drescher? What a babe, huh?
Being a nanny is just one notch below being a parent, but also one notch above cool babysitter. Oftentimes, depending on how the parents run the household, a lot of the stress can fall on the caretaker. It’s not enough to love being around kids (because I used to absolutely love it); it’s about finding the medium between “hey let’s have fun today!” and “go to the corner and think about what you’ve done, Billy.” Especially for one as young as 23, you have to be cool enough to get their attention, but strict enough to let them know you mean business. It’s one tough gig, man.
Naturally, I am a very observant person. It is during the interview in which I get a glimpse of what the family I am about to work for will be like, and whether or not they will serve to be a challenge. I observe the way they (the parents) talk. Are they being too formal? Are they using slang? Do they laugh with sincerity or is it forced? I steal glimpses around the room. Are they clean? If so, to what degree? Are there toys in sight? Paintings on the fridge? I try not to seem too judge-y sometimes, but come on - who wouldn’t help but do just that when they are being interviewed by a middle-aged woman who is holding up her cheap Botox with one hand and feeding her 1 year old with the other?
Getting accustomed to the way one runs a family is also another huge aspect of being a nanny. One family I work for, in particular, is incredibly free-spirited when it comes to raising their twin 3-year olds. Maybe a little too free-spirited with the physical maintenance of the household. Seriously. It’s like the episode of Friends when Ross dates that hot anthropologist who also lives in a pile of garbage. I mean, I 100% admire the family’s love for books and nature. They have allotted time in their weekly schedule for family hikes, trips to the museum, the library, as well as arts and crafts. I’ve taken serious notes on how these activities are run and how I plan to implement them into my future children's lives. Every day the kids learn new words such as dormant and collage with their fancy Word of the Day apps. They have their famous “word parties” in which they spend hours spelling words out with magnets on the refrigerator or on a Scrabble board. The kids also have new art projects hanging on the walls every week. During our “nanny and me” time, we play Museum in order for them to talk about their art and what it represents. It’s beyond inspiring seeing how much these kids’ brains are developing with their constant knowledge-filled environments. At three years old, these kids can name and point to more states and countries on a map than your average 5th grader. Blasphemy! My only thing is, well, it wouldn’t hurt to give them a clean learning environment. Maybe vacuum the place a bit. Maybe a little mop. (*cough* get a new rug)
Take away the exploding diapers, the ear-splitting screams, and the constant parental texts asking “are you free to nanny tomorrow?” it’s been an incredibly rewarding time watching these little humans grow into who they are. I also don’t plan on having kids for a VERY long time, thank you very much. But who knows - I could possibly be in the presence of the next Picasso or President of the United States. How cool, right? It could happen. Which reminds me I should probably hold onto the cute cards they made me. You know, just in case.
