It's 1:45 PM. I'm cooking up some bottles and defrosting some squash all while gobbling a weight watchers brownie in the kitchen. If I eat in front of the girls they start crying and reaching for my food and with only 2 bottom teeth, I don't think they'd get very far with what I have for lunch. I mean I know their formula tastes horrible, but Lean Cuisine ain't exactly fine dining. I guess it is to them. They're watching Miffy, which will hold us all over until lunch is ready.
So yesterday we fired our nanny. She was our second nanny. I know, you're probably thinking it's gotta be something we're doing but I promise you it's not. You'd think with the economy there would be loads of overqualified nannies out there willing to work. I'm a stay at home mom, which I have found is a huge turn-off for nannies. Why? Because they don't want you to be watching them care for your babies. Now is that a big red flag or what? Basically I wanted someone part-time to help me care for the babies, give them equal attention and be trustworthy enough to watch the babies at home so I didn't have to drag them around on errands. It's also nice to have an hour or so of me time a day since I'm basically on duty from 6AM to 10PM, not counting if there are wake-ups at night, which thankfully have decreased dramatically.
Well the short story is that we were desperate for someone after we fired our first nanny. The first one was super sweet, had glowing recommendations, but was completely careless. She fed my one baby a screaming hot bottle not once, but twice, AND in front of me. So I wonder how many other times she did that to her. She would also leave the baby on the changing table, couch and countless other dangerous places and then walk away to do something. Seriously, for someone with such great recommendations and asking for $20 an hour, she should know basic safety. That's like Baby 101.
The second nanny was actually our night nurse. She wasn't getting calls for other jobs so we asked her to stay on days. She was pricey but we figured it was worth it considering we trusted her, she knew what she was doing and was really easy to be with. She has a child so we knew we would have to be flexible but then here I was in mid-February and I realized she hadn't worked a full week since before Christmas. Last week she asks me, "So what about Monday, President's Day?" So I told her my husband would be home but she could still work we would go out and enjoy some alone time. She says, "Oh, wouldn't it just be a paid holiday?" Seriously I almost flipped out. She makes more than I did out of college and has better benefits. Plus she works less than 6 hours a day. I told her she could not come but she wouldn't get paid and with that she said she would definitely be in on Monday.
Fast forward to Monday ... it's 9:15 AM (she comes at 9, but usually 9:15) and I am like no she didn't. I look at my phone and there is a text message from 11 PM the night before saying she wouldn't be coming in. Then there was another text at 8:30 AM asking if I got her other text???!?!? Obviously I didn't. So I texted her back and said next time she should call to make sure I get the message. I was furious. I mean I know it's not corporate but still wouldn't you call your employer to say you weren't coming in? My husband and I tallied all the money we had paid her for doing nothing. We just felt it wasn't worth it and let her go. So it's back to the 3 of us. Okay I hear the closing theme song of Miffy and the natives are getting restless.
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Oh my goodness my dear: here is a wake up call: it is you!!! I'm really sorry to break this to you but you sound horrible to work for! You poor thing! lolol I am laughing so hard reading your blog though, it is quite entertaining. :)
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, regarding the way nannies feel about SAHMs: not all of us feel that disdain. However, it is difficult for some people, nannies or not, to understand why someone would need to hire another woman to help them with their children when they have..no job! lol :)
Honey, you don't work. You can't handle your children yourself without a nanny? This does not say a great deal about your abilities as a mother. It is a luxury to be able to stay at home with your children, and you sound like a very stressful person to work for. I'm sorry but I'm just being honest.
Next: the paid holiday issue. This is both the fault of you and the nanny. It is a national holiday, so I am not surprised that she felt she should get it off. However, this is stuff you both should have ironed out before she took the position.
Was it unprofessional of her to text you and not come in after she said she would? Absolutely: she is at fault there. But why in the world are you "freaking out" when she asks about it being a paid holiday? Calm down: she has a right to discuss it with you.
Lastly, how much you made out of college is irrelevant. You seem to have as much disdain for people in childcare as the people you say have disdain for SAHMs who hire nannies.
Keep blogging: you are hilarious, although something tells me you don't mean to be! lolol!
First of all, thanks for your honesty and for reading. I didn't think anyone did. Who knows? Maybe I am terrible to work for. Some comments for you:
ReplyDelete- Yes, it's meant to be funny, so glad you are laughing whether at me or with me!
- It is a luxury to be able to stay at home with my children. I am thankful every day.
However, I don't appreciate your comments about my mothering ability. In my opinion, taking care of twins (and maybe you do as well I have no idea) can be incredibly stressful. Before the girls I never changed a diaper - yes this is not rocket science I realize - so was looking to a "professional" to help guide me. I was scared to do something wrong.
But when I was on my own I figured it out and to this day it's much easier. There are some days that are harder than others, but for the most part it's manageable.