Nanny Diaries

So life as a nanny is very...tiring. I once heard someone describe a nanny as a glorified baby-sitter; no, a nanny is so much more. I believe in fate and that everything happens for a reason, even if that reason may not be visible at the time. So I think back to some things and smile at the outcome.

On the flight from Fiji to Australia, I watched the movie "Nanny Diaries" with Scarlett Johanssen. If you have not seen it, I will give you a quick outline. Scarlett's character has just graduated from University, has her degree but instead of launching into a career, she takes on a job as a nanny (sound familiar?). It portrays her tiring live-in life as a nanny and what exactly is involved. It also shows a family life that exists only around nanny and child and parents casually pop in and out. I thought, "what an unrealistic movie," but how little I knew.

I'm a full-time nanny. I do not live with the family, although sometimes it really feels like I do. Here are what some of my responsibilities include: laundry, all meals, grocery shopping, dry-cleaning, driving to swim lessons and rugby lessons and school, playdates and tutoring. I also give the maids their instructions (they have two) as well as the gardeners. I feed the cats CoCo and Georgie (pictured) and make sure they are in by dinner every night. I have a 'nanny purse' that pays for all of our expenses and twice a week I am given $50 or $100 to fill it. They never keep track or ask for receipts, they are that trusting (and they can be with me). I arrive every morning at 7:30 and leave around 7:00pm. I dress him, feed him, shower him and put him to bed. Oh yeah, I work 6 days a week. The parents are around most of the time, but they want "their" time and so I am to take him to the park or whatever while they do 'their own' things. I think this is absurd, why have a kid if you dont spend time with him? Oh yeah, and I'm not their only nanny. Jackie is from the US and she is responsible for driving Nic to his doctor appointments, as they are deep in the city and she has lived here for 3 years now and was his f/t nanny years ago. She also fills in on Sundays as that is my only day off.

Nicholas is 5 and has just been diagnosed with ADD. He was extremely difficult to deal with in the beginning but counselling, medication (just started) and ME (I truly believe) have helped calm him down and we have a great relationship. This is a huge accomplishment because the first day on the job I wanted to quit. This kid spat on me, hit me, punched and kicked me, tried to bite me and dumped a juice box on me. I had to physically restrain him from randomly hitting other people (adults and children) and also from hurting me. It was horror. But I stuck with it. I couldnt understand why the hell I did but I'm not a quitter. It also helped that I changed my way of thinking. When I first started working with Nic I thought, "why the hell am I doing this? What good is this kid to me?" Then I realized maybe I could be of some good to him.

There are good things to being a nanny. Number one is that you get a kid to love and take care of. I've always been good with children and I enjoy their company. Kids are honest and say the darndest things. Nicholas has made me laugh so much. Plus, working and living so close with Australians I've had great opportunities. I've gotten to drive all over Sydney, meet other Australians and foreign nannies and I've learned so much about Australian culture. I visit the butcher everyday, his name is Peter and such a nice man. Then there is Gary the grocer, we always get our fruit from Gary's. Oh yeah, Tim the drycleaner and Sam the newspaper agent, I've made so many great friends. I would never have gotten to know so much about this country if I had gotten an office job. I'm thrilled with what I've experienced over the last three months...my God its been three months already! It's been a crazy journey but a great one.

So although there were days when I really hated my job, there are days that make it worthwhile. Nic's parents really are nice people and happy to pour me a glass of wine at the end of the night and watch rugby together. I can ask them anything about Australia and they ask me things about Canada. I've also made difference in Nicholas's life and believe it or not, he's made a great difference in mine. Its not going to be easy to say goodbye, I start training the new nanny tomorrow and my last day will be Thursday. Just hearing Nic say, "Sam, you love me right?" or "Sam-luv you," or "Sam, I'm going to come visit you in Canata and see snow." I love it, he's so cute and my journal is filled with so much of Nicholas as he's been such a large part of my life here.

And so ends another chapter in my life. I will look back fondly on my time as a nanny and the crazy adventures I had with my buddy Nicholas. Is being a nanny hard work? Yes. Is it rewarding? Yes. Do I have any regrets? No.