Is there really such a thing?
I swear…the whole “Terrible Twos” never truly ends. Not being an actual mom myself…I don’t know the full experience of having a child full-time. However, being a nanny full time…is pretty darn close.
When you first meet the family you’re about to embark this journey with…the kids are on their best behaviors! They smile, are polite and tell you all the exciting things they cannot wait to do with you! I am sure we are all familiar with the “perfect child” persona moms, friends, family and well anyone who has ever gotten that “you better behave” glare/look from our parents.
Well I fell for it…boy did I!? The family I am currently a nanny for during the summer time…these kids sure did stoop me! They truly seemed perfect…that this was not going to be a job for me but a mini summer camp with a couple of kids.
Fun ALL the time??…guess again…this has been the summer from HELL!
So a little back story…9 year old girl and 10 (almost 11) year old boy…both are:
1. super competitive
2. incredibly intelligent
3. surprisingly creative
4. love the outdoors
Well…everyday there is some sort of struggle…with one or the other or even both. All the ups and downs range from reading, music, writing, math homework, toys and even sometimes how the lunches are made.
Kids can say some extremely mean things…I know this…Ive worked with kids from infants to high school…and lets face it, we all had a mean streak at one point in our lives. (Guilty over here!)
Yesterday however….was the worst day I ever had as being a nanny. Never in my life did I just want to walk away. This 9-year-old…(who reminds me so much of how I was when I was a child…scary) got so upset over a math problem. Her world was coming down if front of her…in her eyes if she didn’t finish she wouldn’t go on the family trip and would be sent off to an orphanage.
A little extreme…I think yes!
She said some awful things “You’re the worst babysitter”… “I wish evil upon you..” and some other things I’ll leave out…but you get the idea. She even hit her brother with a sock…which he couldn’t help but laugh because of the extremity his sister was going with this.
I’ll be honest…she made me cry. A 9-year-old making a 25-year-old cry.
I was thinking to myself…is this real life?
But then I remembered when I was that age…and I wasn’t getting my way with my mom or dad…I said some pretty awful things in hopes I would get my way. **Spoiler Alert**….IT NEVER WORKED!
We as humans have this power (voice…words) that can truly hurt someone else without even realizing it. Which was our lesson yesterday…(everyday I try to teach the kids a little lesson about life, and this one was handed right to me!) It wasn’t until she saw me tearing up when talking with her mom did she realize how sad I truly was. She instantly ran over and hugged me…apologized and begged to not be shipped off to an orphanage. We couldn’t help but to laugh.
Boy would my grandma (may she rest in peace <3) be proud of me today with how far I have come and for all the times she would tell me life lessons. It is not until you experience them yourself do you realize how right others are sometimes.
So if there are fellow nannies out there…or even parents who have experienced this with their children…a huge HIGH FIVE…to you! Way to power through it.
❤
sleepingblondie 