How being a nanny to a three-year-old has taught me self-acceptance
As I evaluate my role as a strong, positive role model in Johannah’s life, I am particularly cognizant of the image of myself that I share with her, that I unconsciously project into the world. I may be found, at times, in front of a full length mirror scrutinizing the lumps and bumps of my body, rough patches of skin, the crookedness of my front teeth.
Do you take parenting advice from non-parents seriously?
I don’t have any kids of my own, but I have been a full time nanny for children ranging from newborn to 15 years old throughout the years. My friends have just started having children of their own, and the pleas for advice on Facebook seem endless. I feel that I have a lot of experience dealing with many common situations that arise during parenting but I am not actually a parent — so does that make me unqualified to give any advice?
Babysitting and boundaries: my 5 rules for watching friends’ kids
Children are gifts, right? Sometimes they’re diamonds… or a gift bag of your favorite perfume… or a cheese tree. Other times they’re your great Aunt’s fruitcake. One way or the other, when you’re trying to plan an evening away, the rules of gift-giving apply.
We have to put our kid in childcare to run our farm — how do I cope?
My husband and I run our family farm full-time… and also parent our fourteen-month-old. It’s no longer feasible for her to be at home with us if we’re to get any work done, but I’m totally bummed. How can I deal with having to put her in childcare?
How did you find a baby-sitter you can trust?
I have been working more lately and as a result we have had to call on friends and family to help with the kids. Luckily we have a very tight support group around us and usually getting help isn’t too hard. It’s usually more reasonable to send the children to their grandparents’ and let them pass the kids between the two houses.
The pain that comes with unexpectedly losing your relationship with a child
Any kind of grief is incredibly difficult to write about — putting words to paper makes everything that much more real. My wife and I recently “lost” two little girls — they’re still very much alive, but we’re no longer part of their lives. Victoria, my wife, was their nanny.
How can we establish good baby-sitter etiquette with our neighbors?
We live in a townhouse and my significant other’s friends live next door. They have a four-year-old son who occasionally needs babysitting. I don’t have a problem babysitting him, but they’ll send us a text only a few hours before or the night that they need us. How can I initiate a (polite) conversation about being respectful of us?
You’re not REALLY a parent: a nanny’s perspective
It’s true. I am not really a parent. I hear it all the time as I walk by and push my stroller with the two 19-month-olds in tow. We go to play dates and lunches, do crafts and sing songs. Most of all? We enjoy our days together as I work hard to create good little humans that will hopefully become good big humans.