The Nanny Life

0 Comments

What Happens When You Spend Most of Your Time With Kids

Uh oh, I'm turning into one of those people. It seems that since I graduated from college everyone is posting pictures of their babies, or their wedding, or both. A year ago I was just working as a teacher day dreaming about traveling. And now I'm one of those people. I post stories on Facebook about the children I watch. All of my conversations involve something about a child. I never thought that would be me, but now here I am, and they're not even my own kids!

I watch the same three kids five days a week, every week. So naturally I get to know them and care about them. They drive me crazy and they make me laugh. I help them with their homework, make them dinner, play games with them, and try to mold them into being good people, all while trying to teach them English. So when they do something funny or good, I feel proud of them, and then I become one of those Facebook moms and share it to everyone. What happened to me? And while they drive me absolutely crazy sometimes, it's the nice things that they do that gets to me and makes me feel like a proud mama bear. It's when the seven year old runs to the door to give me a hug goodbye. Its when the three year old smiles at me when he says a word in English. It's when the ten year old tries to offer me his clothes because I am soaking wet from walking them back in the rain.

I hate that they fight and call each other names. I hate when they complain because I said no to something. I hate that the three year old insists on trying to rub his stuffed elephant on my face every day, which by the way is dropped in the street, goes to the toilet with him, and somehow survives preschool every day. I hate when they cry because they don't get their way. But when they giggle or smile, or do something that I ask of them, they just melt all that hatred away. I'm not a hugger or a kisser, I only give praise when it is due, and I don't sing, except for Wizard of Oz songs. They love those songs, and Michael Jackson, but I can only sing ABC. And I'm now that crazy person in the street trying to distract a screaming child by singing "we're off to see the wizard" while skipping. I wonder what people are thinking when they see it happen. And I think these kids are breaking my pretend stone cold heart by making me do the things that I swore I would never do in a job. Wiping butts, cleaning runny noses, singing, and talking with a baby voice. And now it ends up on Facebook and in conversation. Drat! Yep, I am definitely turning into one of those people.