Nursery Rhymes

Am I the only one who, when singing nursery rhymes to calm a baby to sleep, sings them over and over and often forgets the lyrics? Or just sings them over and over because you have forgotten the lyrics?

I end up having to make the lyrics up.

Bye Baby Bunting .. I never remember what daddy’s gone a hunting for. It comes out as all sorts of things.

Rock-a-by Baby .. I try to avoid saying the baby will fall. Paranoia reigns .. what if the parents only hear that last bit? They’ll burst on in and grab the baby away from the threatening nanny.

‘Mary, Mary quite contrary’ could often be about a few little madams girls I have looked after …  but when singing .. not about any particular little madam girl, I often end up going straight into ‘Row, row, row your boat’.  I think a CD is to blame for that. I can’t help myself. It used to run into each song from the previous. Now I find myself doing the same.

‘Pretty maids all in a row, row row your boat.’ 

When we go past Banbury Cross I break into song .. every time. Out comes the rhyme. Embarrassingly enough, even when there are no children in the car.

Ring-a-ring-a rosies .. the deathly plague.

Who says nursery rhymes are harmless. Not embarrassing at all?

How sweet and innocent is childhood.

You just gotta love what kids come out with

 

The youngest one in the car the other day:

‘It’s not fair, he was allowed to stay in his pyjamas.’

(It’s not fair’ being a commonly used phrase around here … yes, I’m working on it).

 

Me:

‘He got dressed, never you worry.’

 

Youngest one:

‘But he doesn’t wear dresses. He’s a boy.’

 

Lol. You’ve gotta love the way their mind works.

It wasn’t me

I got the blame. It wasn’t me. I said so. The housekeeper backed me up. Some very expensive items of clothing have been shrunk. I’d never seen one of them. One I had seen and had washed but this was purely to try and soften the pretty much stuffed wool of the jumper. Trying to rescue it didn’t work, but the ruining of it wasn’t down to me. Another I had hand washed. It should have been dry cleaned but I’ve always gotten away with hand washing nearly all ‘dry clean’ only clothes. It looked tiny when I washed it and came out looking exactly the same. Fabric not ruined at all. Size unchanged from what it was when I first laid eyes on it, but definitely way smaller than it should have been. Somebody had obviously shrunk it. That somebody wasn’t me.

The housekeeper stuck up for me. She’d watched a previous nanny haul some of them out of the washing machine. Tut tut. And could safely say she’d seen her hand wash, and probably shrink, another one.

It’s not nice being hauled up for something you didn’t do. I was gutted when told I had shrunk and ruined them. Absolutely gutted. Once I checked which ones were being spoken about I felt better. I knew it wasn’t me. But I still feel crap that this was even mentioned. It wasn’t me. Someone else should have owned up to it to save me getting the full on blame, and the ‘I’m really disappointed’ line. I also think they should have thought about who else may have washed the items, not just me.

Ah well, onwards and upwards.

First days

First job. Find the house. Second. Meet the boss. Third. Meet the children. Fourth. To bed. It’s an early start in the morning.

The day got off good. It was the last day of school for the eldest so out the door in a panic we had to go. The middle one was off to nursery school too. In the opposite direction! We were late. We’ll work on the being on time thing. Co-operation from the children would be a good start. The nursery school didn’t seem that bothered that we were late. I wonder if it’s a regular thing? Older kids despatched. Home again to keep going.

It’s a busy job. There isn’t much down time. Actually to be truthful, there is none at all. Washing needs doing. Ironing needs doing. Clothes need mending. Beds need making. Bedrooms need tidying. Meals need cooking. Kitchen needs tidying. Playroom needs a good sorting out and cleaning. Dogs need walking. Kids need entertaining. And so on.

It’s been tough on the poor feet. I go to bed with feet aching. Socks on all day isn’t great. Outdoor shoes are outdoor shoes. I’ve ordered some for indoors. Slippers just don’t do it. They aren’t professional. Although some employers don’t seem to mind. Others do.

The kids have had a bit of a run on temp nannies so they are having a few ‘moments’. Unsettled. Badly behaved. Rude. Insolent. Call it as you may but I won’t put up with rudeness. It’s getting nipped in the bud. The non screeching, non shouting way. We just go backwards and forwards to the ‘thinking spot’. It takes a while. We usually get to being nice again. Eventually.

I’m calm. They are usually anything but. I’m quiet, and talking normally. They’re anything but. Screeching, shouting, crying … Things take 10 time longer to do. It’s wearing. I know there is light at the end of the tunnel. Mum knows too. It’s just hard to have to listen to it. To have to deal with it. But we will get there. Nothing like being positive. I’m taking it a little easy and not being as ‘strict’ as I maybe can be. You can’t go in like a raging bull. The kids would be traumatised. I’m going for the outright should know better rudeness. Anything else gets let go. For now. If not we might as well just all sleep, eat and be merry together on the ‘thinking spot’.

Nah, it’s not that bad but it certainly feels tough at times. Positivity reigns. We will get there. They will be sweet. Happy. Lovely. Cheerful. Non-argumentative. Non whiny… etc etc. One day. One hopes.

I have a job

Woohoo. The family decided they would check their own references, as they should anyway, as they said waiting for the agency to, might mean losing me. Yes, it would’ve. One of my lovely employers from last year, whom I worked my butt off (and more) for, gave a glowing reference. The job was mine. Finally.

Bit late for the contract to be sorted but honestly, if I really didn’t like the job once I started all it would take would be 1 week’s notice. Temp it is, as well. I can handle temporary positions, even if I hate getting out of bed for them (if they are really that bad), as I know there is an end date.

Hours agreed. Going on holiday agreed. Duties, the usual, discussed. Pay agreed. Contract to be sorted out soon. Finish date unsure of. Hmm. Start date sorted.

I’m looking forward to it. Although I am a bit nervous as I have never met them so don’t know 100% what they are like. Or the kids. Or the house. Or the pets. Or the other staff.

It’s a tricky one taking on a job when you don’t completely know or understand the set up. I think it takes some guts to go into. Usually you have to land running. To keep the kids routine going, food on the table, clothes washed, kids entertained, parents happy. It takes some doing. Temp jobs never seem to give you a settling in time. This can be hard. With experience it is easier. Being flexible and not stuck in your ways makes it even easier. Being able to absorb and watch yet at the same time doing takes a bit of doing. I’m a ‘mucker inner’. If the dogs need letting out. Out they go. If the clothes in the washing machine need hanging, even if they are nothing to do with my duties, yet I need the washing machine, then hung they will be. And so on.

I’m looking forward to it. There seems to be enough kids, dogs, and built in entertainment to keep me busy, happy, and entertained. Here’s hoping.

Playing God

I’ve often believed that agencies can play God with us nannies. ‘Oh, I didn’t think the job was for you.’ ‘You won’t ‘fit’ their family.’ ‘You aren’t what they are looking for.’ ‘The job has gone.’ (When it’s still on their website … and … 2 weeks later, still on their website.) ‘We have no jobs that fit your requirements’, and so on. Often, because I am not stupid, I find these excuses not to be the case.

So, why do they say these things? Do they think they know me better than I know myself? I know which jobs I can do and which I won’t do. So why can’t they put me forward for them? Maybe it’s an age thing? The family want an older, younger, less experienced, naive, fitter, skinnier, prettier, foreign, speaker of other language nanny, or … the agency just fancies playing God.

Only last week I was told, by one agency I got in touch with again, ‘we have nothing that fits your requirements.’ Funny thing was on their website they had the job that I had skyped interviewed for. The job I was offered through another agency (and then un-offered as they didn’t have a clue hadn’t checked all my references when they had said they had.)

But why would I be told they had no suitable jobs then? I have no idea. It wasn’t like I changed my wants or needs for a job from one agency to the next. I never did say anything to them. Just shrugged my shoulders and thought ‘oh well, your loss.’ I know who I won’t go to next time round.

The job I skyped interviewed for was listed with about 5 agencies. The job description was pretty similar, give or take a few extra nights of babysitting, or having the monitor overnight. One agency had them down as high profile. Who? … Exactly. Another had them offering up to a certain amount for exceptional candidates. When I questioned the agency who had put me forward for the job about this, I got a ‘never will they pay that amount’ and to be honest I never would expect a family to pay that amount.

It makes me wonder what’s the truth and what’s not. It should be black and white. I have often resorted to looking on Gumtree as often jobs listed with agencies are put on there by the families too. And in this day and age the difference between getting the job and not may be due to the fact there are no agency fees to pay.

Problem is we need a job. Agents already have one. How much are we willing to put up with before we turn our backs on them?

Nit free .. hopefully

Eugh. Have you ever brushed your hair with a fine tooth comb and seen lice come out? It is very gross. Even grosser when one starts crawling over the tissue. No, I wasn’t nit/louse/egg free. Shame. I thought it was too good to be true. It wasn’t too itchy – more so at nights – and on 2 different occasions while itching I managed to get a louse on the end of my finger. I know. Gross. But at least I knew for sure I had some getting rid of eeky things to do.

I pity the people who have to constantly deal with this. It’s kind of pre-historic in a way. All these creepy crawly things living off us. Ugh.

The good news is that I have managed not to pass it on to anyone (that I know!) I wear my hair up at work which helps. It looks neater and is out of the way!

I’m now fascinated by the life cycle of a louse. I wanted to know how long I would/could be host to each, and all that. 33-35 days apparently. Eugh. Too long.

I found this short but concise website. It’s very informative. Have a gander.

http://www.headlice.co.uk/about/life-cycle.aspx

Oh the Things We Catch from Kids

Head lice. That’s the latest. I have never in my life had head lice. Nor have I ever looked after a child with it. So how on Earth did I end up with it. Euugggh. I’m still shivering with horror. I got my hair trimmed today. 1 louse and 2 eggs later. Euugggh. Shiver. Shiver.

So what to do. I don’t like these harsh chemical things. And the hairdresser swears I am now free. I want to be convinced. But at the same time I don’t want to be host to lice. Euugggh. Tea tree oil mixed with shampoo I will try. Along with a very fine toothed comb. Fingers crossed.

The source was traced. Some children I enjoy spending time with to give their mother a break. A family of 4 children. The sweetest, kindest, loveliest, always wanting cuddles and to be close to you children. They don’t have much. In fact they have very very little. Yet, they are happy children. Constantly smiling children. Well cared for children. Today’s present for them from me were a pair of new socks each. Their present for me was head lice. I guess sharing is caring. In a way. One way.

My Favourite Time of the Day

You’d think it was when the employer walked out the door, no? No. Well yes, sort of. That one depends on the job. Yes, to be honest it has been my favourite time of the day in many a job…  that and walking out the door at the end of the day!

My favourite time of the day (in a lovely job) is that time of the morning (and oh so occasionally afternoon) when you finally get on top of everything that needs doing before the fun bit of the day can start.

The children up and dressed, breakfasted and cleared away (the dishes, not the children, although that could be tempting), the beds made, the children’s rooms tidied, the washing on, the school run done, the errands done, the shopping done (or put away if you’ll lucky enough to have the lovely Ocado man deliver), the baby entertained, fed, watered, and put back to bed, the dog/cat/hamster/horse fed, watered, and kicked outside (maybe not the hamster but it’s mighty tempting too, and I have been known to lead a horse to it’s paddock), and lunch ready.

Then, and only then, do I think whoppee. I’ve made it. To that time of the day when the rest of the day should now run smoothly. Vomit, pee, poo, cat sick, dog sick, escaped hamster, and oops sorry I forgot to tell you text from the boss aside. When you can have 2 minutes peace. Before the door bell goes, the baby wakes, lunch burns, the cat’s sick (again), the hamster escapes (again! Little sod!), and the boss texts again (hmm)… That time is all mine. To put my feet up for 2 minutes. Have a quick snack. A hot chocolate. A guilt free 2 minutes. Any longer and the guilt descends. And off I go again. On with the day.

Job Hunting

Love it or hate, one has to do it. I temp a lot. I like temping. I don’t know why. I just do. Maybe it has to do with the not liking to be bored thing I have. The not getting stuck in a rut, the liking change part of me.

I’m job hunting. I’m not fussy. I never really have been as a Nanny. I just want a job that pays well. A job where I will be respected. A job where I will be legally employed. A job that I will enjoy. A job. Maybe not just any job. But a job would be good. Money would be good.

So… I emailed a few agencies I am registered with. I even attached my updated CV. Wasn’t I good? Did I hear back from them to say thanks, got it, will keep an eye out? Nope. Don’t know why. Maybe they are just busy. I just thought it would’ve been polite of them to respond, that’s all.

I did hear back, from one division of one agency. 3 days later. With a job description. Did I like? Yes, I did. Did I hear any more? Not until a few days later…  Can you do a Skype interview tonight? Yes, I can. Questions back to the agency. Did they reply with the answers? They replied, yes. With the answers to the questions, no. Argh. So who is calling who? Actually, I can’t call them as I have no idea of who they are on Skype. I guess I will just have to wait and see.

Roll on the time for the interview. 1 minute late. Hallelujah. Good start. I have heard of some nannies waiting for up to 3 hours for an interview to happen, if it happens at all. I would’ve long given up. It was my very first job interview on Skype. I was a wee bit worried. I hate to think what I look like on screen yabbering away. And I was a bit worried because our internet can choose to be very slow. Talking via video link pretty much kills conversation. I was so relieved when they said within a minute, right, got to turn the video off, internet can’t cope. Phew. I just had to talk then, not have to try to look my best at the same time. Much easier. Actually I didn’t do too much talking in the end. They did. I had to make a conscious effort to make sure I made the right utterances at the right time just so they remembered I was there. Interview over. Job offered. Always a good start.

Emailed agency. With further questions. They emailed back. With job confirmation. Further questions not answered.

I try again a day later. Questions still not answered. No sign of the contract. Instead I got the ‘can we have details of these referees’.  They had a list of names off my CV. Please give us details so we may collect references. Details given. Though bit late to be asking, no? I’m stamping my foot. I’m getting very frustrated. I’m getting a wee bit cross. Just a wee bit. A wee bit more cross the more I think about it actually. Moving on to ‘right, I’m well annoyed now’. I gave those exact same details when I registered. I was told they had been checked. It actually took you near on 4 months to check my references then, and now you are telling me you need to check them again? Hello??? Anyone home??? And even then you had the gall to come back to me 4 months later and say, OK, we can help you find a job now. Um, hello, 4 months too late. Bills needed paying, I needed work. I wasn’t hanging around waiting for you. Even when I turned up to register the person I was seeing had forgotten I was turning up. Oh deary me.

A decent agency. Well I thought so. I’ve known nannies who have had jobs through them and they haven’t said much so I figure no news is good news. They haven’t been around for ever but have grown pretty big and do have good jobs. This is why I went back to them.

So apparently these references from 4 or 5 years ago now need checking. Ones I was told had already been checked. 90% of my references I was told had been checked after I registered. Apparently that is their rule. A lot when you have done nothing but temp work for years. Jobs I was in for 1-2 weeks. Have these people moved house. Yes, 2 have. As far as I know. Do I have their new details? No. An email for one of them, nothing more. I don’t stay in touch with everyone I work for. People change emails. People change phone numbers. This is the best I can do. So now what?

Do I still have the job? I don’t know. Have they checked my latest referees from the jobs I had after registering with them. The details were given last week. No. Messages left this morning. Apparently. What was wrong with last week before I received the job details. Before I was interviewed. Before I was offered the job. Before you confirmed the job. Surely that’s not the right way round?

Yes. I got stroppy. I received an apologetic email pretty much straight away. Their fault. They are sorry. They didn’t realise my references hadn’t been checked.  Even when I had been told they had. Even when it had supposedly taken them 4 months to check. No, they should never have put me forward for the interview. No, they should never have implied to the client that my references had been checked. Yes, the client asked this question. After I had been offered the job. Yes, they were honest with the client. They kept the client in the picture. They didn’t do the same to me. The clients pay their bills. Agencies often forget it’s the nannies who the bills are paid for.

I keep asking myself. So, do I have the job? It starts next week. Apparently.

Apparently naming and shaming nanny agencies isn’t the done thing. Shame. Putting a nanny out of a promised job due to their incompetence? Do they care?