I was employed by the current family due to, among the obvious things – experience, references etc .. my upbringing, where I am from, and the fact that they want their children to grow up the same way I grew up and to become what I became, in a way. The differences between parental income, and the opportunities on offer for these children is so so different to what I experienced. This is where we hit problems.
I grew up with supervision, but not constant supervision. I grew up with a certain type of freedom that the children of today are not really able to experience due to the changing world, and parents being more paranoid. I grew up without expensive holidays, without a playroom bursting with toys … I recall one basket of toys shared between siblings.
Most importantly of all I grew up happy. Are these children happy? Are they truly happy? No. They’re not. I grew up being allowed to be bored – having to find my own entertainment. It made me who I am today. Are these children allowed to be bored? No. Am I allowed to let them find their own entertainment? No.
I want children to be happy. Truly happy. I want them to experience life as I knew it. But how can I do this? With parents constantly on my back. They want this, they want that. They don’t want this, they don’t want that. I was told on taking the job – it’s where you come from. It’s your upbringing. It’s the way the children are where you are from. Their ‘earthliness’, their confidence. We want our children to be like them.
How can I do this when I have no freedom to? If you want your children to grow as I did then let me instil the values I learnt into them. I can’t when I am blocked at every corner. Let me get on with it. Let me do as I know best. Let me bring your children out of their shells. Let me teach them to find their own entertainment. Let me leave them to get bored. Let me give them the ‘freedom’ all children need. Your kids will be different kids. Happier kids. More confident kids. Fun loving kids. If only you will let me get on with what I was employed to get on with.
In the meantime we carry on going round in circles, and I become more and more frustrated as the days go on.
Inspired by this article ..
A Day in the Life of a Nanny 