Aaagghh! Cannot get my head above water. (Vent about the mundane.)

[Anonymous]

I came home from work in a reasonably good mood today, because for once it seemed I was able to leave at the end of the day without having to hastily fire off that last email before rushing out, or sneak out of a meeting and pray traffic wouldn't make me late, or have to drop everything to run home for some kid-related crisis (school issue, illness, last minute schedule change, whatever). I was feeling like I might FINALLY have a grip on things as we roll into the holidays. Ha ha ha ha ha. What was I thinking?

Nanny reports that oldest child hasn't done homework and she just didn't want to "push it", so now that's on me. Okay...still feeling manageable, I'll deal with it. Middle child walks in, immediately apparent that he's got a serious cold, and he proceeds to sweetly sneeze all over the dinner I'm pulling out. Okay...not great, but still feeling a little by resilient, I'm not beat yet! Nanny then pulls out her planner and announces she is just "confirming" her vacation time with me, and "confirms" several additional days she will be on vacation (tickets already purchased, big family trip). She's gone the entire week after New Years now. So - now I can no longer be out of the office the week after Christmas because I instead have to cover her very much unexpected time away. "Um, I thought I gave you the updated dates after I had tickets in hand." UM, NO, IN FACT, YOU DIDN'T. Aaaaaaggghhhh. That's it. I give up! I am in a perpetual state of near drowning and I'm just so tired of it.

After she left for the day, I reached for a tissue to wipe my teary eyes and...the box was empty. Ouch.

[Anonymous]

I feel ya, OP. This is a very stressful time of the year especially.

[Anonymous]

You have a job where you can change your week off. You're lucky.

[Anonymous]

Your nanny is lazy and passive-aggressive. I'd fire someone like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I came home from work in a reasonably good mood today, because for once it seemed I was able to leave at the end of the day without having to hastily fire off that last email before rushing out, or sneak out of a meeting and pray traffic wouldn't make me late, or have to drop everything to run home for some kid-related crisis (school issue, illness, last minute schedule change, whatever). I was feeling like I might FINALLY have a grip on things as we roll into the holidays. Ha ha ha ha ha. What was I thinking?

Nanny reports that oldest child hasn't done homework and she just didn't want to "push it", so now that's on me. Okay...still feeling manageable, I'll deal with it. Middle child walks in, immediately apparent that he's got a serious cold, and he proceeds to sweetly sneeze all over the dinner I'm pulling out. Okay...not great, but still feeling a little by resilient, I'm not beat yet! Nanny then pulls out her planner and announces she is just "confirming" her vacation time with me, and "confirms" several additional days she will be on vacation (tickets already purchased, big family trip). She's gone the entire week after New Years now. So - now I can no longer be out of the office the week after Christmas because I instead have to cover her very much unexpected time away. "Um, I thought I gave you the updated dates after I had tickets in hand." UM, NO, IN FACT, YOU DIDN'T. Aaaaaaggghhhh. That's it. I give up! I am in a perpetual state of near drowning and I'm just so tired of it.

After she left for the day, I reached for a tissue to wipe my teary eyes and...the box was empty. Ouch.

OMG. I would want to tell her no need to rush back because you're either going to get a new nanny or get fired yourself and then won't need a nanny.

[Anonymous]

I'm a nanny and I would NEVER do that. Never. I don't book my tickets until I've confirmed the dates twice; once when I'm first looking at tix and once before I buy. That's not cool and she doesn't sound like a great nanny. I'd start sending feelers out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came home from work in a reasonably good mood today, because for once it seemed I was able to leave at the end of the day without having to hastily fire off that last email before rushing out, or sneak out of a meeting and pray traffic wouldn't make me late, or have to drop everything to run home for some kid-related crisis (school issue, illness, last minute schedule change, whatever). I was feeling like I might FINALLY have a grip on things as we roll into the holidays. Ha ha ha ha ha. What was I thinking?

Nanny reports that oldest child hasn't done homework and she just didn't want to "push it", so now that's on me. Okay...still feeling manageable, I'll deal with it. Middle child walks in, immediately apparent that he's got a serious cold, and he proceeds to sweetly sneeze all over the dinner I'm pulling out. Okay...not great, but still feeling a little by resilient, I'm not beat yet! Nanny then pulls out her planner and announces she is just "confirming" her vacation time with me, and "confirms" several additional days she will be on vacation (tickets already purchased, big family trip). She's gone the entire week after New Years now. So - now I can no longer be out of the office the week after Christmas because I instead have to cover her very much unexpected time away. "Um, I thought I gave you the updated dates after I had tickets in hand." UM, NO, IN FACT, YOU DIDN'T. Aaaaaaggghhhh. That's it. I give up! I am in a perpetual state of near drowning and I'm just so tired of it.

After she left for the day, I reached for a tissue to wipe my teary eyes and...the box was empty. Ouch.

OP here. Yes, pretty much this. It's not going to go well for me to try, at this point, to switch weeks off. First week of January will be a busy one at my office and managing the three days off was going to be complicated enough. A full week...aaagghh. I'd love to tell her to just go ahead and make that vacation as long as she'd like, but the prospect of finding another nanny is just too much work right about now. Ugh.

OMG. I would want to tell her no need to rush back because you're either going to get a new nanny or get fired yourself and then won't need a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Plus one on uncool nanny behavior. At the very least, tell her she needs to inform you of all future vacations by email a month in advance so you two can agree in writing.

[Anonymous]

Agreed it's about time to find a new nanny. Our old nanny used to pull this kind of stuff. Then suddenly a week in her home country turned into THREE WEEKS away and I was scrambling for backup care. Not cool at all for her to do. I'm sorry for your bad day, OP. I know there are others out there who have it worse, but it's okay to vent.

[Anonymous]

That extra week she's taking? Use your down time to search for and interview some new nannies.

Seriously, that shit is not okay. My nanny has never taken a vacation I didn't know about long in advance, and she doesn't "not push" my kids to do the things I'm paying her to help them with! Your nanny has got to go, a good childcare provider will make you feel more relaxed and resilient!

[Anonymous]

OP here. I've just wrapped up my night by searching for glitter glue and puff balls as a last minute school Christmas party contribution. I'm calling it quits for the night and admitting my day has me beat. Here's hoping my alarm goes off when expected tomorrow so I'm notate for my first meeting of the day at 8:30 - my annual review. Ha.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I've just wrapped up my night by searching for glitter glue and puff balls as a last minute school Christmas party contribution. I'm calling it quits for the night and admitting my day has me beat. Here's hoping my alarm goes off when expected tomorrow so I'm notate for my first meeting of the day at 8:30 - my annual review. Ha.

I can't even get a DCUM post right. "Notate" should be "not late". Ha ha ha this is just ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

:hugs:

[Anonymous]

I feel for you, OP! hang in there! You get a couple days off by default soon (the holidays).

[Anonymous]

What is it with nannies?? It's always been a fantasy land dream of mine to have one (I'm a broke sahm) but this thread on top of constant stories from friends makes it sound like nannies suck. Wth??