Crazy how much I love my charges!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, that is so nice. I would live for my kid to have a nanny that feels like family. Last year we went to visit my husband's former nanny overseas and met her daughter. She taught him so much!

I love your post! I was afraid to post because of the "boundaries nanny" but I named my daughter after my beloved nanny back in Scotland!! DH and I believe in naming our children after people who are not blood but whom we deeply love and respect.

I truly love OP's attitude and hope my children's nanny feels the same way. She has been with us for over nine years.

[Anonymous]

I am one of the posters stating that I try to always bear in mind the fleeting nature of my place in each charge's life and I want to add that I am not some arms-length nanny. All of my long-term charges are still in my life and I regularly make time for them and visit with them, even those who are now teens and who live far away. But with my current charges, I try to always focus time and energy on helping the kids and parents to connect and helping the parents to feel comfortable and confident in their roll. It is easy as the person who is physically present to just enjoy the time with them and I do, but I also look for ways to involve the parents and to show the kids how much they are loved by their parents, even when absent. It would also be easy for me to step in and manage certain things because I am more experienced, but it is important for each parent to have a chance to figure out their own path and reminding myself regularly that I am temporary is an important part of gaining perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am one of the posters stating that I try to always bear in mind the fleeting nature of my place in each charge's life and I want to add that I am not some arms-length nanny. All of my long-term charges are still in my life and I regularly make time for them and visit with them, even those who are now teens and who live far away. But with my current charges, I try to always focus time and energy on helping the kids and parents to connect and helping the parents to feel comfortable and confident in their roll. It is easy as the person who is physically present to just enjoy the time with them and I do, but I also look for ways to involve the parents and to show the kids how much they are loved by their parents, even when absent. It would also be easy for me to step in and manage certain things because I am more experienced, but it is important for each parent to have a chance to figure out their own path and reminding myself regularly that I am temporary is an important part of gaining perspective.

But none of the above would stop you from loving your charges like crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am one of the posters stating that I try to always bear in mind the fleeting nature of my place in each charge's life and I want to add that I am not some arms-length nanny. All of my long-term charges are still in my life and I regularly make time for them and visit with them, even those who are now teens and who live far away. But with my current charges, I try to always focus time and energy on helping the kids and parents to connect and helping the parents to feel comfortable and confident in their roll. It is easy as the person who is physically present to just enjoy the time with them and I do, but I also look for ways to involve the parents and to show the kids how much they are loved by their parents, even when absent. It would also be easy for me to step in and manage certain things because I am more experienced, but it is important for each parent to have a chance to figure out their own path and reminding myself regularly that I am temporary is an important part of gaining perspective.

But none of the above would stop you from loving your charges like crazy.

Zero people on this thread advised nannies to avoid loving their charges. Several posters advised her to bear in mind the temporary nature of the nanny-charge relationship and they were told that that is dwelling on the negative for no reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am one of the posters stating that I try to always bear in mind the fleeting nature of my place in each charge's life and I want to add that I am not some arms-length nanny. All of my long-term charges are still in my life and I regularly make time for them and visit with them, even those who are now teens and who live far away. But with my current charges, I try to always focus time and energy on helping the kids and parents to connect and helping the parents to feel comfortable and confident in their roll. It is easy as the person who is physically present to just enjoy the time with them and I do, but I also look for ways to involve the parents and to show the kids how much they are loved by their parents, even when absent. It would also be easy for me to step in and manage certain things because I am more experienced, but it is important for each parent to have a chance to figure out their own path and reminding myself regularly that I am temporary is an important part of gaining perspective.

I wish I had this advice a long time ago! I've been burned by a family and it still hurts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here again - I should also add that I have been their nanny since birth which probably makes a huge difference as well. I started when my first charge was just a month old and was with the second charge since her birth.

Totally agree! I took care of a 3 month old baby until she was a year and a half. I left the position because I moved from DC to VA and the commute was too long and expensive (had to pay Uber, Metro and bus both ways). I loved her and her family, we were a great fit. I still speak with the family and also visited them a couple of times before they moved to another state. The mom and I became friends and she was also a great mentor for me. I loved going to work then. After working for that family I found other positions with older kids (3-7 years old) but it's not the same as taking care of new borns.