Long, hard days...
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Anonymous
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I am young (28), healthy, normal weight and have always been athletic. I've also been a nanny for the last six years. Two months ago I took a new nanny job, four days a week for 12 hours a day - and I am exhausted!!! I don't know if it's the long days or if there is something physically wrong with me but I haven't had the energy on my one weekday off (today) to go to the doctor. My job is non-stop during the workday and I count the hours when I'm working until I can go to bed. Pretty much I do come home at 6:30 and do go right to bed.
Is it normal to be so physically tired after 12 hours or a 48 hour work week? I used to work two nanny jobs right before this one that involved more hours but over seven days and was never this wiped out. |
Anonymous
| Try including a quiet time during the day. During that time DC plays independently with you close by. Use the time to observe DC and journal about any milestones reached or missed, how the day is going, what he build that day, behavior issues, etc.. Best part is, you can do it while sitting for a bit. The family will appreciate a window into DCs time away from them. |
Anonymous
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If start by taking a multi vitamin and iron supplement. Then I'd get to the doctor for blood work. While doing that I would examine my diet and add way more vegetables to it. I feel so much better since adding more vegetables. I eat at least five kinds for lunch and snack. Every night I slice half a cucumber, a small baby zucchini, and add some cherry tomatoes to our and have that as go to finger food during the day. In weekends I roast carrots an boil and cook pinto beans in my crackpot for lunches all week and then have an easy ready to go dinner with meat. Those things help me feel better because I'm getting enough variety of vitamins and also make the day go better because most of my prep was done on the weekend so it's mainly a matter of assembling my lunch. I rarely eat anythingfrom a box anymore, though iI do have Friday free day where I'll eat whatever.
How old are the kids and what kinds of activities areyou doing with them? Maybe you can scale it back a little and/or scale back weekend babysitting jobs? I always take Sundays off because iI think everyone needs one full day to count on to rest and prepare for the new week, go to a movie etc. But seriously, eat a ton of vegetables, scale back the activities and see you Dr if those two things don't help (and they should within the first couple of days of nutrition is the problem.) |
Anonymous
| I only work with older kids and summers can be pretty long, 5 days a week from usually 7am to 6ish and I don't get tired as you describe. I don't know what it's like with babies (don't they nap?) but with my kids it's totally non-stop. Cooking, sports, pool, etc. I mean I can get a small break when needed by having them do some reading or 15 minutes of iPad time, but nothing major. If you worked shorter days before and went home and did things for yourself (cook dinner, chores, shopping, etc) and didn't fall asleep by 6:30 then maybe something is up with you now and going to the doctor would be a good idea, unless the kids are just unbearable for 12 hours and there is something about the work just making you unhappy then that might make you "tired" after work I guess. |
Anonymous
| How old are the kids? How many? Do they nap? Have quiet time? Do your responsibilities exceed childcare? I need to know more than just your hours to give helpful advice. |
Anonymous
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I hear ya on the long days.
I have two part time jobs that both come close to full time if not full time Family one I work 8am to 10 pm Mondays and Wednesdays Family two I work 7 am to 8 pm Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. One is an easy commute under 10 mins. Family two its a 30- 45 min commute. There are days I get home and just sleep. I do nothing else. Luckily both families know how hard long days are. They encourage me to nap at nap time. I never do but after I clean (which I'm told I don't have to do) I sit on the couch and veg. |
Anonymous
| Do you generally enjoy your job? If you don't like the job it will be longer. If most days you are dreading getting out of bed because you don't want to either drive to work or be at work I would re evaluate and see if this really is the right fit. If you don't want to get out of bed because it's early and your tired that could be a different story. Maybe iron? |
Anonymous
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OP here - thank everyone. I definitely need to go to the doctor and get blood work done. It's a tough job - a 7 mo old, 3.5 and a 5 year old - all boys and it is nonstop. But I shouldn't be this tired. I love being a nanny but I'm not sure if I love this job - the kids are adorable but such a handful. And the parents do nothing (on the days I am off, they have another weekend and Monday Nanny).
But regardless, I still shouldn't be this tired. Thank you everyone. |
Anonymous
i thing your enzyme is low ,whole or moms organic have lots goodiesssssee |
Anonymous
| You are exhausted! That's a long day taking care of other people's kids, plus travel time. You are going to burn out. Nothing is wrong with YOU; something is wrong with the job. |
Anonymous
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I would need more job details OP to give you better advice here.
For instance, do you work w/more children in this job? Younger ones? Do you have more household responsibilities? Did your former position afford more down time such as longer nap times during the days? All this must be factored in to be able to give you a good answer. |
Anonymous
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OP Here Again - I've usually worked with several kids at a time but these boys are behaviorally more work. And I have the same amount of child-related chores with every job as I make it clear in the interview that I take responsibility for child related chores only. I've never had much downtime in other jobs but due to the ages of the charges in this job I have none. I thought it might be the 12 hour days but I don't think it is.
Hats off to the PP with the 14 hour days - I don't think I could do it. By around my tenth hour I am literally counting the minutes. Iron-poor blood or something. I made an appointment with my PCP for next Monday. Thanks everyone. I have to leave for work now! |