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[quote=Anonymous]OP, you are acting like a giant baby about this. I was with my last family for just shy of three years, from when their child was 2 months old until his third birthday. My MB told me about two months before his third birthday that they were planning to enroll him in preschool in September (at that point, 9 months away). Then, six weeks after telling me that, just a couple weeks shy of his third birthday, she told me that a spot opened up in their chosen preschool, and they were giving me three weeks notice, effective that day (this was in January, more than 7 months earlier than I was told the transition would happen).

My story is very similar to yours, but with some key differences, like the fact that I was with him for a full 12 months longer than you were with your charge, and the fact that you were given five weeks notice, whereas I was given only three. And, perhaps most important of all, instead of overreacting, and resorting to childishly berating the parents, and deluding myself into thinking I know what is best for someone else's family's situation, I accepted it graciously, worked my last three weeks, and moved on like an adult.

My charge wasn't quite ready for full time preschool, and I knew it (he has some behavior issues). I still do date night babysitting for that family, and the first few times I saw them after DS began preschool, my former MB told me all about the issues he was having adjusting to preschool (including many concerns from teachers about his behavior). I still see that family regularly, but I've heard less about preschool in particular, and I suspect this might be in part because former MB realizes that that wasn't the right time to transition him (and also maybe that I was right about her son having behavior issues, which she didn't want to admit to herself).

I suppose in some ways, I'm being a bit judgmental about the choices they made, in saying that DS wasn't ready for preschool, etc, but ultimately I accepted their decision with grace because it is THEIR decision to make, not mine. Like all intelligent adults, I prepare myself for the future, and when it comes to being a nanny, part of that is knowing and reminding yourself of the fact that your position, no matter how great a fit you are for the family, WILL END WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS. Sure, some families keep having kids, and keep nanny around to care for the youngest, but many families these days are "one and done." And most families do enroll their children in preschool between the ages of 2 and 4.

I get that you feel blindsided; I felt that way, too. But you were given FIVE WEEKS notice, which is really A LOT in this industry! My advice:

1. As others have said, take some time to determine whether being a nanny really is the right career for you. Your rash behavior and strong attachment after only two years makes me suspect that going back to being a preschool teacher might be a better fit for you.

2. Consider therapy.[/quote]

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