I'm sorry, OP. I had a moody MB years ago and it colored the entire job for me. I'd be so excited to share something her daughter did or said that day and sour MB would react as if I was a nuisance. I gave notice after only six months ONLY because I couldn't handle her moods anymore.

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about you OP, but that to me is a hostile work environment per say.

It would sour me and put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

I like to surround myself w/upbeat and happy people, positive people who make me feel good and this lady most definitely sounds like the definition of buzzkill.

If you really like the job for the money, benefits, child, etc., then by all means stay.

However if her mood really brings you down, you might want to search for someone who has a better outlook on life in general and who shares your bright and sunny outlook.

I'm a PP who said I have no patience for moody people and think it's awful that OPs MB takes her bad day out on her but isn't that pretty much what you are saying happens to you? Maybe OPs MB has a hostile work environment at her job. FWIW I don't think that makes it ok for her to come home moody. If I have a bad day at work I might complain about it to DH but I still come home with a smile on my face, my bad day doesn't mean I have to make the day unpleasant for everyone else.

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about you OP, but that to me is a hostile work environment per say.

It would sour me and put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

I like to surround myself w/upbeat and happy people, positive people who make me feel good and this lady most definitely sounds like the definition of buzzkill.

If you really like the job for the money, benefits, child, etc., then by all means stay.

However if her mood really brings you down, you might want to search for someone who has a better outlook on life in general and who shares your bright and sunny outlook.

I'm not the OP but, for me, it's not about having a "bright and sunny outlook" - it is about NOT taking your life's problems out on other people! I hate when anyone thinks their mood or their day's events supersede their responsibility to be polite or, at the least, civil - especially to employees. Grow up and HIDE your emotions like the rest of polite society. I love the post about the MB who had a crappy work week and had to put her father in a nursing home but still managed to smile and thank her employee.

There is nothing you can do, OP, but decide how much her unpredictable behavior bothers you and act accordingly.

I don't know about you OP, but that to me is a hostile work environment per say.

It would sour me and put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.

I like to surround myself w/upbeat and happy people, positive people who make me feel good and this lady most definitely sounds like the definition of buzzkill.

If you really like the job for the money, benefits, child, etc., then by all means stay.

However if her mood really brings you down, you might want to search for someone who has a better outlook on life in general and who shares your bright and sunny outlook.

Maybe she's expecting?

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I know my MB's moody behavior has nothing to do with me - it just affects me when she comes home in a lousy mood. Today, for example, she was all sweetness and light - yesterday she was surly and short with me. Tomorrow? No one knows. Every day is a guessing game...

As someone who stayed at a terrible job for years, just do your best to support her and help her out. Its very hard not to let something like that impact you. Yes, it sucks she is taking it out on you, but its nothing personal.

OP here - I know my MB's moody behavior has nothing to do with me - it just affects me when she comes home in a lousy mood. Today, for example, she was all sweetness and light - yesterday she was surly and short with me. Tomorrow? No one knows. Every day is a guessing game...

Maybe she is very unhappy at work and it has nothing to do with you.

My sister-in-law is unbelievably moody and takes her bad moods out on everyone she thinks is beneath her. As a nanny, I thank God she was a SAHM! The woman never had a gardener or housekeeper for more than a two-month period of time.

I'm sorry, OP. My MB had a horrible problem at work the same week she had to put her father with Alzheimer's in a nursing home against his will -- and she still gave me sad smiles and thanked me. Your MB has no right taking out her moods on you. No boss in any job has that right.

It's not personal. Maybe she has a nasty boss or a mean co-worker who just makes her miserable. You don't know what she's going through during the day. No, that doesn't make it okay to be rude to others, but remembering that it's not about you does make it easier not to let it affect your own mood.

I have little to no patience with moody people either. I totally get how a miserable look and clipped conversation can have a negative affect on your day but, as PP suggested, it is not personal. Just keep reminding yourself of that - "this has nothing to do with me". I had this happen to me so often when I was working in retail - someone walks in to the store with a miserable look on their face and then barks at the sales clerk. I don't know if these moody people do this to their "higher ups" or not but I doubt it.

OP I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm an MB but I have no patience for moody people. I'm just not like that myself so I don't understand it and really can't stand it. I don't have any advice really other than to say just remember it's not about you but that is easier said than done. Feel free to vent, sometimes it helps.

After working for my MB for the last six months, I can say without doubt that her moods are not affected by what I do, say or have done during the day (they have nanny-internet cams). She is just moody. On days when she comes home from work in a bad mood, it bothers me. We have maybe five minutes to do the "hand off" and when she is in a bad mood and short with me, I leave feeling angry. I am not a new nanny or a sensitive young woman - I am 45 and have been a nanny for over two decades. I have always come to work with a smile and acting happy/pleasant even when I didn't feel like it. While she usually does smile at the child, she'll turn to me and says, "you can go" or "I'll take over" with a miserable look on her face.

I know there really is no solution to this - thank you for letting me vent.