Playing pretend games with kids for any amount of time is emotionally exhausting especially when you have a 7 year old who just wants to play constant battle and destroying games

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set a timer. Give yourself x amount of minutes to decompress/meditate/read/enjoy your lunch, and then give him attention. During that time, let him relax/play quietly/watch tv/etc.

It sounds like more of an end of the week exhaustion that won’t be cured by a little quiet time.

It was a helpful suggestion. Do you have a more productive suggestion?

OP wasn’t asking for “solutions” or suggestions, PP. She is asking if any other nannies feel this way. Suggesting such a silly “fix” doesn’t come close to addressing how to overcome true exhaustion.

Okay, well OP either needs to improve self-care outside of working hours by going to bed earlier, talk to her bosses about cutting back on hours, duties or both, or accept being a sub-par caregiver. Can I relate? Yes. But I don’t think it’s helpful or productive to say, “Other nannies feel that way too! You’re still a good nanny!”

When faced with a problem like this, bad nannies don’t even notice, sub-par nannies notice and feel guilty, great nannies notice and take action!

I fully agree with this person’s perspective! I think it’s a good idea. Prepare yourself by taking 10-15 minutes of downtime and then be present with your charge. OR... think about a way that will best help you to prepare for this play. And yes, we have all thought that from time to time, but as PP said, we take actions to correct ourselves so that it is not a regular occurrence. When it happens to me (thinking that I need to do better tomorrow), that is generally enough for me to come in refreshed and prepared.

Anonymous wrote:If you can’t handle reasonable care for BOTH children for the full week, let the parents know that something needs to change. Playing pretend games with a 5yo for 1-2 hours once per week isn’t stressful, intense or manually difficult. If a 50 hour week with just one child is too draining, the parents need to know.

Yes, it is exhausting when you are on hours 47 and 48. Mother here, and you just don’t get it.

If you can’t handle reasonable care for BOTH children for the full week, let the parents know that something needs to change. Playing pretend games with a 5yo for 1-2 hours once per week isn’t stressful, intense or manually difficult. If a 50 hour week with just one child is too draining, the parents need to know.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set a timer. Give yourself x amount of minutes to decompress/meditate/read/enjoy your lunch, and then give him attention. During that time, let him relax/play quietly/watch tv/etc.

It sounds like more of an end of the week exhaustion that won’t be cured by a little quiet time.

It was a helpful suggestion. Do you have a more productive suggestion?

OP wasn’t asking for “solutions” or suggestions, PP. She is asking if any other nannies feel this way. Suggesting such a silly “fix” doesn’t come close to addressing how to overcome true exhaustion.

Okay, well OP either needs to improve self-care outside of working hours by going to bed earlier, talk to her bosses about cutting back on hours, duties or both, or accept being a sub-par caregiver. Can I relate? Yes. But I don’t think it’s helpful or productive to say, “Other nannies feel that way too! You’re still a good nanny!”

When faced with a problem like this, bad nannies don’t even notice, sub-par nannies notice and feel guilty, great nannies notice and take action!

+1!
Thank you, PP. I agree.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set a timer. Give yourself x amount of minutes to decompress/meditate/read/enjoy your lunch, and then give him attention. During that time, let him relax/play quietly/watch tv/etc.

It sounds like more of an end of the week exhaustion that won’t be cured by a little quiet time.

It was a helpful suggestion. Do you have a more productive suggestion?

OP wasn’t asking for “solutions” or suggestions, PP. She is asking if any other nannies feel this way. Suggesting such a silly “fix” doesn’t come close to addressing how to overcome true exhaustion.

Okay, well OP either needs to improve self-care outside of working hours by going to bed earlier, talk to her bosses about cutting back on hours, duties or both, or accept being a sub-par caregiver. Can I relate? Yes. But I don’t think it’s helpful or productive to say, “Other nannies feel that way too! You’re still a good nanny!”

When faced with a problem like this, bad nannies don’t even notice, sub-par nannies notice and feel guilty, great nannies notice and take action!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set a timer. Give yourself x amount of minutes to decompress/meditate/read/enjoy your lunch, and then give him attention. During that time, let him relax/play quietly/watch tv/etc.

It sounds like more of an end of the week exhaustion that won’t be cured by a little quiet time.

It was a helpful suggestion. Do you have a more productive suggestion?

OP wasn’t asking for “solutions” or suggestions, PP. She is asking if any other nannies feel this way. Suggesting such a silly “fix” doesn’t come close to addressing how to overcome true exhaustion.

Or the OP’s dedication to her charges. This isn’t a “have a cup of coffee” problem.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set a timer. Give yourself x amount of minutes to decompress/meditate/read/enjoy your lunch, and then give him attention. During that time, let him relax/play quietly/watch tv/etc.

It sounds like more of an end of the week exhaustion that won’t be cured by a little quiet time.

It was a helpful suggestion. Do you have a more productive suggestion?

OP wasn’t asking for “solutions” or suggestions, PP. She is asking if any other nannies feel this way. Suggesting such a silly “fix” doesn’t come close to addressing how to overcome true exhaustion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Set a timer. Give yourself x amount of minutes to decompress/meditate/read/enjoy your lunch, and then give him attention. During that time, let him relax/play quietly/watch tv/etc.

It sounds like more of an end of the week exhaustion that won’t be cured by a little quiet time.

It was a helpful suggestion. Do you have a more productive suggestion?

Side note: I wish some mothers and fathers understood how much good nannies like this worry and think about their children and what is best for them. If more oatdnts realized this, they wouldn’t treat the nanny as dirt.

Anonymous wrote:Set a timer. Give yourself x amount of minutes to decompress/meditate/read/enjoy your lunch, and then give him attention. During that time, let him relax/play quietly/watch tv/etc.

It sounds like more of an end of the week exhaustion that won’t be cured by a little quiet time.

Set a timer. Give yourself x amount of minutes to decompress/meditate/read/enjoy your lunch, and then give him attention. During that time, let him relax/play quietly/watch tv/etc.

Anonymous wrote:I feel the same way. My charges are 5 years old and 10 months. Sometimes I am so worn out by the baby, that when older charge comes home, I am beat too. I always think to myself too “I have to do better.” It’s a part of any job and I’m glad I’m able to recognize my weaknesses and faults. That way we can work on fixing them! Keep up the good work though!

+1.

I feel the same way. My charges are 5 years old and 10 months. Sometimes I am so worn out by the baby, that when older charge comes home, I am beat too. I always think to myself too “I have to do better.” It’s a part of any job and I’m glad I’m able to recognize my weaknesses and faults. That way we can work on fixing them! Keep up the good work though!

I am the nanny for a 5 yr old and a 2.5 year old and work 50 hours a week. I know I am a good nanny but by Friday I am so tired. The older child is in school all week but gets out at noon on Fridays. I have been with him since birth and while his sister is napping I have two hours of alone time with him. But I am beat and just don’t want to play the pretend games that he loves. He is so sweet about it saying “it’s okay maybe next week we could play that together”. Then I feel bad when I come home and get into bed. I have to do better for him.