Not just a job

 I must admit, when I first started working for my nanny family I was over whelmed. I had never cooked for a family, or taken on three kids. They were rambunctious, loud, and energetic - like most children. Not only that but I had trouble understanding the line between friend and authority figure. If I put my foot down, would they hate me? If I didn't put my foot down, would they walk all over me? Well the answer to question one was of course no. In fact I remember once I scolded the girls and explained to them why they had to finish some task, later the eldest one approached me with a hug and told me how awesome I was. Not five minutes before that she had stormed off telling me it was the worst day of her life. hormones. The answer to question two - well duh! Children who see you as a friiend do tend to walk all over you, but if I reminded them that I deserved respect, they were quick to apologize and [usually] they'd listen after that. Needless to say, I ended up fitting right in. Sure, the job was still challenging, but I learned more about what it takes to run a household and take care of multiple children in that one year than I had ever before. For instance, I learned that sometimes you will clean up a room JUST to mess it up again. I learned that two year olds are much, much smarter than you think.
That my patience was not as great as I thought it was going into the job, and that patience is imperative to being a good caretaker [I’m still working on it] . Furthermore I was taught to redirect and distract rather than call attention to a bad behavior. Half the time a child doesn't know it's bad behavior until you stand there scolding them with a pointed finger wagging in the air. Instead, excitedly announcing that the tiger truck is calling from the other room will have them scurrying out the door and away from the behavior which is so undesirable. I could go on, and on, and on but condensing a whole years’ worth of memories into a single post could take a while. I am done with this job but what I am leaving with I will hold for a lifetime.
I am so thankful for the family I worked for. For the way the little guy came bounding through the house every morning calling my name, for the bartering of chores when the girls came home from school, for the love for God they expressed every day. I am thankful that I have a place in their hearts - as do they, in mine. I will greatly miss their smiles, laughter, and listening ears. Thank you for allowing me into your hearts, your homes, and your lives. I am forever thankful!! God bless.