Think of this as Part II in what may become a "things I've learned..." series. I've been a nanny for a wonderful family for the past year and a half, and though thoroughly enjoying it I have always been aware that it is a filler job for me. I don't plan on making a career out of it and on the surface, it doesn't seem to have much of a connection to what I do plan on pursuing professionally. So, I have spent a lot of time justifying why being a nanny has been relevant to my life and this list of things I have learned is what I came up with.
1.) Patience seriously is a virtue: I know I said a version of this in "things I've learned from my dog", but I am repeating it to stress how highly I regard patient people. As someone who is quick to anger, patience is something I struggle to hold onto. But over time I have realized anger and worry never get you anywhere. I've never changed the outcome of something or altered someone else's behavior by stressing about it or getting mad because of it. Patience leads to calm, and when you're able to stay calm, regardless of the situation, you will always see things more clearly. If you're thinking clearly, the likely outcome will almost always be favorable to the alternative.
2.) Expect the Unexpected: One of the best things about working with kids is you can and should do something different with them every day. It helps stimulate their minds, and in my opinion they behave better if you stay active doing different things. The downside of going to public places with kids and being active is that you are exposing them to more dangers and increasing your potential to lose them. This in no way means you shouldn't do these things, but it does mean you need to take some precautions. I try to prepare for every situation I can think of when we're leaving the house-- an allergy attack, a fall on the playground, dehydration, hunger, the need to go to the bathroom, boogers, dirty hands & faces, etc. Learning to be mega-aware of your surroundings and thinking on your feet when faced with a crisis, minor or major, is important and a totally underrated skill. Being a nanny I have realized parents really do have super powers, especially stay-at-home parents (as these are the subjects I have had the most interactions with). When I say powers, I am obviously talking about a set of special skills you can only acquire once you are charged with taking care of children. There are certain things you have to learn by doing--in my opinion, anything involving kids follows this rule. Being around children makes us better people because it forces us to examine our own behavior--why do I react this way in similar situations? What would I say if someone told me what I just told her? This kind of self-awareness or self-examination is productive if it is then turned into a useful outcome like self-improvement of some kind. Because actions speak louder than words after all.
3.) Anger only gets you so far: I have never seen anger get me anywhere with a child. Anytime I've lost my temper and screamed at one I am only met with silence and a blank stare. Anger is a completely unproductive emotion. It never makes a situation better. It never makes you feel any better. The best thing any of us can do with anger is let go of it as quickly as possible. And there's no set way of how to do this because anger is so different in everyone. All we can do is find what works for us and be patient with it. Don't worry. Be happy :).
4.) Keep It Simple: Kids don't take anything too seriously. You get the occasional drama queen, but for the most part they brush off a dead pet or even a relative like they would a skinned knee or a fight over a toy. They laugh when they do something funny. They cry when something is sad. They don't complicate the truth. They don't complicate love (until you do something wrong and they hate you until they love you again). It's always easy for me to tell when a kid is lying-- there's an uneasiness in their expression, they can't quite look you in the eye, there may even be a twitch of a smile on their face. They know they're doing something wrong. You're either wrong or you're right. You're good or you're bad. We could get into a philosophical debate that there is good and bad in everyone and you can't have one without the other. This may be true, but there's an inherent beauty in the simple way a child looks at the world. They take things at face value, accept them for what they are and move on. We're all told you have to grow up someday, but once in a while I don't think it could hurt to remember what was so great about being a kid and embrace that innocent simplicity in our grown up lives.
5.) The small things matter too: Maybe it's because kids change so quickly and grow up so fast, but I have found myself really enjoying the small moments with them. The absurd things that come out of their mouths that make you laugh hours later when thinking about it. Baking cookies on a rainy day together. Catching butterflies in the backyard. Singing along to the radio in the car. It's these small moments that make up the meat of your personal relationships. They're the things you hold onto after a person is gone. These small pieces of time end up being some of the most important moments in your life.
Hope you enjoyed and agree how important some of these life lessons can be!
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