Me

Nanny by day, Origami Owl designer by night. Trying to make it through the day with the kids intact and my business still steady while keeping sane.

[caslanian1]

What do you do when the doctor is telling you your scans and tests were all normal and that you only have a UTI, but you’re still having gall bladder pain and spasms…. I’m tired of not knowing what is wrong with me!

[lexie73737-blog]

Aw. Feel better. Sometimes kidney stones can mimic gallbladder issues. I’d keep asking. Squeaky wheel and all that. I’d also journal my food for a few weeks to see if there’s a trigger. I read Wheat Belly a while ago and it made a big difference. But keep pushing! Drs may know medicine but we know our bodies

[caslanian1]

The abdominal ultrasound and CT scan came back totally clean. No stones anywhere! I actually think it's more stress related because when I was on vacation I was totally fine.

[caslanian1]

What do you do when the doctor is telling you your scans and tests were all normal and that you only have a UTI, but you're still having gall bladder pain and spasms.... I'm tired of not knowing what is wrong with me!

[itsthenannylifeforme-deactivate]

How do you go about implementing/enforcing chores? My NF is extremely dependent on me and I'm at the point of pulling my hair out! The kids are 4, 5, and 6 and have NEVER cleaned up after themselves. I'm trying a chore chart but the problem lies when the parents don't have them do anything. What to do?!

Oh this is a tough one I would sit down with the parents and explain the chore chart and ask for their input.. Maybe if they yet involved snd see how much it helps then they will implement it more? Also when you take away privileges or whatever you do make sure you ask the family to stick to the punishment, I would explain that communication is so important and when there are multiple people raising a family kids need consistency throughout the day or they will push back more and more! Anyon3 else have suggestions?

[lexie73737-blog]

Depending on the age of the child: 4 or older, I use a chart with specific chore magnets. For older kids, I’m stricter and they’d lose privileges. Parents have to be on the same page. But I’m generally more strict. I even expect my 2 and 3 yr olds to clean up their playrooms/bedrooms.

[caslanian1]

The kids have flat out said "well it's your job/the cleaning lady's job to pick up after me". I'm going to keep trying. I'm struggling through this one as I've said before.

[itsthenannylifeforme-deactivate]

I know nannies who have become extremely judgemental towards parents - they feel like they have more experience than the parents or care more about the wellbeing of the kids. I’ve actually found that the longer I nanny, the LESS judgemental I’ve become: I love being able to give my charges back at the end of the day, and I dearly love getting to sleep in on my day off LOL! ;) Parenting is hard work and I guess I assume that until you’ve been there, you should give the benefit of the doubt. (Plus, there are different styles of dicipline, what works for one kid might not work for another, etc.)

That said, there are a few things I TOTALLY judge parents for:

1) When it’s nearly midnight, I’m at Walmart, your kid is screaming and obviously exhausted and you’re looking at greeting cards/DVDs/clothes. (And before you say “Maybe he’s sick and they were out of Tylenol!” know that that’s pretty much what I automatically assume whenever I see a baby out past 9 PM - that it’s an emergency and mom was forced to take the baby with her. None of the above qualify as emergencies, however. Not in any universe.)

2) If I see you slap your kid. My blood boils and I have to literally talk myself down from marching over and screaming at you. What sort of adult strikes a child in anger? What is wrong with you?!?

3) If you admit to me that you leave your toddler alone in the house to “run” to the bus stop, corner store, neighbors, etc. I don’t care if you can see the house the entire time. I don’t care if he “never” wakes before a certain time, or if he can’t get out of his crib yet. (Actually, I’m too busy being shocked and appalled that you could possibly think this is okay to judge you too much.)

4) When I see a baby in a late night movie. (Actually, I don’t judge you so much as hate you for it. I get it - the kid will probably sleep through the entire thing and it’s easier and cheaper to let him than to hire a babysitter, but I spend 98% of my time around kids and your gamble is risking my rare night out.)

5) When your kid is running loose in the parking lot and you don’t seem to notice or care - or worse,  all you can be bothered to do is yell and scream to them to come back before they get run over, while making no actual effort to get them. Don’t you realize that it would only take a second for something truly tragic to happen? Would it kill you to hold your child’s hand, really?

SUBMISSION Thoughts?

[lexie73737-blog]

I don’t judge as much as I used to when I was younger. For instance, I judged leash using parents. Then I met the kid who was secretly The Flash. No matter how we talked and rehearsed hand holding, he would dart everywhere.

I have no chill when it comes to hitting or leaving kids unattended. I’m quick report a parent. One of the parents used to leave her 7 year old alone between 3:30-5. I found out he ‘waits for mom’ when I noticed him running around the neighborhood.

[caslanian1]

The parents who allow their kids to run loose in parking lots drive me INSANE! Honestly I've developed the mentality of "they are your kids, do what you want" but my kids know that Miss Cyndi's rules apply anytime she's in the house. And they tattle on themselves whenever something against my rules happens when I'm not there! Haha

[caslanian1]

Oh my goodness oh my goodness... My first ever vacation is coming up in 3 days! Of course I had to make crockpot meals for the days I'm going to be gone from work and now my back is killing me...

[caslanian1]

The animal game

Me: what animal has four legs and says woof

2 year old: AN ELEPHANT YAYYYY

Me: not exactly...

[caslanian1]

When you scream out of frustration and it causes more acid reflux issues.. Yeah this whole, kids having a say in their parenting thing? Not working for me.... Definitely need a new situation before I cause an ulcer >_<

[itsthenannylifeforme-deactivate]

Hey guys! What winter and holiday crafts have you done or want to do with your littles?

[caslanian1]

We did bird feeder pine cones! This year it’s a little tricky because there’s no snow here yet and the rain has been washing everything off. But you dip pine cones in peanut butter (or sunbutter like what we used) then roll them in birdseed. Then we just tied a ribbon on it and I let the kids put them on the trees and bushes!

[itsthenannylifeforme-deactivate]

That’s so cute!! We have so many pretty birds here I need to do that with the boys

[caslanian1]

You will definitely need to remind them that bird seed is NOT for humans. I don't know how many times I said it and my kids still ate the seeds! We're up in Michigan though so it looks gorgeous when there's snow and the feeders. Unfortunately this rain ick makes it so the seed washes off the cones!

[itsthenannylifeforme-deactivate]

Hey guys! What winter and holiday crafts have you done or want to do with your littles?

[caslanian1]

We did bird feeder pine cones! This year it's a little tricky because there's no snow here yet and the rain has been washing everything off. But you dip pine cones in peanut butter (or sunbutter like what we used) then roll them in birdseed. Then we just tied a ribbon on it and I let the kids put them on the trees and bushes!

[caslanian1]

When you're cleaning up the 5 and 6yr olds bedside tables and they catch you in the act.

5yr old: Thank you Miss Cyndi! You're the best!

Me: thanks sweetie!

6yr old: but where did you put everything?

Me: Where it all belongs

6yr old: No! It belongs with ME! You've ruined EVERYTHING! I NEED that stuff! I want it close to me

Me: buddy.... I think we need a conversation on the difference between need and want..

[itsthenannylifeforme-deactivate]

Holiday traditions

Do you guys have any holiday traditions with your littles? Every year the library up here has a free polar express day where we dress up in pajamas and watch the polar express and get hot chocolate. My nanny kids love it and I look forward to it! I’ve actually taken different families, it’s a tradition I move from job to job because of how much the kids always love it! This year the mom will stay home with the babies while I take the older two lol

[caslanian1]

Last year I started the “Santa scanner”. It’s an app that “the elves put on my phone” and tells you if you’ve been naughty or nice. The kids look forward to getting scanned after bath time every day (motivation to do the bedtime checklist! Yes!) and I can bring up the scanner anytime they start to get too sassy. There’s also a button that tells you if Santa is watching that particular scan and they watch it like a hawk.

[itsthenannylifeforme-deactivate]

That’s so cute!! I’m definitely putting that on my phone lol 😁

[caslanian1]

Oh it's a life saver! I think it's just called Santa scan

[itsthenannylifeforme-deactivate]

Holiday traditions

Do you guys have any holiday traditions with your littles? Every year the library up here has a free polar express day where we dress up in pajamas and watch the polar express and get hot chocolate. My nanny kids love it and I look forward to it! I’ve actually taken different families, it’s a tradition I move from job to job because of how much the kids always love it! This year the mom will stay home with the babies while I take the older two lol

[caslanian1]

Last year I started the "Santa scanner". It's an app that "the elves put on my phone" and tells you if you've been naughty or nice. The kids look forward to getting scanned after bath time every day (motivation to do the bedtime checklist! Yes!) and I can bring up the scanner anytime they start to get too sassy. There's also a button that tells you if Santa is watching that particular scan and they watch it like a hawk.

[caslanian1]

Made over 100 waffles to freeze on Saturday…. Was off Sunday and this morning… The 6yr old just informed me that they ate ALL of the waffles in the last two mornings… This may be why I’m feeling so over worked… Can’t keep up…

[lexie73737-blog]

OMG! How does a small family eat that many waffles??

[caslanian1]

4 kids, 3 adults plus me…. No idea how the kids ate that much or why they allowed it but now I have MORE waffles to make plus a birthday cake AND pancakes… All while entertaining the 4 kids and getting dinner on the table on time!!! Ugh!! I need a vacation!

[lexie73737-blog]

That’s crazy! Is cooking a part of your job- for which you’re paid extra? I only make kid food ( lunch, breakfast, snack)

[caslanian1]

I'm not paid extra. It's in my contract that I make the family dinners every day. This new breakfast thing happened as a job creep. I did it once after a breakfast for dinner thing. Made too many pancakes, froze it, kids loved having my pancakes the next few days. But now its all the time. They are "getting away from packaged frozen waffles and pancakes" so I have to fill in there because they still want the kids to have them. My recipe is less sugar/chemicals. Luckily I do actually have a vacation to California coming up so I will be kid free for a whole week! Longest since my knee injury earlier this year!

[caslanian1]

Made over 100 waffles to freeze on Saturday…. Was off Sunday and this morning… The 6yr old just informed me that they ate ALL of the waffles in the last two mornings… This may be why I’m feeling so over worked… Can’t keep up…

[lexie73737-blog]

OMG! How does a small family eat that many waffles??

[caslanian1]

4 kids, 3 adults plus me.... No idea how the kids ate that much or why they allowed it but now I have MORE waffles to make plus a birthday cake AND pancakes... All while entertaining the 4 kids and getting dinner on the table on time!!! Ugh!! I need a vacation!

[caslanian1]

Made over 100 waffles to freeze on Saturday.... Was off Sunday and this morning... The 6yr old just informed me that they ate ALL of the waffles in the last two mornings... This may be why I'm feeling so over worked... Can't keep up...

[itsthenannylifeforme-deactivate]

[caslanian1]

Or they talk to you through the door.... That's what mine do....

[caslanian1]

Oh being called a babysitter is so cringeworthy.... Am I right?