Confessions of a Nanny

Part III

When I first met this mom, I didn't think she was bad.  Then when I met the kid, she turned into a Devil.  Not only was she the Micro Manage Mama, but she just got downright mean when I would try to help her kid do something.  So, before I started, I gave her my hourly rate, and she came back with an offer that was 50 cents less.  5-0 cents!  Which came out to like $10 less per week.  Now, ok.  I've got a lot of experience and when it comes to negotiating, my rate is my rate.  I don't mess around.  So, I said "my rate is my rate, take it or leave it."  Obviously since I'm the shiznit, she accepted.  But man, did that leave an awful taste in my mouth about this family and I did not want to work with them.  But since it was the highest paying, I accepted it.  But I absolutely dreaded every single day.  

And sure enough, their cheapness showed at holiday time when they gave me $0 for a bonus and didn't even say thank you after I gave the kid a present. 

I ignore them everytime I see them walking around. 

Wake the Baby Up

The more I come in contact with first time parents, the nuttier I think most of them are.  "Make sure you wake the baby up around 10:30pm to get the last feeding in."  Uhhh what?  Wake a sleeping baby just to prevent YOU from having to get up at 1am?  Why would ANYONE do such a thing...seriously I want to know.  

I find that first time parents prevent their child from sleeping just to accommodate themselves from not getting sleep.  Put it this way, if your   baby fall asleep at 7pm and is still sleeping by the time their next feeding "should" be, there's no need to wake them up.  YOU should be sleeping when the baby sleeps.  Therefore, if the baby wakes up at 1am ready to eat, get your butt up and feed it.  You are setting your baby up for disaster by waking it out of a deep sleep.  

Let the baby sleep.  Do not wake the baby up.