I am starting my new job tonight! My career path has been.... somewhat erratic, to say the least... but I always come back to childcare. As a teenager, I had a babysitting empire in my neighborhood, took a break to waitress/bartend for a few years but ended up babysitting again for Michael, the L's, and the H's (see below). Even while I was teaching, I babysat and tutored after school and in the summer. I just love it. I just love connecting with families and spending time with all different kids, and learning about them and figuring out how they tick. And I'm damn good at it... it's the only job I've ever loved every aspect of, and not coincidentally it's the only job I've ever been really commended for how I do it. Actually that's not true-- when I was teaching all the parents and kids loved me, it was just the administrators who didn't. So I think I just really need to be self-employed.
Anyway, nanny-ing is the perfect thing to do when you travel! It's easy to find work, it's a flexible schedule, it pays cash, you don't have to have work visa... I mean, umm, so I've heard ;).... and you can do it anywhere! When I was in Australia I worked for 3 lovely families, and when I was home in the summer/fall I was a full time live-in for Chloe and Sam (you've seen their pics before!). Another great perk-- it comes with food! and lodging, if you want it.
Speaking of which, quick funny story -- this is how random my life is! I had babysat for Sam for 2 years and was lined up to work for them when I came home from Australia. Steph said she would pass my info along to her friend K, who is Australian, but I was like, It's a BIG country -- the odds that anyone she still knows in Australia would be living near us and need a babysitter are practically zero! Except they weren't -- K's sister from London was visiting her parents, with her 2 ADORABLE kiddos, in Melbourne, WALKING DISTANCE from our apartment. I don't make this stuff up. So that was my first Australian babysitting job. Moral of the story: NEVER underestimate word of mouth.
So even though I am almost 28 and WAY overqualified, I work as a nanny. Tonight, I start my new job as a NIGHT NANNY *eek* for SWEET 5 month old twin girls. I am excited -- I am a night owl anyway, so the idea of being up late rocking babies back to sleep is no big deal, and I'll have my days free to hit the beach, if I'm not too exhausted. And they are my kind of people -- nursing, babywearing, not letting them cry, etc.
I'll keep you up to date on how it goes!! And of course, post some pics... I am hoping I get some daytime hours with them, they are just too precious to resist!
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