Is she the one?!

So we’re on to our 6th nanny in 3years…yes, SIXTH, you read right! I’ve blogged about my nanny dilemnas on more than one occasion and boy, has my view changed a lot from time to time. Growing up, we had two or three nannies, but the last one that worked for us full time was with us for more than 10years and is still in touch with my mum even after retiring. In fact, just the other day she called my mum to say she’s in the area and thought she’d pop by to say hello. That’s what I’m looking for – somebody trustworthy, reliable, hardworking and who becomes part of the family and stays with us for many years helping to shape our children and maintain our home.

So, this is our nanny story. Something I keep referring to in my other nanny blogposts as being a story for another day…here it is…

Nanny number 1 never actually worked a single day for us, but I’d met with her on two occasions before she was to start working for us. She’d been referred to me by a work colleague who was having to let her go as she was looking for a live-in. So she came in before Ethan was born and once after he was born just so that I could meet her and discuss what I required from her. At the second meeting,  we discussed salary and terms of employment, set a start date and both of us went on our merry way. In fact, I even went to Durban for 2weeks content with the fact that I’d secured a nanny only to get a call a few days before she was due to start from her informing me that her husband wasn’t happy with what we were offering her and that she wanted DOUBLE the salary. Of course I said no and so the hunt for another nanny was on!!

Nanny number 2 was referred to me by my friend’s domestic. We met her, she started the following week and was really great with Ethan. I remember even going for a massage and pedi while she looked after my prized possession and after 2weeks, I was ready to enjoy my last 2weeks of maternity leave while she took over!! On the 28th of February, I paid her for the 2weeks and that was the last we heard from her besides a message the Sunday night to say that her daughter was too ill and that she’d have to stay home permanently with her so she couldn’t return to work!

I found nanny number 3 in the local newspaper.  Other than the fact that I had no references for her…her previous employers had emigrated and I was waiting for them to respond via e-mail which they never did…she was doing okay and where she may not have been our happily ever after nanny, I was happy with her at the time. That’s until she told my sister how ticklish Ethan was when she kissed him between the legs. Yip – those were her words. We ummm’d and aahhh’d for a whole evening over whether it was something innocent and tried to justify her actions but the following day, we promptly fired her…can you blame us?!?!

Nanny number 4 was our “mary poppins”. Yes I had issues with her at times but she kept the house in tip top shape and Ethan adored her. Unfortunately she passed away after a month long illness.

We secured nanny number 5 through the same agency as nanny number 4 and boy did I have issues with her! Not major issues though…you know those little niggly ones that can irritate the hell out of you that you don’t know how to discuss with your nanny/domestic? The house was generally clean and she was brilliant with Ethan, so hands on! We had to talk to her on more than one occasion about things we were unhappy with and whether she’d cope with the addition to our family this year and while we were still deciding on whether we’d keep her on, she fell ill and unfortunately passed away three days later. (Yes, we’ve lost two nannies to illness!!).

So now we’re on to nanny number 6! I met with her last week, she was referred to me by the neighbours’ nanny and is looking for live-in work. She’ll be working once a week for the next 2weeks and will start full time on the 1st of February on a 1month trial period.

Here’s hoping that she’s “the one”!!