I love my current job, a Nanny. I care for a 1-year-old and 3-year-old. Although I haven't been a Nanny long I've certainly learned quite a few things from these two crazy munchkins.
1. Sharing is not caring: There is no "I" in the word share, but children have yet to receive that memo. What's mine is mine, and what's yours is also mine or I'll fight you for it.
2. Everything is better when it isn't yours: same food? Nope, the siblings is sweeter, and better than theirs.
3. "You get what you get and you don't get upset" or so the 3-year-old tells me. But that isn't the case because although you get what you get, if it's not what you want then a tantrum of epic proportions is upon us.
4. By saying you had something first even if that's not true, automatically gets you what you want. Toys, food, everything.
5. Play-doh is the devil: it stinks, sticks everywhere, and kids want to eat it for some reason.
6. Play-doh is in fact edible and non toxic....who would have thought?
7. Naps = sanity, there's no need to expand on this one
8. When changing a baby boy's diaper, keep him covered: they're like fire hoses.
9. Getting them to eat veggies is like getting a middle eastern peace treaty signed.
10. Baby and toddler laughs are the cure to any problem that you are having.
It isn't easy caring for 2 kids under age 5. It's taught me so many things about myself, my limits, and just how a child's brain works.
These kids brighten my day and simultaneously, drive me crazy. But I wouldn't have it any other way.