which means I got flowers and extra calls and prayers from my doting beau. he's wonderful, really.
But today my experience with the boys was just grand! The youngest was very well-behaved in the morning. We played trains and cars and even pretend supermarket this time. It was wonderful. After lunch and his nap, we picked up his brothers and we went to get frozen yogurt. From there we went to the park. I swear, these boys have great arms on them -- they are FANTASTIC at throwing a disc (frisbee for the less haughty among us :P). They throw straight and flat and right to the target 9 out of 10 times. I swear, they have the makings of great ultimate players someday!
To go with my frabjous day, I wore a great conglomeration of clothing -- all fit for only the best -- Mary Poppins!
You can probably see my nanny-ness showing in this one outfit though... hehe!
shirt: Tulle, skirt: thrifted, sweater: Gap, hat: vintage via Eons (Pittsburgh), pearls: thrifted
Just out of curiousity, what is your take on childcare?
I love my job as a nanny, but have since learned through the experience that I want nothing more than to stay at home, take care of my children, and teach them if possible. I really do love children and I find the home environment to be the healthiest (in a stable, loving Catholic household anyway) of the options. After mother/father care, though, I have a ranking for how i best see the childcare options that society offers us today...
1. Mother/father care
2. Close relative care
3. in-home Nanny care/close family friend care -- (tied)
4. in-home (as in a daycare in a home, not your home necessarily) Daycare
5. pre-school/daycare
6. extended day is horrid, so it goes last.
And though I don't necessarily think that the wife should stay home and watch her children, it is true that having a parent around is beneficial for children, and really reflects love and sacrifice on the part of the family. My Daddy watched me growing up, was a stay-at-home dad, and it was what worked best for our family. It means that I have a phenomenal relationship with my father, and I realize the sacrifice both my parents made for that living situation to be so (my dad to sacrifice the "manly" thing of "bringing home the bacon," my mom to sacrifice "mothering" us on a day-to-day, hour-by-hour basis, which I know she would have loved to do). You'll probably notice that I put pre-school and daycare down pretty low. I know that sometimes, families do need two incomes (I think it's much rarer than what we currently have in society, but I do think there are situations...) or the mother wants to work, and I also think that's fine. But I do think that having the nurturing influence of someone who really loves and has a vested interest in the child is really important.
As a nanny, I love my job, but I hope that I never have to put my children in a situation where they might get confused and call a nanny "momma" (this has happened to me). I love taking care of children, and I think that my nanny position has given me great insight into the real world of motherhood. Not a whole LOT of insight, but a peek at least. And it's been enough for me to say and know that my position as a nanny is valuable to the family I work for, because I am loved by and I love their children, very much; however, I do hope to never have to do the same.
