It ain't easy work.

I do apologise for the lack of excitement in my life. I keep thinking that there hasn't been much to write about but there's so much going on and kids regularly supply me with comedy gold but the truth is, I just don't have the energy to write it all. I mean, come on, look over my last posts, they all took a few minutes to write. I think I underestimated how tiring looking after kids is. Kudos to mothers [and fathers].

When I finish work, the last thing I want to do is write about my day. Now I know as an au pair, I actually have no idea what it's like to have and raise children. I only look after these kids from 8-6 Monday to Friday. Even then I 'm only ever on my own with the kids on Mondays and Tuesdays. And although the kids wake me up at 6am with their screaming, I do not need to get out of bed and I soon nod off again. And when I walk in to check on Toby during his nap to find he's thrown up all over himself and most of it is in his hair, all I have to do is call Jane and she's home to look after the sick child within half an hour. I may have to feed the children and keep them busy during the day but the way I feel about looking after kids is probably nothing like the real thang. However, I kid you not when I say that this experience has taught me not to have kids anytime soon.

While on the subject of parents/au pairs, a couple of weeks ago I took the kids to a place called Lollipops. It's basically a huge indoor playground much like Wacky Warehouse but with less balls and more toys. As it was a rainy day (again) it was crowded with screaming kids and stay at home mums/trophy wives. While we were sat for lunch I got talking to a mum who was there with her kids. She asked me if I only had the two. I told her that I had three kids with me, but they weren't mine, I was the au pair. Her reply was a simple 'Oh.' which was riddled with judgement and haughtiness. Her next question was 'Do their parents have much to do with them?' I was a bit shocked and it took me a while to find the words.

I'll be honest that prior to doing this job, I did think it was only a certain people who have au pairs. Rich and not much time for the kids. My mother was nanny when she was my age and she was worked to the bone. But after living with the family, I can see how devoted to these parents are to their kids. I'm not employed because they haven't got time for the kids. Or that they can't be bothered or because they are rich. I guess I'm cheap alternative to daycare. I may start at 8, but both Jane and Dave are with the kids until they have to go to work at about 8:30. And as soon as they come home they are with the kids again, playing with them, bathing them and getting them ready for bed.  I'm grateful that I'm with a family where I'm seen more as, I guess, a family member than as a nanny.