I have the privilege of working for two wonderful families this summer.
I spend my Mondays with one and Tuesday-Thursday with the other. It's a wonderful setup and I couldn't have asked for a better schedule, but mostly I could not be more grateful for the kids I get to be with four days a week.
Mondays are spent with a family I have been working with for the last two years. The girl I nanny is 17 and has cerebral palsy, so mostly I am there to be a friend and thankfully I gained a wonderful friend in return. During the school year, I would go to their house once a week to be a scribe for her homework and over the summer we practice for the "dreaded" ACT as well as go for walks, play board games, read, and more.
My Mondays have been spent at their house since the spring semester of my junior year and if I am ever not there on a Monday it feels strange! I love spending my time there and the family cat has
finally gotten used to me. This family has taught me so much about advocating for disabilities, disability resources, communicating with families, how to ask questions when I'm unsure, and more.
I've gained a network of friends more than anything. They encourage and pray for me, send me ideas for recipes or homework assignments, are always eager to answer questions, and more. The girl I work with has taught me to constantly be positive and how it's okay to turn to someone when you need help - especially God. I have always had a strong faith and it helps to have such strong encouragers along side you. They have become such a part of my life that it was a "big step" when my friends came over to have a game night and when Josh met them too! I could not be more grateful for the time we have had together and the lessons I have learned - this next school year will be strange when I'm no longer there every Monday afternoon!
(Please pray for me and the family as we make this adjustment and they find a new caregiver!)
Tuesdays-Thursdays are spent with a wonderful family that I was able to find before the school year ended. The company I work through set up an interview with a family that was looking for the hours I was looking for and it seemed like a great fit! They have two kids - a 10 year-old girl and a 13 year-old boy. They needed someone who could drive the kids to practices, make lunch, keep them busy with activities and some summer academic things. I was up for the challenge and the girl absolutely loved me at the interview and that was that!
Since I am there three days a week we get to play around a lot and I feel like I am an older sibling (but don't worry I'm not mean!). We goof around while eating lunch and I could not be more thankful that I get to work with older kids rather than chasing 4 year-olds around all day! Both kids are pretty active between gymnastics, baseball, golf, and softball practices throughout the summer and the girl and I have done several craft projects *stay tuned for a future post about those*. Sometimes we go shopping for a new recipe (the boy loves being our official taste tester!) or craft supplies, get ice cream, play in the sprinkler, play outside with scooters, make a fort, run to the library, jump at the trampoline park, and go play putt-putt golf.
It has been so much fun being a kid again! I get to use my strengths to make sure our days run smoothly and planned, but also count on them for wonderful ideas and comedy during my days.
But it hasn't always been perfect because Day 2 working with the family I had a nanny's worst nightmare... The boy broke his arm at the trampoline park!!!
I was called to the front desk at the facility thinking "Oh boy something is wrong with our waiver forms and I'm going to have to get the kids to go home early" but I ended up finding out the boy had a bad fall on one of the trampolines and thought his arm must be broken - like what?!
Luckily, the mom of the family didn't work too far away and we were able to visit her during this crisis and have everything taken care of. It definitely became a team effort and I was welcomed into the family through some extreme circumstances - but fortunately now the cast is off just in time for us to enjoy the rest of the summer! I was so nervous I would get fired or there would be awkward tension for the rest of the summer but we were all thankfully able to laugh after the initial situation had passed. Nothing like a broken arm and emergency situation to bring a family together right?
Both families have been more than good to me.
I love that I can come into these family's homes and feel right at home. I have seen how good families work and I only hope that I can emulate some of what I have seen in my own family one day. And hopefully my kids are also just as wonderful ❤
This has been an amazing summer so far and I cannot wait for the last few weeks and what we have planned - Thank you God for placing me with such wonderful families who I can learn so much from! Hopefully I can hold back my tears during the last week ♡
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