I have been with this family for seven years and absolutely love every minute of it.
With nanny life, no two days are the same and we have so much fun along the way. I’ve seen the children learn to walk, talk, ride their bikes, swim, their first day of nursery, first day of school and countless other moments.
I have also seen them through the hardest times in their life. In 2018, my boss and friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer and, heartbreakingly, after a 16-month fight, the children lost their mummy.
Their world turned upside down overnight and in the middle of a pandemic. My role as their nanny completely changed from the day of her diagnosis and I was more than happy to do whatever I could to support them.
Being a nanny is such a personal job, you become an extra and vital cog in a family dynamic. I became a support for both the children and my employers.
I helped plan the ‘hard’ conversations they would have with the children, making sure everything was the right fit for the children’s emotional stage.
I liaised with the children’s schools so we could devise care plans and make sure the policies and procedures at school were going to provide the support the children needed. I helped plan fun adventures and helped create beautiful memories for both my charges and my bosses.
Bereavement in the nannying profession is such a taboo subject, even though every day, 100 young people in the UK lose a parent (Winston’s Wish, 2021).
Since sharing my experiences on Instagram, I have had at least 50 nannies contact me for advice. Whether it’s encouragement, book recommendations or just an ear, I’ve tried my best to do what I can.
I found it extremely hard to find support while I was supporting my work family through my employer’s illness and passing. I wasn’t a family member, but my role in the family’s life was very personal.
The last two years have really shaped me as a person. A nanny is more than just someone who cares for the children and leaves at the end of the day. We play such a valuable role in supporting children and their parents throughout the good and the bad times, and in turn we need support when things get hard.
It’s so important to have a support system for nannies that can support, encourage and offer advice. That’s why I am so honoured to have become a BAPN membership ambassador; it is such an amazing association.
