"Dear Good Job, I burned out going to college, so I moved back home and started taking night courses. When my sister-in-law started a new part-time job, it seemed like a win-win solution for me to nanny for my 2-year-old niece. My brother travels a lot, so she really needed the help, and my parents both are still working. And I love my niece and the flexibility the schedule allows me."
"Suddenly, I'll be responsible for three or more other kids and running myself ragged trying to watch them. Or I'll be out of snacks because the moms don't bother to help prepare them. Or no one checks their phone when I call. There is zero gratitude here, and they even act like they are doing me a favor! These aren't emergencies I'm covering for-this is them wanting to get their nails done or go out for a late dinner."
"I finally hit my limit after being stuck with a 6-year-old who was obviously sick, but his mom didn't care enough to take care of him and just dumped him on me. Not only did he get my niece sick, I got so sick that I was in bed three days straight. And then my sister-in-law got mad at me because she had to miss two shifts."
A college student burned out and moved back home while taking night courses. The student began nannying part-time for a 2-year-old niece to accommodate school flexibility. The sister-in-law repeatedly volunteered the nanny to friends without consent, resulting in supervising multiple children, lack of parental support, and minimal pay. The nanny experienced illness after caring for a sick child, lost income and was blamed for others missing shifts. The nanny abruptly stopped providing childcare, triggering family anger and household tension. The nanny is seeking other work to escape exploitative expectations and restore health and boundaries.
Read at Slate Magazine
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