Our Soul Mate Nanny

It?s true, leaving my Nico everyday for work was the hardest and probably, the most painful thing that I?ve ever done in my being a parent, or should I say in my being a MOM. It?s really difficult because in my heart, I knew that since the day that I conceived my Nico, I started my love affair going with this Little One. I eventually moved on and had accepted the fact that I have to work to complement my husband in raising our family?s financial needs (especially now that we spend much for Nico?s nourishment and health and that we now had our home built and that we have to pay the monthly amortizations). It took me a while though to realize that going back to work doesn't end this love affair and that the bond between me and my Nico continues to grow each and every day even without me by his side from 8 to 5.Making the transition to being a working Mom is difficult. I often find my self guilty about this choice. But it helps as I talk to other mothers who are likewise juggling a career and motherhood. They were never hesitant to share with me how they found ways to maximize their time with their babies.

A consolation that I read is a recent study that shows that ?children with working moms thrive just as well as those with stay-at-home moms?. The study, funded by the United States? National Institute of Mental Health found that the notion that working women are frazzled and guilt-ridden and that their children are in trouble was a myth. In fact working women had more self-esteem and improved physical and mental health. In addition, numerous studies show virtually no difference between children with working mothers and those with stay-at-home moms.

I kept reminding myself of the reasons why I decided to return to work in the first place. I try hard to clear off away-from-work calendar as much as possible so that I have quiet time at home to enjoy my Baby. I kept to realize that if other people-?family and friends-?disagree with my decision, they are well intentioned, but they aren?t walking in my shoes. But nevertheless, I thank them for their inputs while I retain the courage of my own convictions about what?s best for my family.

Upon my return to work in September 2004 (Nico was only five months old then), the first six months was fine with me as we have with us my Mom around to take care of Nico at daytime while my husband Jun and I are both at work. When Nico turned 1 in April however, my Mom informed us that in as much as she would still want to take care of her apo, we need to get an nanny soon as she would be dedicating her time taking care of my Dad whose health had to be watched closely due to heart problems. And so we had no choice but to give up our excellent caregiver.

After Mom, Jun and I had no other choice but to alternately file week-long vacation/sick leaves (or any applicable leaves of absences for that matter!) at work as we haven?t found yet a nanny for Nico. Desperate that we are, come end of May, we requested my sister-in-law (who is a mother of three growing kids? (Romar, 12; Lenlen, 9, and JR, 4) to temporarily baby sit for Nico. Hesitant that she was, Ate Marlen thankfully granted our request. Nico was flexible enough to have a new baby sitter around as he immediately adjusted and enjoyed his daytime care courtesy of Ate Marlen who was very experienced in taking care of children. A few months passed and come August, in another unavoidable circumstance again, Ate Marlen talked to us that she won?t stay for long with us during weekdays as she badly needs to guide and pay attention to her children, first of which was her eldest son who desperately had deteriorating grades in school at the time that she began baby sitting for Nico. I begged, and asked her to still stay just until such time we get a permanent nanny for Nico.

Good enough, Ate Marlen phoned us on one weekend saying that she finally found a nanny for Nico. The prospective nanny as Ate Marlen told, is only 15 years old, also from my her and my husband?s hometown San Pedro, Laguna. After that call, Jun and I discussed if we are seriously going to push through hiring that nanny. We thought of possible scenarios (with a 15-year-old nanny taking care of our Bundle of Joy) and enumerated advantages/ disadvantages that may arise from this decision that we are about to make. I was deliberately at a ?no? to pursue hiring that nanny as I am worried that a 15-year-old girl (when I was in the same age, I remembered still playing piko and jackstones with my cousins) lacks maturity that can provide care for my Precious One. It was a long, tiring, discussion, I or shall I say debate that we had. But in the end of our battle of talks, I had no choice but to say, ?Ok, let?s meet that nanny, try her, and see what happens?.