Happy International Nanny Recognition Week! To celebrate, the INA is not only offering $10 off all Individual Memberships through Saturday, September 29, 2018, but we also are sharing fun and heartwarming stories from some of our members. To kick the week off, we have a story from our Co-President, Megan Metzger.
My Son’s Birthday Request
By Megan Metzger
My son turns 10 this week, double digits, it’s kind of a big deal. I asked him how he wanted to celebrate his birthday. Did he want a trip to Disney like his sister chose or a big fun party like our youngest chose? No, he wanted the same thing he has chosen for the past three years. He wants to go to Charlotte and see our previous nanny, our favorite nanny Jill. No big celebration, no mountains of gifts, his “happiest place on earth” is with her.
You see when we hired Jill we thought she would do a good job. She had good experience, great references, and a charming smile. We thought she would teach our children and be a dependable child care provider. What we didn’t know was that she would be so much more. Jill was not just our nanny-she became part of our family.
She potty trained our daughter.
She taught our son to write his name.
She took them on picnics in the park and played board games on rainy days.
She kissed their boo boos and scared away their monsters.
She planned their birthday parties and coordinated our outfits for family photo shoots.
She encouraged their love of creativity and feed their curiosity for the world.
When I struggled to go back to work full time she sent me videos and photos of the children and met me for lunch. She let me experience the “firsts” with my children even if I really wasn’t the first to see.
When we struggled with where to send our son to school, she reviewed all the pamphlets and went on tours with us. She knows all his teachers and classmates by name.
When we lost a child she wept with us and when we brought our new baby into the world she thanked us. Thanked us for giving her another child to love.
Jill did so much more than care for our children. She cared for all of us. We are forever changed because of all she did for us. Although she has been gone for three years we still think of her often and I couldn’t be happier with his choice because the truth is I miss her too.
Megan Metzger: INA Co-President