A Consideration of Overpowering Job Placement

It appears that my job is not a good enough one for my peers. Recently, I started as a live-in nanny for a down-to-earth family in my hometown, which will at one point have benefits (health, auto already exists, etc...). I feel like I've gone through a divorce, because Kaitlin has two houses (sadly, there will not be two Christmases or birthdays). It eats me up being away from my Theodore (the cat, not the boyfriend. He probably sees me less than the cat), and driving across town just to figure out where that one pair of sexy underwear is has begun to wear, but I am starting to enjoy what I do.

This morning, not one, but three friends sent me listings for admin positions in the general area. After taking a moment to gag (I thought I wanted to admin, turns out I'd rather carve my name into my forehead with a knife, sober)I contemplated the position I'm in: Does nannying come with a stigma? Am I a leper? Having succumbed to my broke-ass self by finding a job in a field I know I've competent in, I'm ostracized myself from those corporate ladder climbers who know what a spreadsheet is and use it on a daily basis.

My internship still exists, and every moment I can I talk about it to people who probably think I'm just a stay-at-home mom with a writing problem. I cannot help that sometimes I feel my English degree is pretty much just a piece of paper and not the zillions of hours I put into papers and reading, but that still doesn't give people the right to say my job isn't good enough.

For the few years that I had been a nanny to other families, I used to complain about how I hardly ever was recognized for being more than just a childcare provider. It makes me want to be a mother less, but respect and praise true mothers more. If you're up with a sick kid at 2am when you have to work at 6, when you take time out of your day to swing by the school and pick up your child and his six friends for a playdate, it's a real job.

Another woman I babysit for, Elena (who writes for Miomarmo.com), told me a few lyrics to the "Mom Song", which her daughter was begging her to sing. One line mentioned how "if you don't get paid, you're a mom". It made me laugh, especially because it IS very true. Caring for children is a full time job, one that I'm lucky enough to get paid for, and very fulfilling. I don't have to give birth, I didn't have to raise them, I only have to make their lunches and act as a chauffeur or an occasional listening ear. I have it great, and I'm not stressed.

Best Job EVER. Oh, and I get the reward of making new relationships with another family. Trust beats out a water cooler any day.