2016 Sarah Kinghorn "Spring Cleaning"

2016 MAD CONTEST

Nannypalooza of Oz

 

 

Sarah Kinghorn
Spring Cleaning

 

 

I just completed a huge clean out of my home. Broken furniture, an old mattress, unnecessary papers, ill-fitting clothes... Most of my life-clutter gone in one intense afternoon, with the next day spent moving more worthy possessions into the spotlight and organising items in a way that works for me rather than making work for me. 

It inspired me to reflect on my nanny baggage, too. After more than a dozen years in the industry, I've collected a bit. 

Nobody likes dragging a wheely suitcase behind them: the vibrations rattling your whole body through the handle, the inescapable sound bulldozing your ears, and the bumps on the pavement that you otherwise wouldn't notice now shaking your whole world and threatening to throw you off course. 

Or perhaps you use a backpack; quieter, for sure, and out of sight, but it's hard to stand tall under all that weight. 

Maybe you've put your baggage into storage, forgetting it exists until something prompts you to rifle through it all over again. 

My own baggage consists of left over bitterness from situations where myself and my employers could have handled things better, where I should have communicated my needs more clearly.  

I desperately miss children I spent so much time shaping, so much time loving and for various reasons see rarely or never. 

Every day I use the expander zip on my doubt compartment... What if today, somebody finally noticed I don't know what I'm doing and what I consider to be hard-won career success was just a series of lucky flukes?

Nanny baggage could be comparing yourself to other nannies, having too tight a grip on who and what a nanny is, or merging separate experiences into harmful stereotypes. 

On the first day of Spring, I will start a fresh new job with a fresh new baby. 

It's my goal to go through my baggage, parting with things I don't need any more. I'm hoping I find a way to keep the wisdom, but let go of the wounds.  I want to start this journey with my experience and knowledge and passion, but without costly excess baggage.