On the first day of work I did not realize that I would, from now on, be independent. To me, a job was something to do in my spare time to keep busy and make some extra cash. What getting a job actually meant was that I would have to budget my time, cook my own meals, and worst of all pay for gas.
I was excited when the clock turned 2:45 and it was time for my first day of work. I headed over to the house to talk with the mom of the kids. She wanted to be there on the first day of work to show me the ropes and explain the layout of the house. We sat at the table and I thought it would be the standard procedure, have a snack, do homework, and relax until parents got home. But I was sadly mistaken. At 2:45 I would let myself into the house, read any notes that she had left me, and then I would pick up the kids from school. We would make a snack together and do homework. Then, depending on the day, they would clean or hang out with friends. At 5:30, I would start making dinner, according to her directions. On Fridays I would take the kids to Tae Kwon Do. As the mom explained all of this to me, I couldn’t help but think how this is going to be a long year.
The clock turned 3:20 and it was time to pick up the kids. They had smiles across their faces as they walked out of school and saw me standing there. They knew that today would be filled with fun and games. Before, that is what I thought too, but things have changed. Now work is about getting homework done, driving them to Tae Kwon Do, and making them dinner.
I never thought that a simple nanny job would turn me into an independent woman. Now I drive around with a car seat in the back of my car and listen to the kid’s radio station. I am no longer a lazy teenager, but responsible for two little kids. These kids look up to me and ask me questions; I need to be there for them with the correct response. On that first day of work I was handed a sheet of paper that had all my responsibilities. It was two pages that changed the rest of my year.