Pissed!
So we’re trying to find a nanny to live in and help out with Pumpkinhead during the week, figuring this will relieve some stress and help him get on a more regular sleep schedule (right now he’s up at the crack of dawn with me and waits until I get home to go to bed). I thought I’d found a great candidate. She’s 51, retired, and taking undergrad classes online and just wants a quiet place with Internet access to live while she’s in school. She’s bilingual, friendly and has a cute puppy. I thought she sounded perfect. Until she didn’t show up for our interview today.
Her e-mail:
I am not able to come out today and meet you–the instructor in one of my classes dropped a bomb on us–extra assignment, and I’m nowhere near done–deadline is tonight.
Mine:
I’m sorry to hear that. I also have a major brief due (my entire grade for the semester) this week but instead spent the whole morning cleaning in preparation for your visit. Please let us know if you’re still interested in coming by another time. The only time both my husband and I are at home is on Sundays.
WTF?!?! 
Think my message was too bitchy? I am so pissed! It’s almost 1 p.m. and I seriously scrubbed my house all morning. What a damn waste of time!!!!!
April 13th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Ugh!! So sorry
April 13th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
I’d consider yourself lucky to have dodged the flakey-nanny bullet. I just had a nasty email from our former nanny - wish I’d never hired her at all.
April 13th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Ditto Shelley. If she can’t be bothered to arrange her schedule for an interview she doesn’t wound very dependable.
But I feel for you. Finding quality child care is such a PITA. I am dreading what we will be paying out nanny over the summer– I could cut the bill in half if I put them in day care. But she is so wonderful and is always available when we need her, so I will suck it up and deal with it.
April 13th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Your nanny prospect changed her mind about wanting the job. Too bad she was too chicken-livered to just tell you that. I agree re: dodged bullet.
April 13th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Apparently they all are. I tried responding to two more who we’d kind of put on hold because this one seemed perfect and of course now none of them are interested.
Sigh… Back to the drawing board.
April 13th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
I don’t think your message was bitchy enough! I would have attached a picture of my middle finger upraised.
Man - live-ins are PRICEY! At least around here. I share a nanny with another family . . . it’s great! Sumo Baby has another kid almost his age (4 months apart) to play with and yet we only half to pay for half of the nanny. Then again, I’m cheap!
April 14th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I agree that you dodged a bullet on that one. If she can’t avoid schoolwork at this point, you’d hate to have her shirk your kid for it later. Sorry you had to put that work into it, but now think how clean your house is!!
We had a hellofa time finding a nanny when N was a baby, and I looked for a good two months. Had to put him back in daycare b/c we just came up short everywhere we turned. And I wasn’t about to sink a non-refundable $4000 into the nanny placement service just to have them serve us up a dud. (((HUGS))) Good childcare is SO HARD TO GET!!
Hang in there, hon. And start now figuring out where to hide the nannycam. I have too many friends who have had their eyes opened by those little devices.
April 14th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
I have used a few really good agencies. They are allamericannannies.com and nanniesplus.com. I have also used goaupair.com to get an au pair. I also really like nanniesofnebraska (or something like that) although I never got to point of having to hire them to find somebody for us. the only agency that i have enough experience to say to stay away from is advancenannies.com.
the agencies are expensive but they do a really great job of matching you.