Babysitter, what?

Every time I hear the word 'babysitter' I picture myself at the age of 12 getting ready for my first babysitting job. Long hair in a pony tail, my head filled with too many issues of Babysitter's Club books, and my arms filled with a box full of half used coloring book, broken crayons and games missing most if not all of their pieces.
As I approached the door I could hear the sounds of screaming and bloody murder going on, but I bravely knocked on the door and did not recognize the relief in the mother's eyes as she swung the door open. Clingy hands ripped at her jeans and peanut butter smeared faces smiling up at me with half joy and half suspicion.
I was taken on a tour of the house, stepping over fallen G.I. Joe and ignoring the stack of dishes in the sink. I could tell that the mother was embarrassed, but being 12 none of this seemed all that important.
So before long the mother had left and I spent the next two hours jumping on couch cushions, coloring outside of the lines and tickling arm pits like it was my job! After ordering a large peperoni pie I finally wrestled the children down in front of a Disney and plopped down on the couch exhausted.
Four hours later I was at home in bed and I was hooked.

I am now college educated in Early Childhood Education. I have a decades worth of experience. I have traveled all over the world taking care of children. So why does it bother me when people ask me if I am a babysitter?
It doesn't have anything to do with the question, it doesn't even have anything to do with being called a babysitter (I know there are people who don't even know what a nanny is). It is more about those people who look at me like I am something that doesn't even belong on the bottom of their shoes while they say the word 'babysitter'.
These are the snobbish people that think the people who look after their children aren't good enough to stand next to. As if taking care of children were some sort of punishment for a life of crime etc.
These are the very same people that would be willing to pay more for their dry cleaning bill than they would be willing to pay for their children's care.
Anyways, rant over. It just irritates me when people try to make me feel bad about spending my days teaching children and helping them grow into loving and caring adults.

I have compiled a list of what it means to be a nanny:

As a nanny it is my responsibility to:
* engage my charges in developmentally appropriate activities through out the day
* encourage my charges to attempt new things for themselves so that they can learn and grow
* provide them with the ability to experience new and excited activities
* socialize them with children their own age, older and younger so that they learn to be gentle but also learn to handle themselves
* cook and feed my charges healthy and nutritious meals and snacks through out the day
* ensure that my charges are well groomed, well dressed and with a clean diaper on
* twice a week cleanings of my charge's clothing and once a week cleaning of my charge's bedding
* providing many opportunities for reading my charges books
* taking my charges out in the fresh air. To the park, swimming pool or just walking. (weather permitting)
* engaging my charges in art and creative projects the allow their creativity and imagination to grow
* hugging, cuddling and modeling loving and caring behavior

As a nanny it is NOT my responsibility to:

* Clean your house (other then cleaning up after myself and my charge)
* Do your laundry
* Run your errands, grocery shopping or mailing your letters
* Run your household (supervising contractors, maids or other hired help)
* Listen to you run on about how hard your job is and how tired you are and how you need a vacation (I have just worked a 12 hour day, I don't want to hear about how tired you are sitting at a desk all day)
* Get up at night with charges
* Buy my charges meals with my own money while out at scheduled social times
* Buy books, clothing or toys for charges with my money

I reserve the right to add on as I see fit! If you have any that I don't have written here, please let me know!
Have a great weekend!
Nanny

Next post topic:
Starter Nanny Tips (ie. what you wished you knew when you became a nanny, and no one bothered to tell you)
Please feel free to email me with points on this topic.
ThroughMyEyesBlog@hotmail.com