No TV and Little Kids Make Laura “Something” “Something”

So, I’m a nanny. Usually the general requirements for you to be a nanny are things like cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, liking kids…wait, maybe that should have been first. Now, I can honestly say that the first three things I’m a pro at and I actually enjoy doing a lot, but the last requirement, and usually the most important is the one I have the most trouble with. I’m not going to say flat out that I don’t like kids, but I find it very difficult to entertain children, discipline them, try to figure out what’s wrong when they cry and just keep them happy. I’m clueless, and I doubt that four weeks will be enough to really get to know these kids. This has been the fist day that I have been with the kids since Kate had them in town for the last two days. Granted they are very tired today, but seriously, I just can’t do it. I feel so board and unhappy when trying to care for children. I don’t want to come off as a crappy person, but it’s just the way I feel. It kinds of frightens me because I don’t want to become a Brooke Shields and want to disown my own children the second they come out of the womb. It’s probably not the job I should have taken since I kind of know that this is how I feel about kids, but it was a great gig to get my visa and Kate is such a great lady. I just hope that I can get over myself to help these kids. Anyone have a suggestion? And don’t say TV because there is none here.

P.S. RIP M.J.

What up in WA!

So the search for a job only lasted two weeks, thank goodness! I’ve got a gig on a farm as I hoped, but will only be spending a month here. As well, I’m playing the role of nanny extraordinaire, taking care of two kiddies, Jack and Asha, as well as keeping the house in shape.

The last two weeks in Perth were really good. I didn’t much play the tourist card this time, opting for long sleep ins and TV time. It was nice to just kick back for a bit. I did get to do some fun stuff however; Amanda and I went sand boarding last week in a town called Lancelin. It’s renowned for its vast expanse of sand dunes great for 4-wheel driving, or like Amanda and I experienced, bogging you car and then spending an hour trying to dig it out. We rented our boards from a café/convenience store/hardware store (that’s how small this town was) and drove up to the dunes. One board was like a skateboard with straps to put your feet in and ride like a snowboard; the other was exactly like a snowboard but was meant to sit on. Unfortunately the thing about dunes is that there are no chairlifts and we had to walk up every time we went down. We tried the boards every which way, but I found the best was standing on the sit down board; if only snow boarding were as easy as that. Amanda and I got a little cocky and built a jump which she successfully got some air off of; I did not! I recommend that if anyone gets the chance, do some sand boarding- even though I’m still emptying sand from my sweater pockets!

Another adventure was down to a town called Kallamunda which is said to have a history with extra terrestrials and ghosts. We went to a great new age bookstore where I met a fellow Canadian who has been living here for 7 years or so.

The rest of my time was spent listening to a few great musicians bang their drums, tickle their keys and strum their guitars…Amanda and Scott are musicians who teach and jam at the house!

Yesterday I left Perth on a bus to a small town called Kojonup. I was picked up by Kate, the mom and owner of an byodynamic egg farm. We ran some errands in town before heading back to her farm which is about half an hour away from the town. On the way, we rescued (kidnapped) a lamb that was running wild and had no mother. Kate told me that if we didn’t do something that the lamb would probably die. So I sacrificed my jacket and held little Lambington in my lap the whole way home. Today was my first official day on the job…but it really doesn’t feel like a job at all. Kate had to go into town to pick up another girl and took the kids with her leaving me here to mind the house. I spent all day just cleaning and doing laundry…reminiscent of my days at Lakair- not to mention it smells like Lakair here too making it hard to remember that I’m in Australia still. It’s such a warm and inviting home and I know I’ll be getting along just fine.