tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6195981924017233582.post6379516463459478766..comments2009-06-25T05:11:04.506-07:00Just ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12838850187617297229noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6195981924017233582.post-35241270987983431572009-06-25T05:11:04.506-07:002009-06-25T05:11:04.506-07:00Jenn, I wish I had been able to follow you through your last two weeks of being able to mesh daily with your beloved nanny family. Now that my schedule has eased up, and I&#39;ve been able to come here and read your posts all in one go, I ache at your grief and am humbled by your courage.<br /><br />I&#39;m glad that at the end you did allow the big dinner out, with gifts. Your passing out of the household is such a milestone for all of you, I think you all needed a ritual to help yourselves acknowledge the impact you have all had on each other, and that regardless of your plans to keep in touch often, your transition from nanny to visiting former nanny is a big change.<br /><br />So many people don&#39;t grasp that we as good nannies necessarily become intertwined with our families...especially with the kids. Kids can&#39;t become secure and grow mentally and emotionally unless they have a trusting and loving rapport with their caregivers...so by &quot;getting too attached&quot; (as many outsiders comment) we are actually responsibly doing our jobs and giving the children the foundation they need to be healthy and happy, and to develop normally. And when the job comes to a natural end, those intertwined tendrils of the loving bond are painful to disengage. It&#39;s a natural hazard of the nanny profession.<br /><br />When others try to tell you you are wrong to grieve the loss of everyday direct involvement with &#39;your children who live with their parents&#39;, see these outsiders for what they are: clueless about what it means to be a nanny. Imagine, if you can, the kind of care given by a person who could leave a job helping to raise children, without feeling loss. I wouldn&#39;t want such a person even near children. Or near me.<br /><br />So be patient with your feelings, and give yourself all the time you need to get through this change. Let the opinions of other about how you &quot;should&quot; be over it slide off your back like a duck.<br /><br />You did a terrific job of taking care of these kids, and of separating from them with trust and love intact.janstclairhttp://janstclair.livejournal.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6195981924017233582.post-20142674584826728692009-06-20T08:14:50.383-07:002009-06-20T08:14:50.383-07:00Congrats Jenn! I can&#39;t wait to the wonderful stories about your next journey and better yet what &quot;your kids&quot; are up too. They were so lucky to have you as part of their lives as your were to be part of their lives.<br /><br />MalletteMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00884801109934501285noreply@blogger.com