Bree Feeling Poorly

I got to work real early on Monday because Bree’s parents had to get to work earlier than usual. She was still in bed and I was told that she didn’t sleep very well overnight and to let her sleep in if she wanted to. She got up just after they left and for the rest of the morning, she behaved as normal. We made a sheep before lunch and went to nap as usual afterwards. Then when it was time to get her up, it took a tad longer than other days. Before this year’s arrangement, Bree was allowed to sleep longer if needed but because we now spend the afternoons over at Stella’s, I have to get the little girl ready when nap time is up. She looked tired, red and hot. I took her temperature and then informed her mum via the phone. She gave the go ahead for a dose of children’s Panadol. As an extra precaution, I took the Panadol and thermometer with us for our short trip to Stella’s. Bree dozed all the way there.

The Panadol worked and she was fine again. She wasn’t 100% though. She preferred to play in the living room. I tried my best keeping Stella away. From the dining table, she read her reader aloud to me. That was done in minutes because again she was given something too easy. After that, she spent quite a long time drawing and making cards for her friends. Bree just played quietly next to me. I took her temperature again and watched to see if she was pulling her ears. There was no runny nose.

When I arrived for work on Tuesday, both parents looked exhausted. That was a clear sign that Bree didn’t sleep well again and this time I was told that she had a temperature and her ears hurt. Before her mum left, she tried to make a doctor’s appointment. The only available spot at the time was for 2:30 pm and that is usually when I get her up from nap and prepare her for the trip to Stella’s. The receptionist promised to call back if someone cancels their appointment. Bree was to be seen by a different doctor because hers doesn’t work at this location on a Tuesday. Then I had an idea and after consulting Bree’s mum via the phone, I called the clinic again to see if Doctor W would be there that day and whether she could see Bree. Doctor W is another doctor at the same practice. I babysat her kids when they were young. I could hear the receptionist talking to Doctor W and when she got back to the phone, I asked her to say hello for me. (How unprofessional, huh?) Again the receptionist politely told me that the appointment at 2:30 pm was still available and that they will call us if there was going to be an opening earlier. At 10:00 am, the receptionist called back and then transferred me over to Doctor W. She told me that she was able to fit Bree into her schedule if we can pop over at 10:45 am. I got the permission from Bree’s mum and set off on foot with the toddler right away. The clinic is on the same street, a block away.

Doctor W was very accommodating. She had Bree’s mum on speaker phone when she was doing the check up so she was kept informed even though she wasn’t there physically. Once she finished the checking up and hung up the phone, she asked about me and talked about her teenagers (yes, her tweens are now in their mid to late teens!). I have always enjoyed working for her family. While some people may not like her no nonsense approach, I found out long ago that she is truly a caring person. The same can also be said of her husband too. They are genuinely nice people.

The antibiotics really knocked out little Bree. I was advised to keep her warm and let her rest. Because Bree was not well, our contingency plan was put into action. Stella’s mum agreed to drive Stella to Bree’s home after school. Normally, Stella’s mum would have opted to stay home with Stella or take the Supergirl with her to the office but she was too busy for either option this time. Again, I tried my best to segregate the two. It was quite easy because Bree slept for most of the time when Stella was there.

Tuesday’s lunch was Bree’s last proper meal. Her appetite was poor after that. All she wanted for days was porridge with a drizzle of honey for lunch, but she hardly ate any when it was presented to her. She did however take a liking to the mini bottles of Yakult that her father bought, and was only allowed one per day. She is slowly on the mend. For dinner on Friday she ate a very small portion of vegetable risotto. Another appointment has already been made for Tuesday. This time, Bree’s mum insisted on taking her little one there herself. She was embarrassed for asking me to take Bree there and felt totally guilty. She also wanted to meet Doctor W.

Knowing another doctor from the same practice is helpful when patients are unable to see their preferred doctor. I was introduced to Doctor W when I was still at my first job as a nanny looking after 3 boisterous English boys. She was their family doctor and friend. After the family left the country, I occasionally babysat Doctor W’s children until they were just too old to have a babysitter. LOL. The children were already 9,10 & 11 when I started. Later when I was looking after two French girls, I made the same arrangement for the older girl to see Doctor W when her preferred doctor was away on a holiday. This was made with the consent of the girl’s parents of course and they were elated that I was able to make an appointment. Coincidentally, the French girls shared the same doctor as Bree.

Less Play Dates with Lachlan

Stella and Bree do not play with Lachlan as often as they used to. The old arrangement was to meet up on every Thursday afternoon. This wasn’t the case at the beginning of the year when Lachlan was being cared for by multiple nannies. Playing with Lachlan became sporadic from then on. Around the time I stopped blogging in early April, Lachlan acquired a new permanent nanny. The nanny I knew has moved on to another job now. I do not know the full story. Lachlan’s mum told me that the nanny went overseas. Replacing her is a younger nanny of around my age. I have met her a few times. She seems alright. She told me not to wait up for Lachlan and her because she finds the distance to the big park a bit too much and may not make it there every week. She spoke highly about this other little park near Lachlan’s house. I know that playground and it is definitely boring for children who need a wider space to run around. Stella misses Lachlan every now and then. Even Bree asks for him! She would ask if we would see Lachlan when we are on our way to the park. So, while Stella still talks fondly of things she and Lachlan did and do, I don’t think she is missing out much. The new friendships she has formed at school are keeping her quite busy. She probably won’t need a nanny for much longer.

The New Gang of Four

Stella ‘discovered’ another child in her class at the end of Term 1. It turned out that this child is also already reading like Stella. On some mornings, the two were given separate literacy activities from the rest of the class and were encouraged to work together. Occasionally, another two children joined the pair for extra maths work. This was how the Gang of Four came to be. They get along very well and I think that’s because they communicate on the same wavelength. The four children aren’t always allowed to team up together for other class activities. I suspect that the teacher wishes to see them interacting with the rest of their classmates as well. From what I have heard, I gather that the parents also get on well. I personally think that these parents have one major thing in common. They all share a deep love and commitment to help their children learn and grow. The parents organize regular play dates for the children so they can meet up after school. On one such occasion, Stella had a ball riding her first flying fox independently from one fort to another. The parents are currently planning to take the four to the Melbourne Museum to see a rare exhibition on dinosaurs. Everyone seems to think that the school holidays would be perfect but everyone is also going away for part of the holidays. I hope they end up going because from what I heard, the ‘Hatching the Past – Dinosaur Eggs + Babies’ exhibition is well worth it. Cameron and I will be going. I did state that we are both young at heart but you don’t have to be young to love dinosaurs. These magnificent creatures are part of the story of life on Earth and every one should learn about them to know more about who we really are. History, including prehistory is important for us to know about our origin. I sense that I am getting sidetracked and should therefore end this post now. LOL.

My Blog's First Birthday!

OMG! My blog turned one yesterday! I can't believe that I have kept it up for 12 months already. I wonder how much longer I will go on. I didn't miss it all that much when I took a break recently. Now that I am recovering from my recent ordeals, I will put in more effort to blog at least twice a week. Fingers crossed.

Update on Bree

Bree is now totally nappy-free. Yes, she is not even wearing nappies overnight. I can’t even remember when she last had an accident. She goes to the toilet independently before bed and when the adults go to bed later, they wake her up again to use the toilet. Easy immediate access to the potty placed in her bedroom probably contributes as well to her success. Her mum is very proud of her. Every time she brings groceries home, she talks about not having to buy nappies. When a family friend brought up the topic of pull-ups (disposable nappies for toddlers or older children) the other day, she realised that her little Bree skipped using them altogether.
In the time that I stopped blogging temporarily, Bree’s parents received 3 letters of acceptance from 3 Kindergarten & ELCs. This is for Bree to attend a 3 yr old Kindergarten programme next year. Her parents were very happy with the news but have yet to decide which offer to accept. Bree’s mum would like to visit the schools again. Instead of just touring the facilities once again, I suggested that she should observe the classroom in progress and to see how the teachers and assistants interact with the children. During each of the interview process, Bree and her parents have already met the principal, teacher and assistant from each school but there is no guarantee that the people they have met will be there when Bree starts Kindergarten early next year. So, they may pick a school because they particularly like the teacher after a round of observations but she may quit due to family commitments before the new school year and another teacher may be hired to replace her. Seeing that Stella’s parents were not happy with the Supergirl’s schooling, Bree’s parents are being especially careful with their final selection.

I am looking forward to next month. I will have a bit of a break when the family goes away to Mt Buller. Bree’s father bought a brand new toboggan for her last week and she has been dragging it out to the backyard to give her toys free rides. It doesn’t snow here in Melbourne. So, she was just dragging the toboggan on grass and at the same time, breaking in her new gumboots. These gumboots are made for cold weather. They have removable insulated liners. I think they are still a tad too big because she keeps tripping over. Winter started on the first day of June and the official ski season started last weekend but apparently there is hardly any snow. Hopefully there will be a big dump of the white stuff by the time the family gets there for Christmas in July. Aren’t Aussie kids lucky to celebrate two Christmases in one year?

The Downs and Up of Stella’s Birthday Party

The Supergirl is officially 5 years old. She has been 5 since the end of April. It is very important for Stella to be 5. She told me that she is finally the same age as her class mates. Being 5 is important in playground politics. While she thought that she had caught up with the others, I refrained from telling her that most children in her class are likely to turn 6 later in the year. In fact, a few had already turned 6! Children can be cruel. Many learn early on how to spot differences or ‘weaknesses’ to use as excuses when the need arises to exclude or bully someone.

After attending a few birthday parties earlier this year, Stella’s mum toyed with the idea of ‘outsourcing’ Stella’s 5th birthday party. Stella’s mum wanted a party with pony rides but Stella (almost half-heartedly) wished for a fairy to visit her party. I still wonder why she picked the fairy. Fairies seem to play a big part in many childhoods but Stella has never been really fond of them. After making phone enquiries and discussing the matter as a family, they all decided to throw another arts and crafts theme party just like when Stella turned 3 and 4, except that the guest list was different this time. Most of the foods were ‘outsourced’ because Stella’s mum had to entertain the children and lead the activities. Unlike most fathers (I know) who mysteriously have to work on the day of the party, Stella’s dad was in charge of drinks for both the adults and the kids. A family friend made the party food and the cake was specially ordered from a bakery. The family friend made most of the party foods for the previous two years as well. The lady made them from her home to bring in more income. Where was the nanny? I didn’t attend the party. I never play a part in almost all of my charges’ parties. Such gatherings are a time for the children to interact with their parents and guests.

In the years of looking after children from ‘better off’ families, I have observed the extent that parents will go to throw a party to outdo a previous party they have attended. It is like the Olympics. The children that attended Stella’s party this year were her classmates plus Bree, Lachlan and another little family friend. Like her, they must have attended quite a few wonderfully expensive parties since entering the world only just a few years ago. Despite being the tender ages of 5 or 6, the ‘partygoers with experience’ were capable of rating parties out loud. While we should all take pride in children who speak confidently in public, it is quite unacceptable when they speak rudely. Adults who are not such children’s carers have to bite their tongue and pray that the carers (e.g. parents) will handle the matter when they have the privacy to do so. It is quite shocking though that many adults just let this sort of behaviour go on; ignoring what was happening and hoping that it will go away without offering any form of guidance ASAP. Please do not misunderstand me. I am not calling for carers to smack or scold offending children right away.

Seeing that I am getting side-tracked as usual, I better get back to the negative side of Stella’s party. Among the children that attended the party, 5 were unsatisfied. 4 of the 5 usually play as a group at school. The 4 girls are like the ‘Pink Ladies’ in the class. The other girl was Bobby. I have mentioned this Bobby in another post. The ‘Pink Ladies’ were supervised only by one mum (parent of one of the 4 girls). Although I wasn’t there, they were what I would have considered to be ‘girly girls’. They were being difficult right from the beginning. As soon as one found out that there won’t be any shows (because no entertainers were hired), they began to talk non-stop about parties they have attended recently. Stella’s dad noticed how they spoke to Stella in a condescending way and I can tell everyone now that he was quite troubled. The ‘Passing Parcel’ game was my idea only because they had invited younger guests like Bree and the other little boy. Lachlan didn’t stay for long because he wasn’t too well. Half way through the ‘Passing Parcel’ game, one of the ‘Pink Ladies’ stood up in a jealous fit and told Stella, “You will get the big toy at the end because you are the birthday girl. It is not fair!” With that she walked off and flatly refused to re-join the ‘baby game’. Stella’s dad told me he was fuming and made sure that his employee’s little boy got to unwrap the last pressie and not Stella. LOL.

With the help of a couple of parents, Stella’s mum led the activity to make finger puppets using felt pieces. The pieces were pre-cut to make it simple for the children to assemble. The idea was to reduce frustration but it didn’t help when some children decided to increase the adults’ frustration levels. Bobby was happy to join in when invited to the activity but before long she had decided against the idea. She interrupted the children when they tried to listen to the instructions, reminding them that “This is not school. This is a party” over and over again. Someone told her that it was OK if she didn’t want to participate and offered her some ‘Monsters Jelly’. Instead of taking up the offer, I was told that she replied, “Nah, I can do what I want.” Then she went over to the ‘Pink Ladies’ who were working quite cooperatively and successfully got them to her side. Together they joined forces and declared that they didn’t need help from adults and will do ‘Whatever’.

Not all was bad at Stella’s birthday party. She had the opportunity to strengthen her emerging friendships with three children. The group only discovered each other towards the end of first term. Today, the four play together everyday. The parents also arrange play dates for the four to get together at each others’ homes regularly. It is wonderful that the parents themselves also get along well. The children are polite and inventive. Stella’s parents talk positively of them. When it comes to Stella’s school experience so far, she is happiest when telling me about these friends. I am truly happy for her. Let’s hope that her parents do not make any hasty decisions by pulling her out of the school at the end of this semester. Just as I will blog more about these 4 little friends on another day, I will also blog more about the dissatisfaction of Stella’s parents over her schooling later.

Open Book Exam

In my opinion, open book exams are more cumbersome than turning up at a certain venue to sit for a proper exam that usually last only a few hours. While the extra time allowed to complete an open book exam is valued, I find that the work is more or less an extra assignment. I am glad that I only have half a question left. Once the answers are emailed back to the University, I will have the time to really reflect on the two sad events that have happened since early April. Hopefully I score well enough to proceed to the next stage even though I am not exactly sure if I want to do another unit this year. If I do choose to exit now, I will still gain myself another piece of ‘paper’ but it isn’t exactly what I originally aimed for.

What Happened To My Alexa Ranking??

Just check out my Alexa Ranking. It is awful! I think I was ranking 11 before I stopped blogging. It wasn't like I was lazy. I wonder what I have to do to bring it down again. How very annoying! Can't stay up any longer to whinge. I have got to go to bed or I won't wake up for work.

Abandoned Again?

This is just a quick post to let everyone know that this blog is not deliberately abandoned. A number of things had happened since I last blogged. I will start blogging again soon. There is so much to share about the girls. That photo of Sir 'Weary' Dunlop should really be taken down. Anzac Day was quite a while ago!