The sitter search

The search for a proper sitter is always anxiety producing for me. After all, you are trusting a complete stranger with the three most precious things you have ever produced as a person. And truly, the way you choose them seems so haphazard. They can be ruled out by bad hair and unkempt clothing - if they can't keep themselves tidy, how can they possibly keep your brood orderly? It may seem like I am picky, but we went endured a rather nightmarish nanny search of our own prior to the twins' arrival. 

We were so enthusiastic to start. So optimistic! Expecting a parade of Mary Poppins types to come rushing through the door eager to care for our children. Oh, how naive we were.  Oh, how naive. First of all, the ones that applied for the position and instantly made our hearts swell, having us at hello; we had to say goodbye when we saw what they were asking for per hour. Needless to say, when childcare is going to cost more than a mortgage payment we can stop playing the theme from Jerry  Maguire because Mama isn't working solely to pay the nanny. 

The ones we ended up bringing in to interview. Oy. One wanted to bring her child daily - okay. Sure. Built in playmate for our two year old! Instant socialization! Playgroups everyday! Instant we got instant hatred from her child for our two year old until the moment it was time to leave our house post interview. And all she could do was discuss the activities her child liked to participate in. I wondered whose child she would actually spend the day watching and how would two helpless newborns fare?  The second candidate sat us down and interviewed us. That's not so bad, per se, except for the parenting lecture we got and how we were informed no less than three times about the parenting class she taught on the side. I felt like I was watching an informercial for the early version of Oxiclean before it went mainstream. She clearly overlooked the happy, healthy two year old who sat playing before her. 

In the end, no nanny for us after a long line of disappointing candidates. The Mary Poppins dream died. Our children attend a combined preschool/daycare that the two year old asks to go to daily and participates in things like reading contests. We did end up finding a lovely occasional sitter. A bored Capitol Hill staffer that loves kids. She showed up one day in a sassy trench looking very Mary Poppins. My dream awoke and my two year old loves her. We are terrified of the day she'll realize she's actually babysitting our kids and stop in the name of her day job.  

Last night, we interviewed for a mother's helper to assist us over the next two months, three days a week during the busiest times of the day. We were scared and optimistic all at the same time of starting the process over again, flashing back to the nanny dilemma. Until Mary Poppins showed up, ready and able to start on Monday.