Greetings! I need advice. I'm a month into nannying our first grandson, he is 3 months old, our daughter and son-in-law little boy. I signed up for it, said I would do it, and love him to pieces. No clue how exhausting it would be. I clean and do laundry for them too, and she will leave me a list of things that need to be done. I start at 7:30am, end at the minimum 6:30pm. They are appreciative, pay my monthly health insurance at $250 a month, and at least my daughter expresses thanks, the son-in-law, is very judgmental and just plain odd, but maybe he has issues since his mom is 3 hours away and is distant emotionally as well. Ok, I'm on a nanny cam while I babysit, watched the entire time. She will take screenshots and send them to the entire family. And, just as soon as I get baby boy to sleep I hear "HI, I want to see him!". So, then he is awake, and the day goes on and on like this. No schedule or break because of the random check-ins. And she is constantly on the cam at work, she checked if my husband tested the temperature of the milk on his wrist while I was at a doctor's appointment, so it makes me feel like she thinks we have no clue what we are doing. I just feel very scrutinized. We have four grown adult children who all survived our child rearing, so it is kind of insulting. We love children and all that it entails. It was always kind of a joke that I was a baby whisperer. If there was one thing I could do it was take care of a baby. No, I'm not up on all the latest gadgets, etc. But you get one-on-one care with hugs and kisses and a sense of responsibility that you won't get if you outsource. That said, she sent me a message with a screen shot of a forum conversation of how much a sitter costs, telling me, "see how much money you save us!". I felt like, ok...glad I save you money, too bad I'm not up to your standards, at least I'm better than having to pay out. I couldn't figure out the straps on the car seat once, and oh the eye rolling. They wanted me to go to their church with them, he comes from a (for show) religious family, and is all into proper formality, so I did once, they said I could go again but they would have to ask permission from the pastor (?). So, I just feel so awkward and less-than. I've been sitting overnight when he travels, works late, etc. Sitting for Christmas parties, after work business dinners, and now was asked at 9pm last night if I could sit again today, on weekend, so he could go watch football with his buddies, and my daughter could work. My main concern is that I'm so exhausted (I've had a migraine since Friday, and they know it, I missed my son's 40th birthday party last night, but they still ask for me to sit), but I'm so exhausted in general that I don't enjoy my grandson, which is why I signed up for this, to spend the time with him, that I didn't with my own kids. But I didn't say 24/7, it is kind of ruining it. I thought that it would be easier if he lived here and they just pick him up once in a while! I don't want to get so burned out that I don't enjoy him, as I won't get these years back, but I feel they are taking advantage of me. I've never been good at saying no, and I think they know that, and my daughter will push to get as far as she can. I'm going to ask they he comes to my house two days a week so at least I can catch up on things at home and not be on camera while I eat my lunch. I know the eyes will roll. Thanks for letting me vent. I have no one to talk to, my husband is a blabbermouth, and pretty clueless anyway. I want to enjoy these years, and have my grandson remember me as the one who took care of him, but quite frankly, I'm worried I'll fall asleep driving some days. I'm sorry for the long vent, but it is a weight off my shoulders to hopefully get some advice. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!
