Thursday, January 18, 2007

Frustrating Day

Today's just been frustrating. Especially the last half hour. Actually, it hasn't been that hard, it's just been hectic, but then we can have all the great/easy days in the world and one of the kids screws it up and pisses me off in the end. Today it was Sarah. Argh.

Anyway, only half an hour til Frances gets home. Thank god. She went out for dinner tonight. Good for her. Meanwhile, because she's having a lovely dinner out, Jack has had to go to bed 45 mins late, which I'll have to pay for tomorrow. The reason that he went to bed late is that we had to pick Sarah up from gymnastics which ends at 9. The reason she screwed today's ending up was because I'd told her repeatedly when I dropped her off that she needs to be at the car as soon as she's done because Jack needs to be in bed. So what's she doing when we get there? Decides that she has to get a bunch of sheets from the office and they need to be photocopied. I get it, she needed them because it was for her routine or whatever. Fine. But she should have cut out the small talk and said, "Look, I'm so sorry to speed this up, but I've got my nanny and my little brother waiting in the car for me." People understand urgency. They get it. But no, that's not the Sarah thing to do.

So now I'm annoyed at her because I had to go out several times in the snow to remind her to hurry the eff up, and Jack's going to be a grumpy bum in the morning.

Serenity now.

Meanwhile, I had a chat to my LCC today. An LCC is the Local Childcare Coordinator, basically the local Cultural Care rep for the families and au pairs to go to for advice or with problems or whatnot. My LCC, Jennifer, is awesome. She's so good. She told me that they can't do what they did with my holidays and stuff after they'd told me they would give me the two weeks together, and that she'll talk to them about it if I want. I told her not to worry. I'm pretty resigned to the fact that now I won't see the West Coast. I'm not happy about it, but I'm resigned. Besides, if she told them they had to give me the two weeks together then I'm sure the lead-up to my vacation would be difficult to deal with, and also the weeks until I leave. What I think I'll do is leave a week earlier. That means I'll go to Germany May 22nd instead of May 29th. It's that or hang around the house for a week, because why would I want to spend money on a holiday at the end by myself? I'm still frigging pissed though. I'll tell Frances tomorrow the dates that I want to go.

Oh crap - I forgot. I don't know if I'll be allowed to leave that early because my last class is the week before.

OK. Now, I'm really cranky.

4 comments:

Rocket Shop Nanny said...

Howdy Doody,

Sorry to see it has got all frustrating again. This is what I think (I don't know if you want to know, but hey!)...

I think that your LCC is right, you should tell them that you are having the 2 weeks, not one. If you don't, I think you will get angrier and angrier...which makes for a bad (well, worse?) last 5 or so months...

I know I felt better telling my host parents how I felt about certain things they were going to get me to do. I really think you should tell them.

Sarah said...

I'm just worried that it'll make things worse between us for the rest of my time here. I'd prefer it to be just me angry and bitter rather than all of us angry and bitter, and I just think they'd, maybe subconsciously, make it harder for me.

Rocket Shop Nanny said...

i get that...but why make it a bad ending? if they are gonna be arses about it, then leave...there is nothing wrong with changing families

Anonymous said...

well i did think that your llc could help so it's nice that she did offer.anyway, if you are that worried about antagonising the people with whom you are staying, why don't you try a line like: have you thought again about me getting the 2 weeks together because it really would help me to get to the west coast which i dearly would like to see before i leave possibly never to return? try to play on their better nature if they have one. i wouldn't give up so easily and i would try something at regular intervals to see if they can be worn down.
anyway all the best and kind regards
jackie