The Greatest Summer of Our (Post-Kid) Lives

For many of you, today is the first official day of summer. School’s out! The sun’s out! The pool’s open! And you’re — still at work, just like always.

Now is when most working parents begin the summertime scramble. Whether it’s a hodgepodge of summer camps, daycare as usual, Grandma on call, or summer sitter situation, you’ve got to change up your schedule and rejuggle your many plates.

When I got back into the full-time office game two months ago, I was anticipating swapping school dropoffs/pickups for sitter dropoffs/pickups. Our longtime sitter, Karen, had kindly volunteered long ago to be our summer sitter even after we decided to send both kids to their Montessori school. She rocks, and it’s a mutual lovefest, so we felt good about our prospects for the season.

Then, a few weeks ago, I saw a sign up at school. Our kids’ beloved Montessori teacher, Miss Monica, was looking for a full-time summer nanny job. As I dropped James off in his classroom, I pulled her aside and expressed interest. Both kids totally adore her.

And the very idea of not having to get the kids up, dressed, fed, and dropped off every morning before making my way to work each morning? Quite tempting.

The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. In addition to a summer blissfully free from dropoffs and pickups, having a nanny would mean:

• The kids could go to swimming lessons and our community pool during weekdays (did I mention Monica is a swim instructor?)
• The kids could continue doing Montessori-like “works” throughout the summer (because she’s a Montessori teacher and all).
• The kids could continue learning Spanish (oh yeah, she’s bilingual, too).
• The kids could hang out with their neighborhood friends and do playdates with kids from school.
• When James naps in the afternoons and Hubs is home (which he often is in the afternoon), Monica could take Cassie out for 1-on-1 activities.
• Weekly date nights for me and Hubs (!!!) – Monica could do one “late” day a week so we could go out after work together.

Never before had I considered just how amazing this whole nanny thing would be.

THEN I found out we weren’t the only parents anxious to hire Miss Monica. It was a major competition for this fabulous lady of many talents! All I could do was offer as much as I could afford to pay (a little more than our kids’ monthly school tuition) and assure her that we would be super grateful for her service.

Well, you might have guessed it already — Monica picked us. We felt like we won the Super-Nanny Lottery. Everyone did the Happy Dance, especially Cassie (James is too young and while he loves “Minnika” as he calls her, he didn’t really get it).

Today was her first day on the job. Can I tell you how much I am looking forward to this summer of 2012? Leaving early for work, exercising in the office gym, leaving work early — and then having the whole evening to spend with the kids. I’m thrilled to pieces, and I know that no one will appreciate my true-life summer-nanny tale as much as you.