I agreed to be a live-in nanny over a year ago. I was excited to embark on a new adventure and experience some new things that I maybe wouldn't otherwise. Being a college student, I imagined it would be a perfect opportunity to not live in the dorms, work during the day and take classes in the evening because I was told I would have every night and weekend off with an "occasional" overnight because both parents were traveling.
The people I work for are big-wigs. They have very important jobs. Jobs that occasionally would take them to another state on business, but guarantee me every night and weekend off, great compensation and I'd work for and learn from some very smart business savvy people all while watching an adorable child. For this purpose we will call the child "Francine."
At first things started great! Nights were off. Weekends were off. But during this time I believe we were still feeling each other out. They rarely went out during the evening on weekends, but when they did they always asked if I wanted to babysit and paid me well. Other times they were vacationing some weekends on nice islands or out drinking with friends keeping them away from the house. I'd hang out around the house, occasionally go and meet up with some friends or go explore the new city I was living in.
Then we got comfortable with each other. Soon they were going out every weekend, and only paying me a flat $50 despite going out for 8, 9 or 10 hours where if they hired a babysitter she would receive at least $100 compensation. If they knew I was hanging around the house on the weekend and they wanted to run "errands" they would request I watch Francine and then stay out for several hours without compensation. Then traveling during the week became so much or they would get home so late from work that I couldn't take evening classes.
It has gotten to a point where when the weekend finally arrives, I'm gone from sun up to late in the evening to avoid getting asked to watch a kid that I already watch more than they do. It has gotten to a point when I am asked if I want to babysit on the weekend, I say "no" from the get go. They spend their Saturday evenings drinking heavily, then 9 times out of 10, their Sundays are spent so hungover that they don't spend much time with their child but vegging on the couch trying not to vomit or "sleeping it off." I have not seen Francine in normal clothes, outside of her pajama's on a Sunday in months.
Just a few weeks ago, I did reluctantly agree to stay in because I had a minor cold and wanted to rest while they said they would only be out for a few hours. A few hours went by and Francine woke up twice, so I would calm her down and put her back to bed, each time texting saying "Francie is awake, when are you planning on coming home?" with a quick reply back saying "Soon." Soon didn't come until almost 4 in the morning.
Today I was asked if I wanted to forgo my plans of going out this evening to stay in and watch Francine from 6-10:30 or so but "no later" because they knew I had plans so I could still go out after. I responded saying, "No, I have plans and would like to leave earlier than 10:30, and it seems to be a trend when I babysit you come home later than you say." Thus sparking a bit of an argument and a response saying "One or two key times recently hardly sparks a trend." Nothing that the couple of times I have agreed to watching Francie they've been late by hours with not even a text to say so. At this point, I don't know how to respond or express the frustrations that I've had without burning bridges.
Is there anyone else out there with issue's similar to this? Any advice, hints, or how to deal with this a little easier before my time is up here in just a couple of months?
