Day 5 of Nanny Cara on the job

 Friday, December 9th

• 6:45 a.m. – The Kid and I have settled into a routine. In the mornings, I drink coffee while she makes her lunch and breakfast, and we talk. Today, I quizzed her again for her test. I'm also driving her to school without her input. I feel confident I know my way now. 

• 7:54 a.m. – I made it! I'm darn proud of myself. My sense of direction sucks, but I'm learning my way around town and am more familiar with the car. As The Kid gathers her stuff, I throw test questions at her.

• 2:45 p.m. – I'm not sure how the day goes by so fast. I'm not doing anything like I said I would. I've not exercised. I've done little writing. I blame the fact I forgot my knee brace and exercise clothes. Still, the day flies by. I am picking up The Kid today as she has an after-school appointment.

• 3:56 p.m. – I sat in the car and did work while The Kid is finished with her appointment and needs to get home as her admirers are waiting! We had discussed doing some Christmas shopping, but she needs friend interaction more than life itself. Or maybe she just wants to run amok because I allow this. Does her mother not? I'm beginning to question myself, although I was told the kid hits the rec center daily after school. Am I being played? In my defense, the guidance given by her mother was minimal, and truthfully, The Kid is responsible. What the heck. I drive back and let her head to the rec center again, although I give her a specific time to be home. That's so I can feel in charge! She agrees. See? How can I fault her when she doesn't argue? It is oddly great psychology. I wonder if she learned this from her Uncle. I always end up feeling like an idiot. I need to remember this technique in my home life.

• 5:52 p.m. – The Kid texts, asking if she can be home at 6:15. I didn't see that text because my phone isn't dinging when a text comes through, and I am so busy. That last part was a joke. I'm not sure what I was doing when she texted, but because I didn't answer, she staggered in when I told her to be home. I'm still not paying attention to the time. Her plan tonight is to go to some sporting game at school with Friend CD. They will eat there. 

• 7:30 p.m. – The Kid texts me that she is now at laser tag. Hmm…I'm not sure how to respond to that. What happened to the game? I reply with, "Uh?" She does not answer that, so I go back to watching some show I discovered on Amazon, having learned how to work the TV remote. In my head, I hear the horrified gasps of my children. "You never would have let us do that!"

• 9:01 p.m. – The Kid texts they are on the way home. Because I've locked the door, she has to ring the doorbell. I ask, "Who is it?" She says, "Yo, Mama!" I love The Kid. This is totally my humor! I laugh hilariously and let her in. She gives me a report on the night. Bottom line - these 13-year-olds were running amok! Friend AB joined them at some point, and I asked if her father knew she had ventured from the sporting event to laser tag. He did! I contemplate this turn of events and conclude he was having a rough day when he came to my door. I shall let him have that one mistake.

• 11:00 p.m. – I'm pooped. The Kid is like the Energizer Bunny. She is still going. We have to be up by 9 for the World Cup, with no exceptions, I am told. The Kid is serious about her soccer. There is strewn paperwork all over the kitchen of her lists of players, predictions on the finals, and her favorites. No homework, mind you. While I read, The Kid is on the phone with her admirers. Again, she is hopping from place to place, and I've guessed she wants privacy. I want to tell her that lowering her volume will afford her that, but I really could care less about their conversations. I find it hilarious that she moves if I enter the room where she is talking. Currently, she is in the basement. 

• 11:30 p.m. – The Kid announces she is going to bed. She always says goodnight and tells me she loves me. Maybe I should adopt her and get a do-over in the parenting department. Of course, her mother got her to this point, so perhaps I should focus on where I went wrong. Or, better yet, maybe parents should raise their kids to a certain point and then trade them off for the next phase. I should jot this idea down and think more about it. It could be a social experiment. Or a TV show like the one where couples marry without seeing each other. Ah! I could do this and then write a book! On second thought, I should start a Nanny gig. This is fun. I get to travel, live in a different house, and parent a child differently than I did my own. It gets me out of my boring ho-hum routine. Okay, this is a better idea! I will work on it. 

• Sometime after midnight - The lights are off, and we are enclosed in our rooms. I am going to sleep. I'm not sure about The Kid, but she is safe and all the doors are locked.