Do you resent the kids you care for have many more material possessions than you do?
Thanksgiving is the must-be-there time for family reunions and family feasts. Thanksgiving is our only true national holiday, especially if you exclude the Super Bowl. And the holiday is an opportune time for reflection about the nature of thanks and appreciation, wants, and needs, desires versus necessities.
Nannies do not own a home the size of their boss' or posses the goods their employers have in abundance. Indeed, the charges of nannies often have bigger bedrooms and newer, more sophisticated electronics than the nanny. And given the wages and benefits of the nanny the quantity and quality of these acquisitions are more than the nanny is likely ever to achieve.
It would be so easy for a nanny to slip into a feeling of envy. It is so easy to become fixated on jewelry, clothes, computers, and technological belongings. It is not uncommon to covet what you would like, even if you do not need it.
But envy is all-encompassing and debilitating. Envy must be avoided because it causes physical depletion and mental fatigue. Envy saps the body and mind of resources and energy besides being time consuming.
The intellectually and spiritually mature nanny understands that more stuff does not guarantee happiness, serenity, or satisfaction. In fact, the complications and stress from trying to "keep up with the Joneses" tends to impede the search for inner peace. The wise nanny finds joy in helping shape her charges and does not feel a sense of entitlement.
Not feeling a sense of entitlement can hardly be said of our charges. Indeed, many revel in the hubris and advantages exhibited by their parents. Too often, the kids use their parents' status to try to have their way their way with their friends, and, yes, their nanny.
The To-Do for November is to be thankful for the blessings you find in your life, to appreciate the small things you may take for granted, and to celebrate the big things you tend to overlook. And to spread that joy of life to others.
I thank you for your readership and know that I appreciate your comments.
