Good Bye, Our Live in Nanny

We don’t have a live in nanny Xiong ayi anymore. I let her go on last Friday after one week. Xiong ayi was nice but she wasn’t good enough for Akiva. He forgot all his Chinese. I realized someone livable may not be the best for kids. When Xiong ayi lived with us, she focused on Kenaz, because she thought he is easy to take care of. She held him all the time that made Akiva kind of jealous. Akiva kept teased Kenaz. She tried to interact with Akiva, but she didn’t know how. Last Thursday Akiva’s local friend Tian Tian and his mom Wong Ming in our neighbor showed up in our door at 8 am. They brought pancakes. It was their excuse to come and play with Akiva (they are always welcome but sometimes they showed up too early morning or tool late at night without appointment). It was very hot out side. They stayed at our house all day. I observed how Xiong ayi plays with two boys. She didn’t really play with them. One time they fought over one toy. She had no clue to chill them off. Akiva and Tian Tian are not wild. They listen to what adults say most the time. I found Akiva is very easy now because he understands. Xiong ayi couldn’t talk to them the way kids understand. My doubt about her was getting bigger. I know she needs time. However I was afraid she may take longer. She told me she is always slow. Wong Ming and I told her speed is very important especially when we are around kids. She said being slow is a part of her personality.

That night after dinner I told our live in nanny to go out for shopping with Akiva. I actually went to visit Wang Ming to ask her opinion about her. Wang Ming felt the same way I felt. Xiong ayi doesn’t know how to take care of kids. Since her reaction is slow she may take longer to learn and adjust to everything. At the end she told me if she were me, she wouldn’t hire her.

Next morning I let her go. She moved out. Now she is temporary living with Chinese family for one week to help out her friend who is their cleaning lady and had to go back to her home town. Xiong ayi’s most stuff is still in our house. She visits us every other day to either pick up her stuffs or kills her time.

Meanwhile we asked our original nanny Zhu ayi to come back. She was amazed how Akiva forgot all his Chinese and how I got skinnier for a week (I had to train Xiong ayi. I had less time to eat and rest. Plus her food was less oily). Zhu ayi is still best for Akiva and Kenaz. She knows how to play with Akiva while she takes care of Kenaz. She laughs out loud when Akiva does some thing funny and naughty. She constantly talks to him clearly and repeatedly. Yet she is not necessary best for me. She never listens to me. She is loud and very opinionated.