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Fleur Tonkin

Interviews, Trials and a Job Offer!!

UNITED KINGDOM | Friday, 13 April 2012 | Views [757]

I booked a hotel for my stay in London this time; it;s cheap and the room is tiny, but it's clean, I have an en suite, mini fridge, breakfast is included, and it's close to buses and the tube.


I arrived back in London on Monday morning, and thus far, only had a trial booked for Tuesday. By 9:30am on Tuesday I had two trials and an interview booked for that day and another interview booked for Wednesday!


My first trial was for the family in Ealing Broadway with one 8 month old boy. I was there for 3 hours and in that time, I played with him, fed him lunch and put him down for a sleep, however; I never actually got to put him 'down' for his sleep, because the only way his parents put him to sleep is by letting him fall asleep while they hold him, and then trying to transfer him into the cot. I tried to put him into the cot 5 times, and every time he woke up and started crying. The end result was that I stood, holding him for 50 minutes! I can't even imagine what it will be like when his parents have another child! Aside from that though, he was gorgeous. The house is nice, and his parents are really lovely. They said that they had one more person to interview, but that they really liked e, and would contact me on Thursday.


From there I rushed off to my second trial of the day, got lost, asked for directions, got directed to the wrong road, caught a bus back to where I'd started , met a nice Irish lady who gave me the correct directions, and eventually got to the house 45 minutes late! Luckily the family were very understanding. This trial was for the family of the lady I'd had the interview with last Thursday (Sukhi). The kids were having tea, but the 18 month old was not eating his meal, so mum got up and made him a second (and then a third) one! The five year old played with his food and his fork through out the meal, and his parents were quite happily letting both children draw and play with toys while they were supposed to be eating!!! To me, one of the most important things about working with a family is that the parents have the same rules and expectations of the children as I do, and there is no way I would make 3 meals every night just because the kids changed their minds! Also the 18 month old could not walk, could hardly speak and seemed very detached (I wonder if he also has autism?). Regardless, this was not the family for me.


My final stop of the night was for a family in Chiswick, with two girls; Alyssa, 5, and Lauryn, 3. Their current nanny is leaving to do nursing. The girls were cute if a little over excited, but I got along well with the parents who were very down to earth, and seemed to have all of the same values and expectations that I would have for the children. The eldest girl is at school full time, and the 3 year old will start full time in September. I really like this family – they are definitely my favourite so far!


On Wednesday I had an interview with a family in Dulwich, a lovely green area, but not very close to public transport, and not accessible via the tube. The mother was nice enough, but kept saying how she did not trust her 2 year old son Caspar, with her 4 month old son Xavier, and that when Caspar had been born she had not liked or wanted him! I also got a strange vibe being there – another job to cross off the list.


Later that afternoon I had a phone call from one of the agencies saying that the family in Chiswick really liked me and would like me to come for a trial on Friday 13th. I started the trial at 10am and at 1pm the parents asked me if I would like the job! I said YES :) I will be moving in on the 5/6th May, doing a weeks' hand over with the current nanny and then it's all down to me! :)

 
 

 

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