Guest Blog : Sophie's Day

Welcome to our guest blog series of insights from governesses and nannies on stations sharing some of their outback station world.  

This story was written as part of a tongue in cheek series for the SA governess groups magazine the Govo Grapevine in 2003.  

*** GUEST BLOG  ***

SOPHIE'S DAY

This is just a quick insight on my day to day life. Some days are a little different that others but this is pretty much it for a weekday Hope it gives you a bit more info as to what goes on. I tutor a yr 6 boy 2 year 4 boys and a yr 2 girl.

5:00am Alarm goes off... wish I didn't have to get up yet......moon is still up.

5:15am Get up and turn music on and head for the shower maybe even a quick dip in the pool

5:30am I'm awake now... put on the washing on and a quick tidy up of my house

6:00am Turn the computer on and check emails while cooking a bit of breakfast, wash dishes

6:45am find all on air requirements for the day

7am hang washing out, water plants

7:15am head over to the main house say good morning and help out a bit with the kids brekki

7:25am round the kids up and head back over to my house to the school room.

7:30am School begins... we all try to get out our things and settle down for the morning.

8:30am Jesse's on air lesson

9:00am Riley's on air lesson

9:30am Macey's on air lesson (our phone is pretty choked in the morning)

10:00am Smoko at last... its been a while since brekki. Head over to the main house and russtle up some smoko for everyone.

10:30am back to school continue with our work. Calem's German lesson

11:00am Jesse's reading lesson

11:45am Calem's on air lesson

1:00pm Lunch time. Head over to the main house to make the kids and me some lunch.

1:30pm kids head outside to play, I clean up from lunch and go out and watch the kids playing

2:00pm School time again. Getting the last of everything done for the day. Macey's reading lesson also.

3:30pm time to pack the papers and books away and take out a reader for quite reading time for half an hour.

4:00pm school's out! quickly give the school room a sweep and a wipe down.

4:15pm head over to the main house to make some afternoon smoko for me and the kids.

4:30pm head outside to watch the kids play, or have a swim with them in the pool or take them for a drive on the property or a ride on
the horses.

5:30pm kids come in and just play in the yard or watch a bit of T.V, I make a start on dinner.

6:00pm kids do their jobs for the day. ( feed the chooks, cat and dog etc.)

6:15pm kids come in and have a bath and do their homework before dinner.

7:00pm my bosses usually get home about this time.

7:30pm Get kids up at the table and serve up the dinner.

8:00pm everybody is finished eating. Send kids off to clean their teeth and get ready for bed. Clean up mess from dinner stack the
dish washer.

8:15pm say goodnight to the kids and my bosses and head over tom my house. Work is finished for the day!

8:30pm turn on the T.V and watch something while I go through and correct the kids work from the day.

9:30 quickly check emails and might call family or friends from home.

10:00pm have a shower and head to bed!

Guest Blog : Allira's Day

Welcome to our guest blog series of insights from governesses and nannies on stations sharing some of their outback station world.  

This story was written as part of a tongue in cheek series for the SA governess groups magazine the Govo Grapevine in 2003.  

*** GUEST BLOG  ***

Allira's Day

2002

When I was a govo my day was a bit different

6:45 wake up, have shower

7 head over to the house for breakfast and coffee with family and other staff

7:30 back in school room organise stuff for the day

8:30 kids start sport

9 school day starts

both my kids had Centra lessons with their class teachers and Spanish teacher.

10:30 smoko

11 back inside

1pm lunch

2 back in

we usually had art twice a week which I always did in the afternoon.

I finished at 3:30,

cleaned the school room, did my own cleaning and washing, checked emails, cleaned up after the pet sheep. my kids mum was always there so I didn't have to watch them after school unless she was away or busy.

all govo positions are different, some bosses expect you to be with the kids all day and others just while school is on, hope that helps

Dictionary

OUTBACK AUSTRALIA DICTIONARY
Taking a job in the bush means you will be learning the lingo.  

What words or phrases have you heard that have confused you?

Updated: 25 November 2013

Town 
The local town which could have anywhere between 2 and 20,000 people. Usually it is the nearest shopping supermarket but is not always the closest point.

The Order

Groceries that are needed at the station.  Can involve several hours and several trollies.

Station or property
Refers to the place you live

Smoko

Morning or afternoon break... in the bush it often involves yummy baked goods and tea or coffee. It rarely means smoking a cigarette.

Dinner 

Means lunch sometimes not tea but this is flexible and can change depending on area and state.

Next door or just down the road

Could be 10 metres or 100km away

Tank and Dam

In different areas of Australia these change meaning but from where I come from a large man made hole in the ground that holds water at a low point in the paddock is a DAM.  A TANK or a cement, poly or steel container that holds water.

Turkey's Nest 
A dirt tank used to hold water to run into a trough to water livestock

Poly
Poly is a plastic type of tubing that water runs through from one tank to another.

Huts or Quarters

Where workers stay when working on a property.

Killer

Livestock for the purpose of eating on the station.  Often held in a paddock with the best feed.

Cocky
Someone who grows crops but different states have different rules for this word.

Swag
A canvas tarp with a mattress in the middle used as a bed when camping.  It is then rolled up to travel or store.

Drafting
Sorting animals into different groups

Mustering
Gathering livestock into the yards

Weaners
Livestock between in their teenage years.  The are ready to be taken from their mothers.  Weaners need to be educated about becoming an adult.

Poddy
Livestock which has been orphaned 

Branding
Marking the calves with identifying marks and castrating the male calves

Cattle 

What a group of cows, calves, steers, heifers and bulls are referred to as.

Calf 
Baby cow

Steers

Male cattle that have 

Cows

Female cattle

Heifers

Young female cows

Rams
Male sheep sheep

Ewes
Female adult sheep

Lambs
Baby sheep

Wethers
Male adult sheep that have been castrated

Lambmarking
Like branding but the sheep version... earmarking lambs with identifying marks and castrating male lambs

Shearing
Take the wool off sheep 

Crutching
Taking the wool around the backside off the sheep.  It happens between shearing from one year to the next.

Guest Blog 3: 'Chasing Cows' and 'Wrangling Kids' Part 2

BEING A NANNY OR GOVIE 

A govie has many hats; teacher, friend, big sister, entertainer, distractor, mediator, conspirator, instigator, confidant, voice of reason, cook, cleaner, fixer, inventor, bulldust artist, spoilsport. Sometimes we wear more than one hat at a time.

For me I can divide moments roughly into 3 categories: 

                                                                1. Fun and rewarding 

                                                                2. Frustrating but funny 

                                                                3. Plain frustrating

Plain Frustrating

Plain frustrating is internet problems during air lessons. It is trying to explain to Master 5 why ‘unicorn’ starts with ‘u’ but ‘yawn’ doesn’t. It is trying to explain why ‘to’ is spelt 3 different ways. It is a battle of wills that results in one sentence written in 45 minutes for daily writing. It is when Miss 3 and Miss 2 destroy/scribble on Master 5’s work he just put a lot of effort into. It is when the kids bicker all day and tears are never very far from the surface.

Frustrating But Funny

Frustrating but funny is when at the start of the year Master 6 throws pencils at the wall rather than write. It is when you suggest we do something and Master 6 gives you a serious little face and comes out with “Let’s not and say we did” quick as a flash. It is when Dad tells your partner the schoolroom sounds a bit like Kevin Wilson’s ‘This kid he swears a bit’ song. It’s when paint ends up everywhere twice in a row or Miss 3 drops the whole container of beads on the floor not once but three times. It’s when Master 6 sings the days of the months and leaves out ‘October’ for 3 weeks straight. It’s when Miss 2 gets the full carton of eggs out of the fridge when you’re doing washing and runs through the house with them.

Fun And Rewarding

The fun and rewarding bit is the best and far outweighs the frustrating bits. It’s a little hand clasped in yours as you go for a walk. It’s a toddler hugging your hip with a hand firmly clutching the front of your shirt. It’s lots of paint, bubbles, glitter, playdough, water fights, eating cookie dough, and making mud pies. It’s when Master 6 trots off the lead on his pony for the first time. It’s the big smiles and hugs you get every morning when you walk inside. It’s when they baby cries whenever you walk out the door. It’s the letter or drawing or flower Miss 3 gives you on Monday morning. It’s when your cuddles have the power to dry tears over a grazed knee or squished fingers. It’s when Miss 2, who is just starting to talk says “Me want come you” when you say goodbye in the afternoon. It’s when Master 6 writes ‘a’ with the right letter formation or ‘was’ correctly not as ‘wos’. It’s when Master 5 writes ‘b’ or ‘2’ correctly with no letter reversal. It’s when the same little boy who used to throw pencils at the wall writes a cute Xmas story. ‘My name is Alfie the elf. I work for Mr and Mrs Santa Claus. Mr Santa is fat, funny and laughs a lot. Mrs Santa makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever. Sometimes the reindeer bite my fingers. The end.’

  

ADVICE FOR ANYONE THINKING ABOUT BEING A GOVIE OR NANNY ON A STATION

Go for it! Being a part of this amazing, hardworking, beautiful lifestyle and typically; tough, caring, funny, smart, resourceful kid’s lives is an amazing, rewarding experience I believe is unforgettable.

Before settling on a position learn about the kids likes, dislikes and personalities and get a feel for the parents values and philosophies on bringing up their kids. Make sure you discuss what your responsibilities are before taking the job. Discuss salary but remember extras like food, board and internet add up. If any of this doesn’t suit you keep looking. There are so many different job descriptions in the ‘Govie/Nanny’ category you will find something that does suit. Being upfront for a start is better for everyone; you, the kids and parents.

Be prepared to be flexible, to think on your feet, to think outside the square. Research the random questions you don’t know the answer too. Ask all the questions you think of no matter how silly you think they may be. Try everything that is thrown at you inside and outside the schoolroom. Don’t be afraid to get dirty. Wear boots and a hat and always take a big water bottle. Take lots of things to do when you have finished work and everyone else is still flat out, like movies/books/music.

Have fun and good luck!

Shorna

www.governessaustralia.com 

Welcome to our guest blog series of insights from governesses and nannies on stations sharing some of their outback station world.  

This is PART 2 of Shorna's Story 'Chasing Cows' and 'Wrangling Kids'.