Guest Blog: Miss Kathryn's Response

In response to Lee-Anne's script, I've done up a little one of my own- hope you find it interesting.

Miss Kathryn

  In response to your `day in the life of…' Lee-Anne, very amusing and I can totally sympathize with you!!

Day in the Life of Govie at Monkira
Monkira is halfway between Windorah and Bedourie-Sth West Qld

7.30am- Alarm goes off and I contemplate getting straight out of bed…
hmmm, I'll lie here for just a minute or two until my mind unfuzz's

7.55am- Over to the kitchen for brekky and check the emails before
work (no computer or phone in my schoolroom-but staff computer in
the kitchen which is next door). If I chose to get up at 5.50am-6am
(?????WHY!!!!) I could have brekky cooked for me by the station
cook, but that's ok, I treasure my sleep second to hardly anything,
so I'll put up with making my own brekky!

8.30am- Ty (7yo, Grade 2) wanders over (anytime between 8.30am and
9am actually! depending on his mood and how much he has convinced
his Mum and Dad that he doesn't want to go to school!) We start
Language and Math's set lessons until …..

9.30am- Over to the main house to get on the phone for `on air'
lesson with the teacher (this is every morning 9.30am for half hour,
7-8 kids in the class) I have been at Monkira for over a year and
the phone has NEVER been in the schoolroom, oh! But there is TALK of
it getting put in….sometime!! But never fear, it makes for a bit
of `out of schoolroom' time which can be nice.

10.00am- Lesson over, Ty tries to wheedle some play time, sometimes
he gets it if I need to discuss things with his Mum. Also, 9.30am is
usually the rest of the station having smoko, so Ty has his smoko
after his lesson at 10am approx.

10.30- Back into the schoolroom after talking with the Mum and Ty's
elongated smoko break if he's smart enough about it- he's a clever
one!! Back into the Language and Math's set papers, reading,
spelling tests until……..

12.30-Lunch- my favourite time! All the staff are usually in for
lunch unless out mustering or fencing, so we all have a chat/gossip
and at the moment Ty is learning to skip, soooooo, its all on
skipping competition between the head stockman and Ty….IN THE
KITCHEN!!!! All good fun.

1.30pm- Back into the schoolroom, more Language and Math's sets,
skipping practice (!), reading, paining, whatever it is that the
current unit is asking for.

4.00pm- Schools out! Ty is stoked, depending on his behaviour during
the day (or past days) he may earn a surprise from the prize box.

4.15pm- Check emails, study for uni (Teaching Degree), ride
horse….can vary immensely!

7.00pm- Dinner time in the kitchen, Cookie can cook from 7 to 20
people at any one meal time depending on what's going on and who's
around. We all watch Home and Away and comment on all the drama!!
Wash dishes, Ty tries Head stockman on for another skipping
competition

7.30pm- Last time email check for the day, chat to the folks on the
phone if it's Monday…

8.00pm- retire to my quarters (separate to the rest of the staff)
and study, read, go to sleep!!

By Kathryn
Govie
Monkira
2006/2007

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

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'.

Guest Blog 2: 'Chasing Cows' and 'Wrangling Kids' Part 1

INTRODUCING SHORNA:

 

My name’s Shorna and I am 23 years old. I have worked on cattle stations since I finished school in 2007. Originally from Victoria, I am now based around Newman, Western Australia, with my partner. He flies helicopters for aerial mustering and I spend my time ‘chasing cows’ and ‘wrangling kids’ on stations.

How to explain my role as a governess/nanny is difficult. In my experience alone each family’s needs differ so each job to job is very different.

MY FIRST JOB:

My first govie job was for a family with a 6 year old boy in Year 1 and a new baby born during the year I was working there.

My responsibilities were everything to do with the schoolroom which was separate to the house. This included anything from setting up the schoolroom and timetable, opening mail bags, ringing up when we had internet problems, cleaning the schoolroom, organising and sending back work. Master 6 came to school around 7.30 am, went home for smoko and lunch and finished school around 2.30pm. I did my prep and cleaning outside these hours.  I had every weekend and holidays off however a lot of these days I spent doing cattle work for the same station.

Very occasionally I might have Master 6 outside these hours if Mum was in town. Also occasionally I might entertain bub for a short period so Mum could get a few things done. Or do the dishes or hang out washing to help out. This wasn’t in the job description and I never felt as though I had to do it.

Outside school I taught Master 6 to ride on a pony that was floating round the station, sometimes I walked out with him, sometimes I led him off my own horses. By the end of the year he was riding out by himself.

In this job accommodation was a donga with its own bathroom which I shared with my partner; a washing machine shared with 3 other rooms and I ate in the kitchen where meals were provided by the station cook.

MY SECOND JOB: 

My next nanny job was informal. Staying with friends for 3 months over the wet on a station where they are the headstockman and cook I helped out with their girls who were aged 1 and 5. Town was 40 k’s away so Miss 5 was run in and picked up from school daily. Mum and I took turns to do the school run or to stay home with Miss 1 so she didn’t have to be woken up early for the morning run or sit in the car quite as frequently.

I also shared a lot of the housework; cleaning, washing and cooking.

In this instance I was living in their house, using the same bathroom, laundry and kitchen.

Although this was not a formal job for me I have included it as it is a real example of what a nanny job on a station could entitle.  

MY THIRD JOB:

My current job is with a family who have a 5 year old boy who is in Pre-Primary, a 3 year old girl in Playgroup and a 2 year old girl.

The schoolroom is inside the house. My accommodation is a donga room, meals are provided in the kitchen cooked by the station cook except for occasionally smoko and lunch which I eat with the kids if their parents are not in. I have a shared bathroom and laundry with the rest of the station crew. My responsibilities differ from day to day. They can be school of the air, childcare, cooking for the kids or housework related. Sometimes I have 1 kid, sometimes 2 or sometimes all 3. Sometimes I just have Master 5 in the schoolroom by himself until around 10.30am to get his school work done then all 3 float in and out when they feel like it. Sometimes I have 3 all day while Mum goes mustering, or to town or locks herself in her office to do paperwork.

Whether I work weekends and my hours are very flexible. Mostly, but not always I start at 7am and finish anywhere between 3 and 6.30 pm, 5 to 6 days a week. I do all my prep and cleaning the schoolroom during this time. When Mum goes away for work or any other reason I am responsible for full care of the house and kids from when their Dad goes to work 1stthing until he gets home after dark.

   

Have fun and good luck!
READ MORE in part two of 'Chasing Cows' and 'Wrangling Kids'!
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 1 of Shorna's Story 'Chasing Cows' and 'Wrangling Kids'.

Guest Blog: A day in the life of By Lee-Anne

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 ***

A Day In The Life Of ………….

7.10 Alarm trills.  Mind still asleep.  Well wishing anyway.  Turn off alarm

7.12 Briefly considered getting up.  Stupid idea.

7.15Grab remote control and turn on CD player.  Set sleep button

for 30 minutes.

7.45 Music turns off.  Swear briefly.  Damn it is time to get up.

8.00 Breaky completed, feeling human.  Millie (2 Y.O.) has talked her head off while I've been eating and Tanya (10 Y.O.) is brushing her teeth. Say good morning to my bosses.

8.05 Teeth brushed and computer on.  Checking emails.

8.30 Well the day starts as Tanya wanders in.  If she's singing she's happy if the outside door slams look out.

8.40 Assembly starts.  If I miss assembly my whole day gets out off kilter.  Tanya usually starts work while the messages are on in the background.

10.00 Break time.  Usually I go for a quick 15 minute walk up the flat to warm up and take in some rays.  Gets the blood pumping. Tanya usually tries to beat me on her bike.  Grab a hot Milo then head into the schoolroom.

10.30 Back to the grind.  Tanya continues working thru her list of work.  Slip in a card game on the computer if I have time.

12.10 LUNCH, Thank heavens I'm hungry.

1.10 Lunch is over all too quickly.  Lesson starts in 5 minutes. Quickly Login in and hope that we don't drop out again.

1.50 The teachers are going over time again.  Tanya and I are getting sick of lesson.  Tanya has sat properly all thru lesson.  I'll have to reward her for the good behaviour.

3.00 Schools OUT.  Thank heavens there are no meetings.  Do some

prep. for tomorrow.  Play my favourite game on the computer. Clean the bathroom.  CATS are fighting again.  Take to the big ginger bully with a broom.

5.00 Help my boss with tea be peeling the veggies.

5.30 Sit down in the old lounge and watch Neighbours,

7.00 Teas ready.  Pandemonium sweeps the kitchen as tea is being served and the kids are settling down,

8.00      Wash dishes and leave them to dry on the drainer, watch a bit more TV before I head on out to my room.  Get on the computer again,

10.30     Hop into bed and check to make sure the alarms on.  I sure hope the wind stops blowing as that piece of iron is stating to p*%$ me off.

by Lee-Anne Bright

Story: Another day and another ALTERCATION

Recently a mother looking for a governess said to me "we are having some altercations at the moment"

If I had a dollar for every time a teaching mother or governess had said that to me or I had said that to a them I'd own an island in the Caribbean...drink cocktail with a handsome waiter attending my every need.

I love the word altercations and use it on a regular basis.  It certainly beats saying we had a stand up, toe to toe, humdinger of a fight/argument or saying the child was a naughty little feral turd.

In the Distance Education world it can mean so many things that usually require 5 o'clock drinks to recover. 

My daily altercations are with an 8 year old who still thinks he can get away with things he did when he was 5 years old.   Upper primary students usually don't create many altercations but when we do it is usually a strong verbal stoush the require teacher or parental negotiations.  OR the word because I said and I am the boss, nothing like a dictatorship to make life simpler.

You're not alone - after fourteen years I still have altercations, of course now that I run a dictatorship they happen less often.  :)

Current Schoolroom Configuration...on a messy morning just arriving in the schoolroom

This is my end of the schoolroom.  The kids love coming to work at the front of my desk it is the best treat ever,  The computer desk is positioned so I can see it but the kids up the other end can't when each is on lessen.  White board on the back wall so everyone can be working at their desk and copy off is.  

Story - Kelly Porka

This little adventure / story that happened in 2007....I still laugh when I remember the moment 

What an adventure my last 5 days have been.  My bosses went away for Mr Year 6's sleepover at his next years boarding school and all the excitement was here.   

The story start last Thursday when they left and life was normal... well not quite normal as it was raining which these days is rare.  We had 70 points.  The next morning in my PJ's (cause no one's around) I wander over to the pump shed 100m away to turn on the pump.  There on the ground are these fresh pig tracks, quite large and with a big stride (used those bush skills to determine all this information.  pretended to look like a tracker)    Later that day as I feed up all the animals I notice that the cheeky Porka had worked up to the back door, around between all the sheds and dogs. 

My story now skips to Friday night 8pm (don't cheer because I have speed the story up it wouldn't be a Lee-Anne story if it wasn't long winded)  I walk out onto the verandah to hear DOG (yeah my big brave kelpie protector) GROWLING like I have never heard before.  (growling from the inside of his kennel that is)

NOW at this point sheer terror (comes with being on the property alone)  made me flick on all the outside lights then race to my bedroom window and look out to see what DOG was barking at.  There disappearing over the levee bank not 20m away is 2 Xmas hams and a side of bacon which would have fed a 3rd world family for a lifetime.  I then spent 10min trying to find a big torch that didn't have a flat battery and a weapon in case KELLIE PORKA attacked.   

Once i was armed with the (wait for it) MOP and a large torch with a new batteries.  OF COURSE by this time the pig was long gone.  But i was still armed and dangerous.  Not sure what I was gonna do with the mop, looking back I could have walked up and asked the pig to start cleaning.  Or may be use the mope as a pole vault to get up a tree

Now I can hear the questions (stop groaning) about where the name Kellie Porka come from.  Kellie Clarkson happened to be on the Footy show last month and having not seen her since her American Idol days i noticed she had packed on 10 kg.  About the same amount as the pig who comes in every night eating all the mulberries every night.  

The only other thing of interest over the last few nights is we had a few minutes of hail stones the size of marbles.  never run so quick to get the car in the shed.  Doesn't really seem newsworthy after the Kelly Porka story

THE END