Same Dilemma

When it is time to say goodbye…

I got a text from our yaya (nanny of my 3-year old youngest daughter Jhaye) that she plans to stop working with us effective June 4, 2010 as she needs to rest for a while with no assurance that she is coming back. It was the same day when I reprimanded her because the favorite shades of her “alaga” was missing. I expect her to be the keeper of all my daughter’s belongings. I thought that that such incident triggered her decision to resign. According to her, it is really health reason.

I became emotional knowing that my trusted yaya has to leave my daughter whom she has taken cared for almost 2 years. Being a working mother, I have to let my yaya look after my daughter most of the time, more time than I have for my children. She may not be a perfect yaya but I know, she loves my daughter so much.

Call it coincidence; a month ago, my boss got an email from me informing him of my resignation effective June 15, 2010. My reason: MORE TIME FOR MY FAMILY. Working as school administrator entails greater responsibilities and as my children grow older, my time for them is becoming shorter. Like what I expect from my yaya, my boss expects me to be on top of our school’s operation. Re-aligning my priorities triggered my decision to resign.

My yaya and I are facing the same dilemma. That is, how to say goodbye to someone/something that you learn to love over these years. It may be difficult at first, but eventually once we start moving on and follow what our hearts desire, things will be better.

To my yaya, thanks for loving my daughter. I apologize if sometimes, I am too insensitive to your feelings. To my STI family, thank you for recognizing my value as an academician. My service to students will never stop as I will still work in STI as professor. My yaya, being a caregiver, will never stop as she has to take care of her own children, this time.