Most Chinese couples work full-time and rely heavily on their extended families to help look after their young offspring. Ava's family consists of just her mother, while my family are far away and so, both being full-time workers (her to earn decent money, me to get a visa), we felt we needed to employ a full-time, live-in nanny for JD's early years. Xiao Zhang has been part of our family for over two years but now feels it's time to move on (primarily down to my irascible ma-in-law!). I've been increasingly keen to look after JD by myself during weekdays and we now think we've found a suitable part-time replacement to cover the weekends (when Ava and I are usually both working).
Now, Ava started up her shop business again last week after the Spring Festival to find two of her three shop assistants were planning to leave (one to marry, the other to retire). She then had a brainwave and today asked Xiao Zhang if she would be interested in working in the shop instead of nannying. Bingo! Xiao Zhang will do a handover weekend to our new nanny and then start her shop training. It seems to solve a couple of problems in one go, although I suspect it will create others we have yet to think of. Such is life!
Now, Ava started up her shop business again last week after the Spring Festival to find two of her three shop assistants were planning to leave (one to marry, the other to retire). She then had a brainwave and today asked Xiao Zhang if she would be interested in working in the shop instead of nannying. Bingo! Xiao Zhang will do a handover weekend to our new nanny and then start her shop training. It seems to solve a couple of problems in one go, although I suspect it will create others we have yet to think of. Such is life!
