Mommy has OCD

A nanny overheard our lively discussions one morning and her curiosity was piqued. I explained my study analyzing relations between mothers and nannies, and when I showed her my student ID card, she opened up. Julia had two jobs, both Monday through Friday. One was every morning and the other was every afternoon. She first spoke of the disabled little boy who was very dear to her. She had been with this family for many years. Next she told me about her morning job. The blond haired client baby about two years old looked at me quizzically from his stroller. Julia calmly began, his mother is very strict, organized, everything has to be perfect. The first year was very hard because she had to learn many things, or do them over repeatedly until she got them right. The mother, an attorney, wanted things done exactly a certain way. Then Julia told me about the handwashing. The mother instructed her to wash her hands three times each time for a certain number of minutes. Without a trace of disrespect she told me that the mother opens doors in her own house without touching the doorknob directly, using her shirt or something else. It must be difficult to work for her, I sympathized. “She is very aware of bacteria, hates bacteria, and doesn’t want to get any on her hands.” I wonder how this mother could have sex, have a baby, or change a diaper under these conditions. Life is messy. The nanny addresses my concern saying, “She knows she has a problem, she takes medicine for it.” This mother had found a patient, remarkable employee and I hoped they appreciate each other. We said goodbye and she pushed the stroller towards home.