Living With a Brat – 2

The problems I had with Gabi began a few weeks after the divorce.  Any time I wanted to go  out, Gabi threw a tantrum.

It wasn’t me going on dates it was any time I tried to leave the house without her, whether to attend mandatory meetings outside of working hours, visit a sick friend, even pop over to the supermarket.

Gabi’s behaviour was so bad that my Aunt, who had lived with us since Gabi was a baby  reached her limit of toleration.   The rudeness, the throwing things, the hysteria; my Aunt packed and left saying a mad house would be calmer.

Without my Aunt I needed a baby sitter, for I often didn’t leave work until past six.

As a balance, I had a housekeeper who arrived each week day around eight,  just before I dropped Gabi at school.  If I was staying home to work on an unfinished project, she would  walk Gabi the few blocks to her school.

I hired a Nanny to collect Gabi at school at three.  When she arrived at the house, the housekeeper would leave.  

The Nanny would depart when I returned from work.