11 million in the bank, but...
Now, I have nothing against tightening your belt when finances are low, and depriving yourself of those lovely pastries on display when doing the weekly supermarket shop...

HOWEVER, when the deprivation is not you, but your 9 year old daughter, and you have 11 MILLION in the bank, AND you've just spent a rumoured seven figure sum on what can only be described as a new pet, that is a little different.

I worked for a rich family as a nanny/slave for a while, and their adorable 9 year old daughter (who was incidentally always dressed in hand-me-downs from relatives) loved painting. So she and I would while away the hours making Blue Peter inspired card models, and painting them with acrylic paints. This because her parents were too cheap to ever give me free rein to take her nice places.

Whilst out in town one day I happened to venture into WHSmith, who had a set of acrylic paints, 24 different colours, reduced from £16 to £3.60. Great, thinks I, the little girl will love these! I get back and check with her mother it's ok to buy them for her.

Now this woman has a reputed £11 million in the bank, drives around in a top of the range range rover, and likes horses. So much so that she is rumoured to have spent a 7 figure sum on her latest acquisition.

Her response?

No.

I explained how cheap they were and how the little girl needed them for the stuff we were doing, but the woman continued to put up such a fuss OVER £3.60!!! ..that I decided to screw her, pay for the damn paints out of my pittance of a wage, and give them the girl for her birthday. She was delighted.

I also told the mother to shove her job up her arse pretty shortly after that too.

Oh, and since leaving the job I still chat to the little girl regularly, as she often calls up for help with her homework - because her mother can't understand it.
(Psyche finishes work at the end of June! Yay!!!, Fri 24 Oct 2008, 10:36, 3 replies)

fuckers.
Shouldn't be allowed kids.
( Linbox has a serious dunk habit, Fri 24 Oct 2008, 19:31, closed)

Don't feel (too) bad for that little girl
as shit as that situation may be, she'll grow up to understand the value of saving up, and of something small and cheap that means the world. Those dickhead parents have probably done her a round-about favour by NOT allowing her to become a privileged little snot bucket like half of the people I went to school with.

Good for you though, for buying her the paint and for not killing the mother. Sounds like you've made a friend for life. :-)
( Captain Wow currently being a cunt in Infamous, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 12:42, closed)

The present Mrs. Architect worked as a live-in nanny for many a year to a few wealthy familes and their kids
sadly, your tale isn't that uncommon, and it's a real shame to the kids. Good for you for doing right by the girl :)
( The Great Architect is still waiting for his account to be deleted on, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 14:48, closed)