I've been in my new Nanny job for a few weeks now and it's really getting me down.
The children are 7 and 5 and I collect them from school and also have them on school holidays.
I'll give an example of some of their behaviour:
They never say 'please' or 'thank you', they just demand things eg "I want a snack." "Can you cut me some bread?"
They argue with everything I say. When they have been eating constantly from the minute they get home from school, I say 'Ok, that's the last snack." They say "No it's not." It's a constant battle of wills.
They talk disgustingly - the 5 year old often tells me "I've done a wet fart." He's not saying this to be amusing - he genuinely has accidents and calls them this!
They have told me "It's two against one." Meaning them against me!!!
The 7 year old talks to me in a very derogatory manor, very sarcastic - more like a stroppy teen than a little boy.
They fight constantly - the older child is a bully who hits his brother non-stop and when the younger one cries he says mockingly "Oh are you sad?" (I am making dealing with this a priority as I don't tolerate bullying).
On top of this, they are the most joyless children I have ever worked with in my long career. They rarely smile, are very sullen and don't have that playful character you'd expect of a young child.
Their favourite hobbies are to read maps, listen to classic fm and read factual books and Shakespeare.
Also I cook what their parents ask me to for them. This is always very bland food, like (as a meal) plain boiled rice, sweetcorn, hotdogs and ketchup. Or plain pasta with cheese grated on top and uncooked carrots.
I'm really thinking of leaving. What should I do? (The money is good, however, about average for North London).