Just like many things in life, sometimes my allergies can be frustrating and disappointing, too. Most days I don’t think twice about them, but when it comes to finding a job, they can often get in the way.
I thought I found a summer job. I had spoken on the phone with a mother who needed someone to babysit for her three-year-old daughter during the week. The mother sounded fabulous on the phone, and I was really looking forward to meeting her. They lived in an ideal location for me, and it sounded like it would be a great job. Since there was nothing in the advertisement about pets, I didn’t think about asking if they had a dog. When I went over to meet them, I walked in and immediately felt my chest tighten. A few minutes later the mother mentioned the dog, and I knew it wasn’t going to work out. They had a big, fluffy, furry, long-haired, easily shed-able dog. I was so disappointed, they were so disappointed, and this was a time when I felt extremely frustrated with having allergies.
This experience taught me to always ask if a family has pets. I usually think about how my food allergies will affect nannying or babysitting for a family, but sometimes I forget that my environmental and pet allergies play a role, too. After this, I won’t be forgetting to ask next time!
