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Her daughter-in-law was not as blunt as Donald Trump in Apprentice, but the effect was the same. Gail used to show up at her son's house every morning at 9. He would already be at work, but the two toddlers would be finishing up a morning snack and their mother, as soon as Gail arrived, would walk up to her office in the attic and work there for five hours.

Gail took care of the kids. When they were babies she fed and burped them and rocked them to sleep. As they grew into toddler-dom, she took them outside for games and walks and trips to the playground. Now they are 4 and 3 years old and she is out of a job.

Her daughter-in-law got a new contract that will require her to work longer hours. She is placing the children in an all-day pre-school. She found it disruptive to hear her children crying or being disciplined by the grannie-nannie.

And that, for Gail. is that. She is out of a job without so much as a two-week notice. She's sad about it. She misses the kids.  It's difficult to catch up with the family on weekends.

This is one of the perils of being nanny as a granny. You may be family but you are still "hired" at the will of the parents. And if their needs change, well, so does your job title.

Not that there are any bad feelings between Gail and her daughter-in-law. In fact, Gail hopes to be re-hired. A baby is due this winter.