A middle-aged mother-of-two has revealed how ‘moving to the Bahamas’ for two years ‘saved her life’.
In 2012 Karen Lilley suddenly found her life falling apart around her. Her marriage of 20 years abruptly ended and she fell into a state of shock and despair.
She was in a dark place.
Then one day the now 61-year-old from Sydney decided she was going to take back her future and decided, on impulse, to make a profile on a nanny website.
In 2012 Karen Lilley suddenly found her life falling apart around her. Her marriage of 20 years abruptly ended and she fell into a state of shock and despair
Then one day the now 61-year-old from Sydney decided she was going to take back her future and decided, on impulse, to make a profile on a nanny website
‘The babies hadn’t even been born yet, she said hand in your notice and fly to the Bahamas.’
‘I didn’t think it would get me anywhere, I doubted anyone would want a nanny as old as me but I was wrong,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
That’s where she met Charlotta – a woman who would fly her to paradise and help her start her adventure as a nanny – and a single woman.
‘The babies hadn’t even been born yet, she said hand in your notice and fly to the Bahamas.’
So Ms Lilley left the safety of her school-secretary desk job and jumped on a plain.
‘That family absolutely saved my life, and I like to think I helped them out a bit too,’ she said.
As soon as the twins, Ingrid and Annika were born Ms Tilley was thrust into the deep end – changing nappies, feeding constantly and waking up at all hours to cater for the little girls’ needs.
‘It was hard work but I fell in love with my girls,’ she said.
‘They slept in my room for their first 11 months, I made sure if one woke up I would wake the other one up. Otherwise I would have been awake all nights with feeds’
As soon as the twins, Ingrid and Annika were born Ms Tilley was thrust into the deep end – changing nappies, feeding constantly and waking up at all hours to cater for the little girls’ needs
‘That family absolutely saved my life, and I like to think I helped them out a bit too,’ she said
‘Twins are double the effort – it was really important to get them a routine and to be organised.
‘They slept in my room for their first 11 months, I made sure if one woke up I would wake the other one up. Otherwise I would have been awake all nights with feeds.’
The couple Ms Lilley worked for were ‘very good bosses’ they paid for her to fly her daughters to the Bahamas to visit and would even send her to America for nights of entertainment.
‘After about 15 months I said it was home time – I needed a break and had enough.
‘Charlotta said she thought that was a great idea – she had never been to Australia – so we all went.’
‘They slept in my room for their first 11 months, I made sure if one woke up I would wake the other one up. Otherwise I would have been awake all nights with feeds’
She left the family after almost two years – but remains in close contact with them
‘I am 62 in a few weeks time, when I came back to Australia I thought it would be difficult to get a job because of my vintage – but I have been consistently with the same family here,’ she said
The trip back home with her ‘international family’ made her job real to those who had been left behind.
She left the family after almost two years – but remains in close contact with them.
From there she spent time in Tuscany and Abhu Dabi as a nany.
‘I am 62 in a few weeks time, when I came back to Australia I thought it would be difficult to get a job because of my vintage – but I have been consistently with the same family here,’ she said.
The trip back home with her ‘international family’ made her job real to those who had been left behind
‘My advice to other in a bad place is not to sit in a rut – you can always come home if thing don’t work out. It was a change of direction – and it worked for me’
Ms Lilley is proud of herself for rebuilding her life, taking a chance at adventure and proving to her daughters that it is possible to be happy after heartbreak.
‘I had to do something mind boggling to prove you can pick yourself off after something bad happens to you,’ she said.
‘Moving to paradise brought me incredible happiness and gave me a sense of achievement. I became self confident and healed quickly.
‘My advice to other in a bad place is not to sit in a rut – you can always come home if thing don’t work out. It was a change of direction – and it worked for me.’
She has been back to visit her twins since leaving and says they will be part of her life forever.
‘Moving to paradise brought me incredible happiness and gave me a sense of achievement. I became self confident and healed quickly