Bringing toddler out in the rain

I personally see no reason why you can't just wear a waterproof coat or if you can't afford one ask them as your employer to provide one you can use. Personally I'd prefer to get my own so I can make sure it's fully waterproof and the warmth level of my choosing.

I'd take ds to the park etc in the rain and we'd be out and about as normal in all weather as long as there's not a weather warning. Given the climate we live in its just part of life.

Maybe I'm not seeing the issue because most of the nannies round us don't drive. It's rare to find one who drives. So they walk most places. But I guess it depends on the walking conditions, whether there are good pavements, how busy the roads are.

I don't drive much either (it's not part of our daily routine) and probably walk as a minimum at least 2 hours a day - DC1's school is a 25 minute walk, nursery is 10 minutes from the school, then back home to work, then back out for school pick-up, nursery pick-up, shop and home. And playground in good weather.

I fully understand though that it's different in areas without decent street lighting and pavements, where walking is a hassle. Here it's just what people do most of the time. Lots of households without cars.

I think you'll find he probably will!!

I don’t know where the idea comes from that all kids love the rain. I know mine didn’t and neither does my little niece.

A little rain shower is fine but the weather recently has been awful.

OP isn't just being asked to go out twice a day, her employer is also insisting that OP walks for around 2 hours a day as she isn't allowed to use the car.
I think that's two expectations in one, actually!

That she has to walk everywhere has no real benefit to the 1.5 year old child, who will likely be in the buggy for the majority of the time. Possibly a detriment, even. An hour in the buggy, or 10 minutes in the car? The child would be better in the car for 10 and off playing and toddling for the rest of the time.

The employer just wants OP to work her ass off.

It kind of depends on the child too. Mine has to have proper physical activity twice a day or she won't sleep but soft play would be ok for one of the trips.

Re nurseries and going out, our nursery goes out twice a day and in rooms where there is direct access to the outdoors they freeflow most of the day. I'd be surprised if there are nurseries that only go out once!

Oh, come on.

There's a world of difference between walking 20-30 minutes in 'normal' rain to go to groups or taking a toddler out for a splashy run around the swings, and being asked to walk 20-30 minutes (assuming each way also) twice daily with said child in some of the weather we've had recently!

It's been absolutely torrential in some parts, the OP said roads have been flooding and that it's been 'lashing it down'. Combined with the horrible cold winds, doesn't matter if you're all raincoated up or not. It still stings and freezes your face. Kids drop gloves and end up who sore fingers, you get splashed by dickhead drivers when the roads are bad.

Plus if waterproofs get drenched on the way to the library/a group you're going to be very unpopular putting your sopping wet things somewhere (where, in a library would these go?!) and they're never going to get dry before you have to walk back. So you end up having to trudge back in those same soggy clothes which are never as effective on the second wear without time to dry properly!

The school run this last week has been foul... and I drove. It was bad enough being out in it for the 20 minutes it took for me to collect my children and get back in the car!

It's not a reasonable request at all in really bad weather. And I'm a parent and person who is very much in favour of getting outdoors and enjoys rainy, muddy walks in the woods!

I'd not work for someone who wouldn't trust my judgement and account for the child's (and my comfort) in allowing the use of the car when the weather really is not suitable for walking in it. Not a chance. Find another job OP, and Mum can do these delightful walks herself!

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with going out: the opposite in fact, but the insistence on walking is, especially given that we have had severe weather of late.

It is only short time as he starts nursery in May where he most definitely will not be brought out twice a day.

My daughter's nursery have the doors open so the children can come and go as they please so she's deff going out more than twice a day. In all weathers. I'd loose my mind if I stayed in all day and so would my children!

The parents never asked me to do this and were very grateful as obviously they were working and glad that their children were being brought out. There was never any expectation for me to bring the children anywhere.

I find this a bit odd and I would not be 'grateful' to a nanny for taking my children out, I'm afraid. I'd see it as part of their job.

Round here, there seems to be a fairly standard 'diet' of groups and classes that children with nannies attend. Most nannies would expect to take children out 1-2 times a day. It would be fairly common for a child to attend a weekly swimming lesson, music group and playgroup. Besides these, children might also go to a gym or dance class, the park or playground, soft play or playdates with similar-aged children (often nannies who meet at groups arrange to meet up independently).

Personally I think being out twice every day is excessive although I know a lot of nannies/parents do this. Imo children should have downtime at home with their toys and to do creative activities like drawing, painting, playdoh etc. But I would certainly say that the expectation that most parents employing a nanny would have is that their child is taken out somewhere at least daily. Obviously younger siblings often have less in the way of organised activities than older ones as they have to fit in with the school run - personally, I aimed for 3-4 a week before DC2 started nursery (swimming, music, library, maybe toddler bounce if we were feeling energetic). I don't think this is an unreasonable expectation.

Nannies melt in the rain unless they have umbrellas with talking bird handles to protect them.

Nannies melt in the rain unless they have umbrellas with talking bird handles to protect them.

I find it hard to see how you were happy to go out everyday presumably in all weathers for a twice daily school run and walk after but now your employed by someone who is asking you to do something not too dissimilar in going out twice a day you're reluctant?

She’s being a bit rigid but it’s weird that you don’t have a rain coat in your job.

If the buggy is crap I wouldn’t be happy about pushing it for 1/2 hour in heavy rain. Can you suggest you take the car to the library but walk everywhere else, as he’s not particularly benefitting from being under a plastic sheet in the buggy that long? Get some hiking trousers that dry quickly, a really good Scandinavian rain coat, and these foldy cushions are brilliant for having snacks / breaks on damp park benches and you’ll be fine. www.littleadventureshop.co.uk/products/multimat-compact-kumfie-folding-sit-mat-green?variant=45260722143454&currency=GBP&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADpPgnxWn9s1RCTFokjbkbvm-gsc6&gclid=CjwKCAiAneK8BhAVEiwAoy2HYYXQEIRhQkhb5EGD0wvB9fNQ-Hkcxvb7UfUjNI7C7I9QH8HKGxjNGhoCMQsQAvD_BwE

I would absolutely hate that. Getting splashed by mucky puddles by drivers in the comfort of their own cars is not my idea of fun. I would be looking for another job. But that's just me, and I'm saying that as someone who always took my kids out walking, just not in the rain unless where it couldn't be helped like the school run for example.

It isn't just getting out for fresh air. It's 2 hours of pushing a buggy as the kid isn't going to walk that far, it would take hours at a toddlers pace even if they could manage it. That would be quite exhausting in bad weather and I wouldn't be happy doing it. Especially if the buggy isn't up to the job. I don't think you're BU.

Twice a day could be pretty annoying with all the palaver of going in and out and drying stuff between, but yes, I take my son out every day and chose his nursery because they have a dedicated under twos outdoor space rather than taking turns.

Usually err towards the clearer part of the day, but otherwise it's wellies and wet weather gear.

I would not be happy about always walking to/from venues 30m away, on the grounds that it cuts into time spent otherwise, and is a long inactive period for a child in a pram. But 20m and under, yes.

I'd be asking for a few compromises, but I'd frame them positively. For example, taking a child to the shops/to errands is also good developmentally for a slice of life - talk about what you want to do positively when you don't want to be outside all the time.,

This tells me he needs to go the park more often then, so he can learn spatial awareness and body awareness under supervision!

This. Nannies earn well, so get down to your local Millets or Mountain Warehouse and see what they have.

I agree with this. Have you given the mum any ideas about the sorts of activities you'd like to do with the child? As a parent, I'd be more open to changing my preconceived ideas if you were making alternative suggestions, e.g. "It's better weather on Tuesday so we'll meet another nanny and child in the park for a play then, but today we'll drive to the library and then do swimming afterwards to burn some energy off".

I imagine what she wants is what most parents want - for you to exhaust her child sufficiently during the day that they sleep well at night 😂. She may be open to alternative ways of achieving this.

yabu sorry. It's raining all the time in the UK, you can't expect the toddler to sit at home half the year. Get some wellies and a rain coat and crack on.

Just started a new nanny position....
He has rain gear, I do not.

Plan B is always just Plan A with a raincoat.

Has sent me numerous groups, all of which are at least 20 minutes walk away, not allowed take him out in the car.

Why drive if it's only a 20m walk? 🤔 What a waste of petrol and not good for the environment. Lazy, some would say. In my area it would actually take longer to take the car by the time you'd found a parking space anyway 😆

I've never come across an employed Nanny who didn't seem to want to actually, well, nanny... 😆

Is this definitely the job for you @RainRainRain123 ?