To think my cleaner shouldn’t bring her own child to work?

I think the fact shes sitting quietly on her iPad and has clearly been instructed to stay there is good. I think if she was younger and running around that would be different. I suspect her mum knows that she shouldn't be there, but she has to work. I think whilst on the iPad she's not poking around l, I wouldn't have an issue with this

I'm all about flexible working.

When it is requested and agreed. You can't just rock up with your child and expect it to be accommodated.

I wouldn’t mind this at all as the child seems very well behaved and no bother.

what I would have a problem with is not being asked if this was ok. That was completely out of order for her to just do that without checking if you agree. Also what if you were not at home and this child was injured or damaged something? That would really irritate me that she didn’t ask first

My builder has brought a well behaved 5 year old, having asked permission. Good as gold. However I was angry once to come home and find a toddler brought by an electrician who was rewiring the house - dangerous.

I think this is difficult.

On the one hand, a trustworthy and thorough cleaner is worth their weight in gold. And the child is behaving fine.

On the other hand, she didn’t ask whether bringing the child was ok - this is not really on.

Since this is limited time during summer and the cleaner is otherwise excellent, I would let it go for now. But I would be on the lookout in case anything declines - like I say, the biggest issue here is that she didn’t ask - that’s not really ok, but if it’s the only problem then I’d let it go.

I prefer a bit of dirt around the house than to deal with any of the issues with cleaners that I see on here!

pp is clearly annoyed with some of the nonsense ''be kind'' comments, especially expecting OP to make snacks for the uninvited child when she is trying to work herself.

I don't think that automatically makes her a man, no.

I WFH. My children go to childcare. The difference though is that they are my children and it is my house.

If someone wants to WFH with a 10 year old with their own job in their own house, that is absolutely their choice assuming their work is also ok with it.

A cleaner turning up with their child without even asking is a different situation. If I'm WFH with my own child in childcare, I'd expect the same from a cleaner or if an emergency came up, to at least be asked first.

A well behaved 10 year old on your sofa is a small price to pay for an excellent cleaner. I’d live with it.

I’m going by all the angry and aggressive comments, this person has made.And many other posters have said this person’s comments are over the top and aggressive.
My point was anyone can post on here and this person, who’s so angry towards women could well be a man, it’s not that difficult to work out, as it’s anonymous forum.Or do you think it’s acceptable to be so verbally aggressive towards other women, venting over a thread?

I agree. However ‘kindly’ OP speaks to her it’ll be clear that she sees it as a problem. OP, you need to think about the response that you’ll accept before you speak to her. Are you saying that she can’t bring the child? It’s obvious that she doesn’t have any other arrangement.

I wouldn't see it as an issue if she isn't causing a disturbance, more mess or distracting her mum. You wouldn't be in trouble as her mum brought her to your property. But as stated child care is awfully priced so by time she's taken her kid to cm 2h that's 20-30quid a day lost. If it was my kids I wouldn't take them but that because of age and additional needs they can't survive longer then 4m without me in a Room they follow me everywhere. If mums/cleaner is still upto standard id let it slide xx

Interesting that the point about tradesmen bringing their children to work is being used. I had builders last summer who brought two boys, aged 7 and a teen, along with them most days. It never occurred to me that it was any of my business as long as the job was getting done. They had heavy machinery around but, again, none of my business and it was the father's responsibility to supervise.

I think it's an educational way to spend the summer tbf, as long as they're getting breaks to do other things

My cleaner always asks me if it's ok. But I've never had reason to see it as a problem. The child sits there quietly and is well behaved.

Out of curiosity.... re the line in your update "what is she touches something fragile". What type of items are we talking about here- what is so fragile that its an issue if a 10 year old touches it. I do wonder if you are looking for an issue where one doesn't exist. I hope you start to feel more comfortable having the very good cleaners child sitting on your sofa.

Christ on a bike. There's nothing like woman-woman hate here. 🤦‍♀️
All the moaning that the cleaner should hire childcare "like the rest of us." ffs.
OP has every right to decide the boundaries, but Christ on a bike if she's willing to lose her cleaner over this or put her in a difficult financial position what does that say? I'm guessing the cleaner can't afford childcare. But, hey, it's not OP's problem is it? 🙄

You made a good point in an earlier post about some people not seeing the human but a piece of machinery, useful but that’s all.

When working parents can't do their job efficiently with kids around, yes they get childcare.
You cannot work with a baby or a young child.

Now a parent working from home with a 10 year old somewhere in the house doing their own things? non issue. When you wouldn't know if there's a child or not, it means it's not a problem.

If you dont' want the cleaner to bring her child, your house, your right. I can't see what the issue is personally. Are you resenting that you can't?

Absolutely!

Down with flexible working for parents. They chose to have the little critters, no one told them to! There are toilets that need to be cleaned, after all. Bah bah bah, humbug, humbug, humbug.

I could have told my plumber I didn't want his child around. Then the job wouldn't have got done. I am not sure that would have been a great benefit to me.

When the child is behaving , what's the problem?

Hmmm. I very much doubt she has an alternative lined up or she would be using it already. She should have asked you first, but your little talk will just make things very awkward all round. What will you do if she says she has no alternative so if she can’t bring her child she will have to leave? Even if you give in and they both continue to come, your relationship will be irreparably damaged.

Please OP, if she's a good cleaner and her child isn't causing any harm or distraction, let her continue. Life is really hard at the moment for alot of people trying to eek out a living. Xx

Also if you say anything she'll assume she has to read between the lines that her child cannot come if she wants to keep her job. Because if she had any alternative that would be already happening. Xx

Or childcare which the vast majority of working parents have to do and even the cleaner herself did since this is the first time she has done this in the year she has cleaned OP's house.

Yabu.

I think it was presumptuous of her to assume you’d be OK with it, presumably she has other clients and the child goes to their houses too?

If the child is well behaved I wouldn’t worry too much but I think you need to lay down some ground rules. I would expect the child to stay in one place and not follow her mum around the house, for example.

It’s quite an invasion of privacy, the more I think about it the less happy I would be, but then I don’t have a cleaner for that reason.