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

You realise how stupid that comment is right? People right here on mumsnet saying it would be fine 👋

I would expect my cleaner to ask first if this was ok, not to just bring her. And my answer would depend on how good a cleaner she was and if I wanted to keep her or not.

Wow!
The milk of human kindness is absolutely overwhelming on this thread!
And I assume most of you are parents as well?

Of course. And some of those are laughable. Like I said.

Gushing over this child is laughable. Just leave her be.

I wouldn’t mind at all, as long as she asked in advance and the child is well behaved.

Childcare is challenging to organise and very expensive, this seems like a reasonable solution although I do feel for the child who must be bored sat watching tv.

If you value the cleaner I wouldn’t mention it. If ultimately it’s something you can’t get past I think you have to prepare to find another cleaner.

Some people are outraged at tradespeople using the loo and they're the same ones agreeing with you on this thread.

Do you genuinely not believe in the existence of people with a different opinion?!

Not on mumsnet they wouldn't.

I'm guessing the part where she's querying wethervm to raise it with her cleaner ??

Plenty of people would be fine with tradies bringing well behaved kids too.

I think it would unsettle me but I would talk to the cleaner about it and make sure we were clear about ground rules - where the child is allowed, what rooms etc, that I’m not responsible for any emergencies and that this is a temporary situation for a specific length of time. For 2-3 hours for 6 weeks or whatever I’d let it go if I liked the cleaner otherwise. And because I’m an overwhelming sort of host would likely set the child up on my telly with a snack. But I have children and an open house so there are often extra ones around so I’m used to it.

It wouldn’t bother me if the kids were well-behaved, as in this case. We all bang on about how it takes a village but then we’re not prepared to be the villagers. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Fact she’s sat on sofa & not running around being a nuisance would mean it wouldn’t bother me at all , she’s not a toddler and you don’t even know she’s there really , having said that the cleaner probably should have checked it was ok with you out of courtesy .

Did she not ask first??

I have a cleaner who is brilliant, she has been working for us for years. Her son is now older and stays at home when she is working but when she started with us he was about 6 and too little to be left. She is a single parent and asked whether it would be OK for him to come on weeks she didn't have holiday clubs or similar for him. I have a son just a year older so was fine with it, and the boys just went on the Xbox or watched tv together.

But the key is she broached it with me first, she didn't just turn up with him and assuime it would be ok.

@Ddakji
You do realise some people have a different set of values to you? 🙄

I mean you really wouldn't, posters are outraged at trades people using their loo so they certainly wouldn't want them trailing their kids around with them
I'm getting at the hypocrisy ,posters have decided that this cleaner is a single mother who doesn't have two pennies to rub together so have decided its just fine for her to bring her child to her cleaning jobs.

Where does the OP say that the cleaner didn't ask permission?

And how does her invalidate her insurance?

I guess she has no other choice and needs to work

THIS!

I've had a tiler bring his 12 year old son with him when he worked at my house. I was quite happy with that. He actually helped his dad out with carrying stuff, mixing grout etc (tiler said his son sometimes likes to do this because it earns him extra pocket money and also he's learning some skills).

Similar with a pebbledashing guy.

I also had a cleaning lady bring her kids with her a few times - they were younger and incredibly well behaved; sat very quietly and did some homework. Wouldn't even accept a drink and a biscuit because they had brought their own water bottles and snacks.

The difference is that all these people ASKED before they brought their kids and I could have said no. I think this is a crucial point. You don't just bring extra people to someone else's house without asking first. You wouldn't just turn up with your kids to an office job without asking, and I think it's possibly even less acceptable when it's somebody's home you're working in.

If I was OP then I would suck it up because that seems like the most practical response. But I wouldn't be happy either, because she should have asked first.

I think the only thing that would niggle me is the fact it was just never mentioned, she just started bringing her along and didn’t once acknowledge it with you. That’s a bit bizzare.

But aside from that it wouldn’t bother me one bit, she’s well behaved, keeps herself to herself, there’s only four weeks left anyway.

I don’t think you should provide snacks however- that’s not your responsibility at all.

I also don’t find it weird that you’re at home whilst the cleaner is there- I do the same.

Of course. What are you getting at?

This. If I’m meant to be at home when the cleaner arrives I disappear for a couple of hours. And presumably you’re still getting the service you’re paying for? She’s not not cleaning, is she?

This is how I met my childhood best friend. Her mum brought her round once a week in the holidays and we played together while she cleaned the house. After some time the parents organised what we now call ‘play dates’ and eventually we had sleep overs and a reciprocal minding arrangement was put in place for future holiday. I’m so glad we doent have mumsnet in the 80s or the parents would have been put off this by the horrified responses!

If she’s a good cleaner I’d just let it go, the kid is doing no harm and your cleaner is showing up and doing a good job. My mum was a single parent and used to take me to work sometimes in various jobs over the years, when she didn’t have a job we couldn’t always afford to eat and paying for holiday club would have been totally unaffordable. Schools go back in a few weeks and this will be forgotten about

Why would you think that ?