We have a nanny who has been with us some months. The hours are p/t but we pay 10 hrs extra for nanny duties in term time. We pay a good hourly wage, all declared and above board.
I'm not sure our nanny is working out. None of the problems are in themselves big issues, but all combined, I don't think she is the right person for us. She brings the kids for 'coffees' twice a week and doesn't even combine this with the playground or visiting friends. She buys them all types of tat - plastics bits and bobs for a quid or two and yet more bracelets/trinkets. I don't object to the money but now my kids are asking for things all the time when we're out. She seems to run around in our car on little errands (supposedly one-offs), goes to parks we don't know but can't tell me the names or where they are afterwards, is very unforthcoming when asked what the kids did/ate. Even though we're paying her to do nursery duties, only the basics are done and she won't do any kids' ironing if there is adult stuff in the pile (i.e. won't sort through).
That said, the kids seem to like her but don't actually spend much time doing things with her. I get the impression she lets them run around and play in the house but doesn't guide them much. They say she's "texting" - this may not obviously be true as kids are quite unreliable witnesses.
I had hoped that in time, other parents would allow p/dates in our house but there's no chance of that as she doesn't try to relate/talk to the parents.
We've been giving active feedback on all of the above, one at a time, and that particular thing is more or less sorted.. But it's a slow process. On paper, she had a lot of experience. She is not qualified though well educated. One of the references came back to me and was positive though said she's better with kids than parents.
Should we cut our losses or keep up with the active feedback? Has anyone else turned around an 'okay' nanny into a brilliant one? My husband's view is that the kids are happy so leave it.