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advice please... nanny keeps giving unhealthy food to my children...

77 replies

LadyLotty · 28/02/2013 00:49

I need some advice I think so any helpful thoughts are appreciated..

Our part time nanny looks after our 2 toddlers 2 full days a week and usually I ask her to take them to play groups and children friendly venues in the morning. I always cook and provide a healthy packed lunch for the children. The deal has always been that the nanny provides her own lunch (she is fussy what she likes to eat).

The problem is our nanny always brings less healthy things such as sweets and sausages to "share" with my children and my little ones end up eating none of my cooked food. This is becoming a regular thing. To the extent that I get brought back everything I pack.

I am a great cook and my children have always been easy feeders until recent months.. Now they demand sausages and crisps and sweets.

Have already suggested not sharing food with the nanny but she insists. I also have told her not to buy food for the children but today despite my specific instruction she bought chips for them. Said its out of her own pocket as a treat for the children. I really don't want her to treat my children, I actually feel quite offended and undermined. Or am I just being unreasonable? I would really like to keep tight control over my children's diet and treat them myself once in a while. Instead of worrying about their regular diet. Last week she fed my children peanuts and one of my child is allergic to it!! Aaargh!

Any advice?
I dony want to fire her as the children do like her loads - probably mainly as she always gives in to the

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KatieMiddleton · 28/02/2013 01:10

Wtf?! No that would not be acceptable. You have asked her to stick to the kids diet and she isn't. Her job is to follow reasonable requests and instructions.

You need to sit down and tell her that she is only to feed the children the provided food and Xxx and Yyy is permissible when out but on no account Aaa or Bbbb or Cccc should be fed to them.

Ordinarily I would not be so prescriptive because you need to be able to trust your nanny's judgement and a few rules and guidelines are usually sufficient but it sounds like you've tried that.

I would be seriously thinking about a new nanny after the peanut incident.

LadyLotty · 28/02/2013 00:54

PS regarding the peanut incident - just to point out that nanny has been with us for almost a year now. She is aware that my children have various allergies (special fotmula milk etc). However since the deal have always been that I make and provide my children's food I doubt she put much thought into what exactly my children are allergic to...

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