Concerns about my nanny

NannyL, I'm not sure I'm "lucky" that the nanny cleans the house - it was something that I made clear in the initial job advert and discussed at length before hiring the nanny (and part of her pay is specifically for doing that) - and I know several other nannies who do the same. Incidentally, two days a week my kids are both at school or nursery so there are a good 14 hours a week to do this in.

It comes down to the point of what people expect to do - the more a nanny knows what she is asked to do as early as possible in the job, the easier it is for everyone, and the less angry parents get about things not being done or nannies get about being asked to do something they don't think is their job. Don't get me wrong, I think it's perfectly reasonable for a nanny to say she would never do housework, but she needs to make that clear before she takes a job. I also think it would be unreasonable for me to just assume she would do the housework without making it clear that that is part of what she's paid for before she resigned her previous job to come and work for me.

If Waterlillie's nanny is supposed to clear up after the child, she should do that as it's part of her job, and she should do it with as much pride as looking after the child. What I was trying to say is that no one's perfect, and sometimes we put up with some things done less well if the more important thing is done really well.

Oh dear-that should say "did" dh have.....

So sis DH have "a gentle word"?

Our nanny keeps on top of the washing (and is very good about hanging up adult washing etc as well as kids), cooks adn washes up, clears up all the mess they make (and they make a lot!! - she is fab and they have good fun all day), changes children's beds, does odd bits of shopping (milk etc) and does all the nursery runs when we cant.
The house is always tidy when we come home, though I think that is partly because we also respect her working environment and leave it tidy for her in the morning as best we can with all getting ready to go out.
She has my dd2 all the time, ds afternoons and dd1 after school. Plus all 3 of them in the holidays.
Think yours is taking it easy, tbh.

I don't think it's unheard of for a nanny to do cleqning as well. Probably not the norm if you've got 2 under 3s. But not that rare.

I clean the house sometimes . I get bored when the little one is in bed .

Wow FredArthur... you are VERY lucky to have a nanny that cleans your house!

i wont do cleaning (i leave it to the cleaners) and i dont know any other nannies that do either!
i do ofcourse sort the childrens rooms and tidy up aftermyself though!, and leave an immaculate kitchen every night

I absolutely agree that you need to make clear what needs to be done and when - and be really explicit. The problem with being a nanny must be that it gets left to you to make your own decisions about how you do things, and you've no idea if it's what your employer wants. My present nanny is not a natural housekeeper, to say the least, and when she started with us her cleaning of the house (which is set out in the contract as a once a week role) left a lot to be desired. I suggested to her that I would write down exactly what I thought this covered in each room and she was very happy with that. It's not perfect, but it's OK now.

That said, our last nanny was brilliant with the cleaning - did everything efficiently and early, then would just randomly clean the oven or fridge if she was bored - but everyone keeps telling me how wonderful this new one is with the kids (and I think they mean better than the last one), and I would rather have this new one where cleaning is not always to standard but is so great with my boys.

She is taking the piss!

...and if she reckons she is "flat out" with only one toddler-what on earth will happen when new baby arrives?

I agree she seems to have no routine and setting one sounds like a great idea-harder in practice when they have been there a while though.

Let's hope dh's little chat works.

Not pulling her weight imo. 2yo are certainly exhausting, but your lo sleeps alot AND is at nursery part of the time. Plenty of time to be a bit more organised and still have a bit of a break herself. I'm a sahm with 4 children - youngest is 2 years old. Yes there's a lot of mess but really laundry isn't rocket science and clothes don't take forever to iron if done in a blitz once or twice per week during your dd's nap or nursery times.

as a nanny i also agree that your nanny is NOT doing her job properly, and would have seriouse words with her about it...

like most of the others on here i make enough time to do the childrens washing / ironing, keep and oderly playroom and ensure the freezer is always stocked full of nutritiouse home made meals!... and i always cook proper food from scratch!

and i dont have ANY time to 'myself' (without the kids).... the 13 month old (who is crawling and into EVERYTHING!) is always around and i only have 2 mornings where the 3 year old is at nursary!

The kitchen is always left immaculate, with the floor swept etc (and with a 13 month old it gets lots of food on it each day!)

but im not after praise... is simply a nannies job to do these things.... that is afterall what we are PAID for... to look after the children and things associated with children, ie their toys clothes and food etc!

Shes just hasnt got a routine . Set one for her .

When I was a nanny I used to iron with the telly on while the little boy was at nursery (or when he was asleep before he was old enough to go to nursery). I always left the house tidier than before I got there.
In the mornings after school run I would make beds, put washing on, hang out washing. I used to hang parents washing out too as I like pegging out washing!! At the end of the day I would hoover if needed, wash up, clean all the kitchen sides, put toys away and have the youngest bathed and in pj's before his mum got in.

I did more then for them than I do for my own house!! My house doesn't always have beds made, tidy kitdchen etc but I suppose I now have 2 kids plus the child that I nannyed for to look after.

Agree with the nannies who have posted on here that child-related housework is a standard part of a nanny's job. Yours is taking the piss.

nannythug!

(Just remembering Uwila's nanny hassles during late pregnancy. Eggs were banned and vodka socks were the order of the day)

Another vote for the piss taking camp here. You need a word with that nanny -- or possibly a big stick. If she is still going to work for you after you have another baby you deffo need to sort this out sooner rather than later. And, you don't want to be dealing with a slacker nanny when you are nearing the end of your third trimester with a toddler running around. Been there, and it's no fun.

Good luck!

I had a nanny who looked after 3 of my children (2 pre-school), when I came home the house was always tidy (cleaning was not her duty), the children's washing and ironing was always up to date, the freezer was fully stocked and the children were bathed and in bed. I am at home with 4 children now and there is always time to chuck toys in the boxes, put washing in/away and tidy up. It sounds to me as though she spends the time your DD is sleeping watching television/chatting to her mates.

I'm a nanny and look after 3 and half year old twins. They are at school 3 mornings (well four really but one goes tues and the other thursday so I get one to one time with the boys!) I have 3 hours on a monday, wed and fri when they are at school, I do food shop 3 times a week (mon and fri - M&S organic shop and wed supermarket) as well as boots and health food shopping and running errands for my employers, I do the boys and my employers ironing, cook meals from scratch (including chicken nuggets and fish fingers etc to freeze) change the bedding on all the beds, Fridays, I go through all the toys to make sure they are not broken, in the wrong box or dirty. I put the hoover round if it needs it, sweep and mop the kitchen/dining room floor and empty nappy bin (boys wear pull ups to bed) and the rubbish bin in the kitchen, I also do the recycling for them and myself. I get it all done while the boys are at school so that I can have fun with them when they are home.

I also find the time to go to the gym on a mon and fri morning!!! So I agree with many others comments and think she is taking the piss! When the boys are on holiday if things don't get done then my boss is fine, but if it wasn't done during term time, I think she would have every right to pull me up on it!

We had a daily one for 10 years who was domestically very bad. We tolerated it and did loads of clearing up after work. It wasn't ideal but the consistently of care and the relationship with the children we put first but I'm not sure I would do that now. We were worried about chopping and changing to someone else. Then later we had someone who was great domestically - huge difference to our evenings. I suspect you can't change people - I have teenagers and some are naturally tidy and others aren't so I thin you either live with it or hire a cleaner or perhaps try to find someone tidier.

I'm dashing between jobs, so have to be quick.

I think it comes down to the contract... what is it that has actually been agreed. If the nanny is failing to do the things previously agreed, then you need to have a review of the situation and warn your employee that disciplinary action will need to be taken if the situation does not improve. It will help to give clear guidance as to what is expected, such as Ironing to be done while DD is at Nursery. Bin to be emptied every Friday afternoon or whatever (reminds me, didn't empty the bin today , but I did clean the toaster and behind the microwave .

Must dash, work calls.

Agree time management seem be the key, perhaps another discussion about what you actually expect from her and what "nursery duties" include.

If she manages her time well and has everything done then I wouldn't mind if she sits and watches telly while the LO sleeps but if stuff is needing done them well.

It is didfficult because as a nanny you don't get to dissapear to the staff room for A 15min break for a cuppa or wander down to M&S for some nice sandwiches in your lunch hour.

I was a live in nanny at the age of 17 and was a bit naive as to what I actually had to do, took a while to catch on and to get a routine that suited me and the kids.

I have been an au pair, a mother's help, a live in nanny, a daily nanny and also worked in a nanny share. I am now a mum.

I would expect a nanny to do all the child's washing, cooking and cleaning up after them and yes, that would involve emptying the nursery bin of nappies - especially if it was dirty (though she should be flushing the poo down the toilet).

TV can be watched while laundry is being folded but not if there are jobs to do. I always cleared all the toys and books away at the end of the day and didn't leave any mess that was made in my time at the house.

It sounds like she may need help managing her time. When my charges started nursery I would do extra things around the house, sometimes of my choice and sometimes at the parents request. If she has hours when the child isn't there maybe you could take them to nursery and she just works from picking her up? The idea of less pay may buck her ideas up!! Check your contract too.

Oh I didn't notice that your DD is at nursery three mornings a week! In that case, she is most definitely taking the piss. I have done two lots of washing this morning, mucked out and hoovered the DDs' room and washed up the breakfast stuff. And I'm not speedy.