What does nanny do during baby naps?

You are getting a hard time here OP. If you have never employed a nanny before it can be hard to understand what they do and do not do. Ultimately, you really need to think about what would be helpful for you and set those guidelines when you are interviewing.

Being a nanny is a real job and that comes with time for a lunch break and tea break throughout the day but as I would not take a three hour break at my office job, the nanny does not need a three hour break during their day as well.

We have a nanny and I have made it clear that I expect her to take at least an hour to eat lunch and relax when the children are napping and she is of course welcome to tea breaks during the day too. We provide food and tea/coffee for our nanny as well.

But once her lunch break is over (an hour) she is expected to wash and fold kids laundry (she can do this while they play too if she is in the same room as them, so doesn't need to be done), make baby food, prep art projects, sensory games, clean up baby toys and help toddler clean up their space. When we come home from the day we expect bottles to be washed and clean and any dishes from lunch clean and put away + any kitchen mess that was made while we were away to be clean.

In return, we would never leave our house messy, we make sure the dishwasher is unloaded prior to nanny arriving and that our breakfast things are clean and put away. This takes a lot of planning our end, we wake up early before the kids and deal with our chores so that when nanny arrives, she arrives to a clean house.

Nanny should not be expected to clean messes that did not happen on her watch. I do expect that her time is used efficiently though and that she is using any downtown that isn't a tea or lunch break to plan fun things for the children or prep their meals or snacks.

Many years ago when I was a nanny, the next door neighbour asked me if I'd thought about getting a part time job to do while the baby slept. He couldn't understand why I didn't think it was a good idea!

Well I did ask op up thread but I don’t think a nursery would suit. I mean unless she drops her dirty laundry off with her child so she’s not paying for them to sit on their arses while her child naps.

I find this question a bit weird - when a your child is napping, the nanny is still working. She is still supervising and taking care of the child. She has to be available to meet the child every needs etc - you are paying her to watch your child. You sound like a difficult employer.

May I ask if you have a car? Does it burn that you pay for insurance and car tax even for the times it is sitting on your drive?

OP, call an agency and discuss your requirements. They will be able to advise.

Ignore the avalanche of bitchy passive aggressiveness and insults from the posters on here.

I worked as a nanny and I am now an employer of people who work in an office. I think that its important to note that when the child is asleep, the nanny cant really fully be on a 'break' because the child could wake up any moment, they could be sick or need changing, and so whatever you do while the baby is down needs to be something you could drop if an unexpected need arises. You can't like, go for a run or go do your shopping. That being said, I did think of it as my job (while nannying) to leave the house as I found it. I did all the dishes that the babies (twins) and I used, and since I often put them in the dishwasher, I would also empty it. I washed all the babies clothes and I tidied away clothes and hoovered up messes/ scrubbed and wiped. The family I worked for had a cleaner, but I would not leave a situation worse for wear, because the last thing tired parents want when they come home is a mess to navigate. I have friends now who come home after a long day's work and the house is untidy with toys and that's a frustration. But if the toys are never cleaned up, then I'm not going to devise a storage system. From the point of view as an employer, the nanny deserves what we all deserve15 minute breaks every few hours and a lunch break. Given that these can be interrupted I'd allow some leeway. But as a former nanny I don't think its unacceptable to be clear about what additional tasks you would like, or to what standard you would like them done as long as they relate to looking after the children. I once was asked to keep a child development diaryincluding descriptive information on the children's poop. So, yeah, as an employer you can ask for it.

Oh dear

Please use a nursery. You aren’t suited to employing a nanny.

Shes keeping your child alive. Get a grip. 🙄

Yes my point exactly. The job is to be there. End of.

Oh I know. I just think the op thinks the nanny isn’t entitled to any at all.

The nanny needs a break. While our DC were napping the nanny would have her coffee, lunch, watch TV, catch up on her emails and texts. She’d food prep with DC when they were up or when they napped, I didn’t really mind when as long as the food was prepped. We had a twin bed in the nursery and I encouraged her to nap while the baby slept if she wanted. I didn’t expect her to clean or do any housework - that was not her job. I expected and trusted her to manage her time and unless it was affecting the baby I didn’t feel it was my business to manage what she was during naps. A rested and relaxed nanny will be a much better caregiver for your DC and as pp have pointed out, soon she will have much less downtime when your baby drops naps.

Keep anything you ask her to do baby related and accept that those things don’t happen if baby is awake. You seem to worry about being ripped off. She’s definitely a nanny, not a servant. If you add general housekeeping you may not get a specialist in child care.

Course she did, gonnaget

😂

Oh well if you've got a cleaner too maybe she can help her clean the coal scuttle

On another note my nana (DM’s DM) used to have au pairs when my DM was about 11-17. They apparently did nothing at all, so not really a mother’s help as such but they were around for my DM at that age to look after her, ensure she went to bed etc and she also practised her French with them. My nana had cleaners anyway and hated cooking (nana had her own business).

In the school holidays if DM wasn’t away with her parents the au pairs would take her to Montpelier and somewhere else in south of France for most of the summer.

To be fair I've never worked a job with a 3 hour break 😁

Sounds like you want 3 for 1, you expect her to look after your child, clean your house and make your dinner. She's still supervising your child even if they are asleep, seems like you are focusing on getting your moneys worth rather than finding someone who will care for your child.

That’s what most babysitters do! Watch tv whilst kids or babies sleep.

I worked as a sort of part time au pair child care when I was 16 and no way would the DM have expected me to do things whilst the baby and toddler slept. I can’t even recall if she had a cleaner or not.

If as a nanny you feel you have to do things then yes as others say general tidying, washing of clothes, sorting toys etc. empty dishwasher or prep parents meals big no. Any other cleaning besides babies room no way and even then cleaner should hoover babies room. I think if the nanny prefers to sit near baby whilst baby sleeps and watch tv, be on phone etc then I’d rather she did this than go off round the house doing other things with her mind and eyes and ears off baby. But communication is key here and what works for one won’t work for another.

Definitely allow her a lunch and tea break - in theory two tea breaks a day morning and afternoon. and don’t micromanage her.

As PPs have said the nanny is entitled to a break! Not that it is really like a break from work, as she can't leave DC and do what she pleases. I believe sleeping children in nursery need to be checked every ten minutes or so, I would imagine a nanny would have similar rules? So not really putting her feet up and leaving them to it. Also around here decent nannies are like gold dust, they set their terms and would tell you to jog on if you tried to dictate they should be doing other non related work.

48oz is about £25ph so a very good rate for a career nanny

Your minimum wage is £15

And other was £18

We never expected our nanny to do anything during naps. She's entitled to a break and really she's not even getting a complete break as she's on call in case baby wakes at any time! At the most she might tidy up toys. I honestly don't think many nannies would put up with being micro managed to that degree, and the most important thing for us was how she cared for our child rather than getting our money's worth! If you're happy with the care then I really wouldn't get hung up on this.