I'm a childminder but aibu to not do all I'm asked to do.

[Missymoo71]

I mind 3 children from 7.30am to 5pm, 4 days a week. All in Montessori and school so free from 9.30 to 1pm. I have been doing jobs in the house as asked. Exp: change the bedsheets, wash and dry. All washing for the house hold wash and dry. Then I have to iron everything....I do their weekly shop for them also. Clean out the fridge, clean out the food presses and giving the playroom "a scrub ' I also make dinners, drop and pick ups for Irish dancng have swimming clubs for the 3 and have to stay while class is on. Now, here's my AIBU. They have a cleaner, she gets paid a lot more than me and yet it seems I'm doing a hell of a lot more than the cleaner. She has actually told me she used to have visit them twice a week, until I started. I'm feeling a bit used. I know I should be helping as I am paid while they are in school. But just feel like she is taking the absolute piss expecting me do the cleaners job as well as caring for the children who are my priority. At the interview, she specifically stipulated that she had a cleaner so I wouldn't be asked to do much. Wwyd?

i appreciate laws may be different in Ireland but unless you are self employed and working from your own domestic property you are not a childminder.

Honestly, the arrogance on here can be shocking. UK norms and definitions do not necessarily follow in the rest of the world you know.

As pp have said, you can’t expect to be paid for sitting on your bum while the kids are at school. You need to clarify with your employer what are your contracted duties during that period. It’s not unreasonable for them to assign you work that fills your paid hours. As long as they’re not giving you more work than you can reasonably do.

As for the cleaner earning more - I’m afraid that’s just the difference between a full time employee vs a contractor hired for a few hours. A supply teacher earns more per hour than a full time teacher for example.

Because what’s important is working out what the job is called. 🙄

It doesn’t matter. Are these tasks part of your role as it was explained to you when you were hired? If they were then you should do them. If they weren’t then tell your employer you won’t be doing them.

It isn’t any of your business what the family do with their other staff.

Where is the OP based? I’ve read through the thread but must have missed it.

OP did you sign a contract or anything when you started?

The OP is based in Ireland not the UK!!

I have just looked up Childminders in Ireland and the first thing that comes up is “Childminders offer home-based childcare in the childminders own home...” - the same criteria as UK Childminders...I’m obviously missing something.

The term’s also widely used to describe what would be called a nanny in the UK.

something something not a childminder something something

LaurieMarlow Ah that makes sense now!
In that case the OP needs to discuss her role and responsibilities with the parents to let them know she is not happy with what they are expecting of the job role.

I'd expect the cleaner's wages during those hours!

No one in Ireland uses the word 'nanny', and childminder is used to cover different arrangements.
Legally, if someone is working in your home and not for anyone else you should be paying the appropriate tax and PRSI, so similar to the UK in that respect.

Well, I'm fairly certain that even in Ireland, changing adults' bedsheets would not normaly be described as childminding.

I have just looked up Childminders in Ireland and the first thing that comes up is “Childminders offer home-based childcare in the childminders own home...” - the same criteria as UK Childminders...I’m obviously missing something.

Another Irish person here saying no one uses the term Nanny in Ireland. Childminder would also cover minding kids in their home rather than yours

Nanny isn't a very common term in Ireland but they do exist here, I know several. They are employees and work in the children's home. They are expected to do light housework related to the children and are paid at least minimum wage. I am a childminder and work from my own home, as I posted earlier there is a legal definition of childminder, although the word is used loosely. Op if you are getting the children up and our for school, doing their lunches, the house work, the shopping, wtf are the parents doing. They are massively taking the piss and you are letting them. Time to set your limits or look for a new job.

Yeah, I mean if they told you in the interview you wouldn't be doing much house work and now they're piling it on you need to pull them on it. Tell them what you're happy to do and what you will not do. Cleaning their fridge, presses, washing and ironing parents clothes? No way, you're job should revolve around the childrens needs not the parents

I'm glad to hear deadringer that the default in Ireland isn't that "minder=skivvy" and should do whatever she's told, given some of the "do you expect to be paid for sitting on your bum?" posts on this thread.

I'm fairly certain that even in Ireland, changing adults' bedsheets would not normaly be described as childminding
Then maybe she isn’t a childminder. It’s irrelevant what the role is called. The employer is allowed to hire someone to do both childcare and housekeeping if they want to. What’s relevant is whether OP is happy to do the stated role for the salary offered.

What Tensixty and Gwenfar said. Missy, the point is that these people are taking the piss out of you with all this extra work. You're the Maid of All Work. But they will never, ever see this because such people are entitled cunts who truly believe their station in life means they are due all this work from their lessers whom they throw a pittance at and expect gratitude for it.

You need to find something else and make it very clear you are not a housekeeper or cleaner (or work as a cleaner, sounds a better bet) with strict boundaries in the contract and let these douchebags find out how much the going rate for housekeepers is in their area.

They are dicks.

I'm glad to hear deadringer that the default in Ireland isn't that "minder=skivvy"

Not saying OP is a skivvy. But the employer obviously wants to employ someone to do general housekeeping duties while the children are out. They are entitled to write their own job description. OP is entitled to not accept the job or quit if she doesn’t want to continue doing the role because it’s changed. I don’t see what’s illegal about it as long as the assigned duties don’t exceed what can reasonably be done within working hours.

I’ve never heard of a childminder accepting less than £8 unless subsidised by the government.

I’m sorry but it really depends if OP is getting paid by the hour or per child. If she’s getting paid per child then her hourly rate is pretty good and earning a lot more than most.

I don't think we're talking about illegal though (although I do hope that OP's employers are paying the relevant tax etc). We're talking about reasonable/unreasonable/cheeky, and I think it's cheeky and part of the general devaluing of "women's work" to think that you can hire a childcarer and then have them do your housework and shopping as well. And OP has said that the non-child-related tasks have increased since she started and exceed what was discussed in advance. A childcarer is, and should be treated as, a skilled and committed person. (So, for that matter, should a professional cleaner.) That's why you don't drop off a few bags of your own laundry with a UK childminder, just in case she has a minute.

Obviously it's not illegal to want someone who does childcare, housework and housekeeping but you should definitely be up front about it and be prepared to pay. CFs taking advantage of naive and low-paid childcarers annoy me. I would like OP to know she is not wrong to be annoyed and push back, and that she can probably get a better job where she doesn't have to change adult beds.

I was a childminder for 4years a childminder works from their own home and needs to be registered a nanny works in someone elses home and dowsnt need to be registered. You are a nanny and i think as a nanny you do other household jobs if required and stated at interview

OP’s employment status does matter.

OP’s employer will probably be underpaying too.

Employment status wise she’s an employee nanny or au pair, and the hours and duties sound too much for the latter.