Childminding in dirty house

[Notmyjob007]

Recently started a job as a nanny for two children, one toddler and one school age. I've noticed that each week the home especially the kitchen is getting dirtier. This morning I had to clean down counters, sweep floors and steam clean the floors as they were scruffy. When I started I was told they had mice but were on top of it and house seemed cleaned enough. I don't know if they realise the house is not clean or they are just chancing their arm and know I will clean up.

I think it is hard to tell from what you have written whether it really is appallingly dirty, or whether you have very high standards and it is actually on the slack side of normal. I wouldn't clean my floors every day or even every four days. I wouldn't empty bins until they were full. When my children were little, there probably were stains on the carpet that were there for months. Steam cleaning floors because they are "scruffy" seems over the top, unless your definition of scruffy is more heinous than mine.

Cheeky, manky bastards.

If thats their "normal" thats their normal at the end of the day....you aren't employed to be their housekeeper so its down to whether you like the job enough to put up with it. We all have different standards. Sometimes just asking if they have ever employed a cleaner or have thought of getting one in might be big enough of a hint?

I wouldn't feel comfortable making children food in a house like this, or even eating/using the bathroom. Poor kids having to live there.

YABU because I wouldn't of taken any job if there had been mice. I imagine if the house is as you described it was pretty much like that... and there's no wonder you have mice.

This job is not for you. It is gross that you have to clean first to begin your day. If you were not hired to also clean, then you need to tell them you are not able to work for them. When they ask why, feel free to say that the house is really not very clean and it is not in your contract to do any household cleaning.

Stop cleaning their house and just take the kids out with you as much as possible/tidy up your specific area. But if you're cleaning everything they will assume you're happy to do it. You're making it part of your job description - if you're not happy with this, you need to stop.

I don’t think houses should be smelling the way the op describes. Unless there’s dogs and cats and litter trays and stuff in a house, there’s no excuse for it to be permanently smelly. I also wouldn’t empty bins until they’re full, but she does say it’s the actual bins themselves that smell. I take mine out every few weeks, give them a wipe down with dettol and line the bottom with kitchen roll to absorb any leaks. I don’t think there can be any way that they’re unaware of the dirt and smell, I guess with them being out of the house it’s easy for them to dismiss. Not considering how horrible it must be for the nanny and the kids who have to stay there all day

Yep

I was a nanny for a few months in a house like that too in mid 90s - this pair of slightly odd high earners in their early 40s effectively had no food in either- I used to end up buying food out my wages- the women was skinny as hell and seemed to think kids simply like her would be ok on an occasional tin of soup and a lettuce leaf. The house was also exceptionally grubby and badly needed a lot of work - they had clearly bought well over what they could afford to do up - this was in a very swanky celeb filled area - I used to feel embarrassed inviting other Nannie's round.

It does sound as if you're doing a good job, modelling good behaviour to the dch. If there are mice you'll see evidence! If you want to carry on looking after these dch, accept that your standards are higher than the parents' and tell them that you need a mop and hoover, because these are necessary now that the dch are growing up. Maybe you could negotiate a pay increase, or they may just say that they don't need you to clean. In which case you can then decide whether to continue with them or not.

No, nannies usually will tidy the children’s bedrooms or communal areas of items used/mess made during childcare. They may also do laundry and ironing for the children only. An au pair may, as they are younger and limited in the number of hours they are permitted to take care of children, also help with general laundry and housework by agreement at the contracting stage. Again, usually in communal areas and limited to tidying/hoovering/putting a duster over.

Nannies are childcare professionals, not cleaners, and are not responsible for cleaning a house at the start of their day because employers can’t be arsed to look after themselves or hire a cleaner.

But if you're cleaning every morning then surely it's just day to day mess and dirt - crumbs, a few dirty plates, a spill? It's fine that people have different standards but it sounds like a busy family leaving breakfast dishes and crumbs out.

Let us know what they say, OP.

But why is it OP's job to clean that? it's not part of her agreed duties.

They are taking the piss.

What you can do is to leave the job or tell them that you're able to do some cleaning as well but for extra money obviously.

They are taking the mick. They obviously expect you to do the cleaning.

They've got themselves a free cleaner..........

@RatatouillePie

Cleaning up after the children - yes

wiping around after bath time -yes
scrubbing the toilets - no

Coming into a dirty house - no.
actual housework - no

Tbh I would expect that to be part of your role

The sounds of some of that is verging on neglect (unwashed bedsheets), unwashed kitchen areas. I would be telling them, OP. Give them a set time to improve and if not leave and report to social services. SS unlikely to do much as too busy but needs to be reported. Why should middle class parents get away with not providing basic care for their children ? PS. Social worker of 17 years experience.

It’s part of a nanny’s role to spend the morning cleaning up the parents mess, so she has a workable space to use to take of their children that she’s actually paid to look after. Get to fuck with you 😂

They've not asked her to clean it though. They've left a couple of plates/knives/cups on the counter, a few crumbs or a spill of tea and rushing out to work by the sounds of it. I can't see how it's anything other than breakfast mess of a morning if the OP is always cleaning. How could it build up to a level of filth that we're being led to believe if the OP cleans the kitchen every day? I gulp down breakfast and me and my daughters plate and cup are left on the side in the kitchen, sometimes there is a smear of jam or a small spill of tea. I'm in too much of a rush to sort this out in the morning, I deal with it on my return. Normal mess.

It sounds as thought they're a little messy and/or rushed in the morning and the OPs standards are extremely high, perhaps unreasonably so.

I think I’d cut my losses and leave. Talking to them won’t help as they’re naturally filthy.

But they weren’t messy before.

They are chancing it by leaving it messy now, then they see that OP cleans it up, and they’re stepping up the mess thinking OP has accepted her lot.