To have asked nanny to take her shoes off

[Bluegreenyellowredorange]

My husband and I decided to employ a nanny for our 2 DC ages 1 and 5. This will be the first time we've used a nanny.

We interviewed a lady on Saturday. She arrived just as we’d got home from a walk and as usual we all took our shoes off as we came in. She left hers on though and my husband asked her to take them off when she walked into the living room. I’ll be honest it was a little awkward as I think it took her by surprise. They are newish carpets so I can see where he is coming from but I probably wouldn’t have mentioned it myself. I guess most people don’t expect to take their shoes off in an interview (even though it’s a house and not an office?).

Anyway, the interview went well and she had plenty of experience and qualifications and I’ve tried to contact her (yesterday and today) to arrange a taster session but she hasn’t got back to me. It’s such a minor thing but I’m guessing it put her off. I can’t think of anything else.

Did we do something wrong?

Exactly this. We keep our shoes off in our house but if someone is visiting wearing sandals I don’t want their sweaty smelly feet (they do often smell!) or verrucas walking round my floors- if they’ve got socks i don’t mind but shoes are better on strangers from my perspective!

Many nannies on this thread.

I actually cant believe so many people think its ok to walk on carpet with shoes they have worn outside. I am definitely not a clean freak but taking your dirty shoes off before walking on carpet is standard practice like showering daily.

I agree, last week we had a virgin tv installer, he put on the shoe covers he brought with him without us asking. A few weeks ago, same with a couple of blokes delivering our new suite. Tradesmen from decent firms seem to do it as routine these days.

DH and I remove shoes. I’d expect her to follow suit but I’d not ask her to for interview. For work I’d ask her to remove them though. Shoes carry all sorts of germs and muck and children come in to contact with carpets and floors often while playing etc so it’s a no brainier for me. I realise people can of course have different views on this but for me it’s shoes off.

Well we may never know, as the interview was over a week ago

and the Op never returned

so we don't know if potential nanny did return the Op's calls/texts nor whether she declined / accepted the position...

Oh ! except it wouldn't be to decline/accept the position, there was to be a ( free ? ) taster session first...

Me neither, bit rude actually.
No wonder she's not answering the phone, good nannies come at a premium she will be able to be picky, sounds like the husband would be the type to talk down to people. Probably once she started the job she would have a pair of slippers or something for indoors, but not for an interview

I'm an accountant and visit clients' homes on a regular/weekly basis. I always offer to take off my shoes. After all, it's their "home" even if they operate a business from within it.

Obviously, I don't take off shoes at business premises such as offices, factories, warehouses, etc., or if the client has a separate home office (i.e. converted garage, garden office etc) which means I don't go in their home.

I'd say it's pretty much 50:50 as to whether clients are shoes on or shoes off. It's just common curtesy to comply with the homeowner's personal preference in their own home!

sorry but wearing outside shoes indoors is minging. anyone that doesn't take their shoes off going into someone's house is just rude and brought up in a barn probably

She should have offered to take her shoes off herself!!! The fact that she did not do so, after asked, will be putting me off!

I remove my shoes in everyone house. It's a sign of respect in many cultures.

I wouldn’t have had a problem with it. Everyone takes shoes off in my house. I would have provided some cheap slippers for her to wear though.

She may have another interview tomorrow and be hedging her bets. She may have had trouble with her phone. Perhaps a family emergency or maybe she just did not like you or your home. Hundreds of possibilities,I would think taking shoes off is the least likely.

I’m a nanny and have always taken my shoes off when entering someone’s home. It’s just the done thing (I know my fellow nanny friends do the same!)
Why would you want to wear shoes on a carpet where a baby is crawling around….!?
Very odd, I wouldn’t say you’ve done anything wrong at all.

Or alternately I look at it as a home with a very young child who will be crawling, sitting, lying on the floor, probably dropping things and putting them in their mouth should aim to have clean floors and not walk in dirt and dogs mess on their shoes especially carpet?

i find it really interesting the different perspectives on this. Normally people with dogs have given up on hygiene I find.

the nanny should have shown normal manners and taken the shoes off at the front door without having been asked.

clearly not a compatible relationship. My nanny used to bring house slippers to change into on arrival. I didn’t even have to ask her it was all off her own back. She was a very clean and tidy person naturally.

You’ve done nothing wrong…rude of her to walk in with her shoes on and put you in the position to have to ask.

I see clients in their home sometimes. My shoes come off at the door even when they say don’t worry. It’s basic manners that I teach my kids.

I’d have asked, it’s polite to and if you didn’t and she kept it up while employed it’s a harder thing to implement! I don’t have a shoes off rule due to hard floors and probably going in the garden but I would ask if they chose to use the upstairs! Couldn’t care who they are

I have three rugs around my front door: two outside (one silicon for step 1 brushing, second bamboo fibre for step 2 brushing) and a third one inside for drying out the shoes and leaving them on the rug. Then I also have guests slippers of 4 sizes (2 each for men and women).

When people come into the house, I bend over and reach for slippers asking which ones they prefer. Their shoes, at that point, come off automatically. I don’t even have to tell.

I don’t give a flying one who you are, you’re taking your shoes off before you walk on my carpets. Anyone who thinks it’s ok to walk through someone’s home with shoes on are grim and it’s quite telling what their houses are like. And when you have young children sitting and playing on the carpet?! Even more so.

Precisely because the job involves caring after young children a nanny shouldn’t be wearing shoes inside, it’s unhygienic

Really? I wouldn't dream of walking on someone's carpet with my shoes on, that's such bad manners and absolutely disgusting what carpets hold.
@Bluegreenyellowredorange I wouldn't want to employ someone to be in my house in their shoes. It'd be odd to ask someone in an office environment but It's not an office, it's a family home.

Having 2 young children and worries about their carpet? What's wrong with good hygiene and manners and being respectful. I always take my shoes off in people's homes, I was raised to be respectful because of modelled behaviour of my parents. My kids behave appropriately because we do, I'd want a nanny to support good manners and consideration. Also, if child is very young they'll be crawling on the carpet -it should be kept clean.

I'm a former Nanny and this would have put me off tbh. It shows a level of pedantry that doesn't always bode well for the future. Might seem harsh but it's true!
The same applies to families with cameras.

So strange! I'm a social worker and always (unless the floors are filthy) take my shoes off in someone else's house. Even in my own house I ask any visitor of any description to take their shoes off. Hell, even my kids take their shoes off as soon as they get home or when visiting friends and family. Different culture/etiquette I guess?!

I always offer to take my shoes off when I enter someone’s home, it’s good manners surely? I wouldn’t walk in with new carpet with my shoes on