To think the nanny shouldn't have been drinking alcohol?

[Idonthavemytoolsmycloak]

Went for a meal tonight and on the next table were two small children and someone who later said she was their nanny (not grandmother) and only had them three days a week. She was drinking beer, quite large ones, and joking that she was so stressed on the days she had them that she needed the alcohol. She clearly didn't think she was doing anything wrong! I'm afraid I was well and truly judgy! What do others think?

Is it necessary to be so rude? People like you really let the side down. Honestly!

There must be more to it if she isn't their granny then auntie playing nanny and saying it sarcastically.

If she was in a restaurant with the children after 6pm she was probably joking about being 'the nanny'.

@Idonthavemytoolsmycloak I agree with you.
In no place work would it be ok to drink alcohol whilst working. Could very easily lead to being dismissed on the spot.
She was working. She shouldn’t be drinking.

The fact she is working with chikdren and parents drink too in those circumstances is not here nor there. Parents arent working!

Hmm…. Does your job allow you to drink WHILST working? At your desk maybe? No? Why is that if you can still do your job properly?

I wouldn't be happy if someone I was paying to look after my children was drinking whilst on duty (unless they had specifically asked and I'd agreed it).

However, I find this so obviously something that would be considered unacceptable that I would actually assume it was alcohol free beer and a joke, or the person was actually the children's parent/relative and it was a joke. I can't believe that otherwise a nanny would draw attention to the drink.

This assumes you're in the UK. There may be other countries where this would be more acceptable.

Sometimes sarcasm can go over people's heads.

Friday lunch in the pub was a regular thing in the 80s and 90s although, personally, I didn't drink alcohol on these occasions. We also had glass of wine with school Christmas dinner on school premises shock horror! My Head Teacher in the 80s kept a wine box in the staffroom fridge. I never witnessed anyone the worse for wear.

She probably saw you looking, and made a joke. Might have been 0 alcohol. Either way, none of your business.

I'm retired now but never signed up to no alcohol. Not that I ever did apart from Christmas dinner but it was never specified.

I used to have the odd drink (allowed by the parents) when I worked as a nanny, but I was working ALL THE TIME. I mean, literally 7 days a week 24 hr shifts over the summer months. I wouldn’t have wanted a drink if working 3 days a week and would save it for days off.

But if I were her employer I’d be fine with her having one beer with dinner as long as she wasn’t an incredible lightweight and as long as she wasn’t driving.

Lots of places pay for drinking at work. Do not pretend they do not.

I highly doubt any of this is true. And even if it is, she could have been their grandmother - nanny is a common term for this in some parts of the country, a stepmother who had taken to referring to herself as the nanny ironically, or a nanny whose boss has said she can drink with a meal.

So, someone starts a little discussion about something they found odd or questionable. And several people feel the need to make rude and insulting replies.

Does that kind of thing make anyone else think twice about starting any discussions on here themselves, or even think twice about coming on here at all anymore?

Just wondering how much more lively and interesting this forum could be, if fewer people were so eager to put someone else down.

OP, If our Nanny had our small children watching iPads at a restaurant while she had a beer I would terminate her employment. She has signed a contract which explicitly specifies no drinking during the course of the working day + that meals will be prepared at home whether she takes them picnic style out or eats at home. She’s a well paid professional, if she’s finding her job so stressful she needs to opt out of looking after them and drink then clearly there’s a problem which is her job to address with us.

I recognise that not every nanny has the same expectations - but I’m genuinely surprised by the numbers of people who think this is normal!

Actually I've had several jobs in the past where no-one gave a second glance to a glass of wine or beer being consumed in the office. I can also remember, not too long ago, a headteacher asking me what he could get me after a particularly long and difficult meeting. I jokingly said I would like a gin and tonic, whereupon he opened up what turned out to be a bar next to his desk and poured me one! 😆😆

I can't think of many places of work where it would be acceptable to drink beers during working hours, so why should it be any different.

Even worst when looking after young children.

Unfortunately, unless you know the parents, there's not much you can do. If she wasn't driving, you can't call or do anything.

Did you read the first line of the op?

Mind your own business!

Definitely a paid nanny.

Really and you know that for certain? Was she in uniform? Are you her employer or did she tell you?

See this is pointless because you don’t know the woman, don’t even know if she’s an actual nanny, saw her “drink” one beer, which you don’t even know was actually alcohol or 0%.

Even if she was a paid nanny for these children and had drank beer whilst looking after them who would you report it to? You don’t know her name, the kids names or school so what is the point of this?

You mean like Christmas do?

Because otherwise, no I haven’t seen anyone drinking at work.
Actually, at my dh factory, Theyre still doing random drug and alcohol testing for those working on the assembly line. (Yes it’s their contract, H&S issue).

Having said, I’m pretty sure most nurseries for example have clear guidance against drinking alcohol at work.
Just like teachers do too
Guidance for teachers here

So yes, in many industries, incl the ones where children are involved, it’s not common.

In that particular case, assuming it is indeed a nanny, the woman might not have anything written in her contract. But I’d be very surprised to see her drink too.

In uniform?!? 😂😂
I dint think I’ve ever seen a nanny in uniform. Nursery workers or CM, yes. Nannies no

Norland trained Nannies wear a beige uniform with a hat whilst on duty. There's 1 employed by a family near-by and she is always in uniform when in charge of the DC.

They are very posh and very old fashioned nannies. They are tiny in number.