Nanny wearing my slippers when I'm not there

[SilverDoublet]

This is a bit of a weird one - so I popped home today unexpectedly while the nanny was in my house with the kids. Everything seemed fine, but then when she was talking to me I looked down and saw that she was wearing my slippers. It made me feel sick. They're not the cleanest or newest of slippers, but I didn't know what to say. I don't know if she's been doing this the whole time or what but I feel like binning the slippers and hiding my slippers in future. I also feel like letting her go over it. It just makes me wonder what else she might do when I'm not there. She's from Brazil. Is this normal in Brazil to just wear someone else's slippers? Am I being weird to have a total icky feeling about this?

It’s fucking weird. The huge percentage that think YABU are also really weird. Grim.

What's weird is you paying a virtual stranger to look after your children in your home. It's positively Victorian.

You mean in the child's home? With familiar surroundings and all their toys?

My cleaner from Brasil, she doesn't were my sleepers, her boss is from Brasil, she was next door bare feet, so it must be something your nanny do, it doesn't have any to do with their home country. I'm not from the UK wtw.

Buy yourself and her new slippers in different colours and say you noticed her wearing your so thought she might like some of her own to wear in your house

I'd just offer her a pair of slippers, I think she must've just had cold feet, if its a no shoe rule in your house, provide slippers!

So this is not good, because she is working for you and you are paying her wages. I would have a chat with her and ask why is she wearing your slippers? Wait for her to answer, then say you are paying her wages to look after your children and i would have a chat with your husband to decide what to do. Personally,if i employed someone to look after my children i would be concerned if i saw her wearing my slippers!!!!!

Yes i aggree.

Chat with husband 😂 About slippers. 😂

Yes, because OP is denying the children a social opportunity and making out that it's normal for a stranger to come into the house and take on a parental role.

Wow. This thread is really getting out of hand. So now the OP is being attacked merely for hiring a nanny. It goes to show that people will post absolutely anything on Mumsnet for no other reason than to be contrarian and insult the OP.

Well I don't buy her clothes, so why would I buy her slippers? That's just odd. No one here does that.

Thanks. Yes I agree. Lots of unusual viewpoints on mumsnet.... Or maybe they're just trolls.

No you’re weird if you think wearing someone else’s sweaty well worn slippers is normal. It’s disgusting not to mention unhygienic

Nah that’s just grim 🤢 who wears someone else’s sweaty else’s sweaty well worn slippers. Basic hygiene level of zero. If she wears your slippers what other unhygienic things does she possibly do?

It's not weird at all in my area. The majority of working parents do that here, unless they have willing to help grandparents available, which we don't have. It's an area where cost of living is high. She's only working 3 hours, 3 days a week at this particular job. Out of interest, how do you manage, do you not work, are you a SAHP? How do you pay your bills etc.?

I mean, yes it's weird and quite yuck, but in your situation I'd just shove the slippers through the wash and buy her a pair as an early Christmas gift: "Oh, I noticed you were wearing my slippers the other day. They're a bit gross and I wouldn't wish my grotty slippers on you. You also take such good care of the kids I wanted to buy you something as a thank you. So here's an early Christmas gift for you to keep here! Hope they're ok." Job done. Nobody need be offended, nobody need be grossed out.

No my situation is completely different but my kids went to nursery school.
I'm just not sure I'd want a stranger in my house looking after my kids, I'd rather they went to a controlled, nurturing environment with more than one adult to take responsibility.
To have a nanny (hate that word) in your house seems old-fashioned and a bit creepy in a domestic servant kind of way, whether she wears your slippers or not.
My kids are grown up now but one's a hospital doctor and the other's an infection control specialist nurse so they didn't turn out too bad. They're both well-rounded people and my best friends.

What a strange question. I assume she does, but have never asked... Should I ask? There is a downstairs toilet. It's quite common these days to have a toilet downstairs.

I actually do know a few people in the UK who keep slippers for guests.

Since your nanny has already worn your slippers, I'd probably just set those aside for her - it's better for your floors than having her walk on them using her outdoor shoes.

Looking at the majority of answer's - I think most people agree, your the problem, Not the nanny.

Have a look at the votes

I wouldn't sack her. I think thats a step too far but YANBU for your reaction or how you feel.
I recently got rid of a pair of slippers after I found my MIL in them with her bare feet and without asking. I do have spare slippers if she had asked which do get washed between users. It's a big no-no for me to share footwear, especially with bare feet. It does stem from a childhood friend borrowing my shoes and then finding out she had a severe verruca issue. So I completely understand your reaction as mine is the same for you.

The posters children are school age, but for small children, personally I have always found it weirder that people drop their kids at a germ infested place where they are looked after by an 18yo they’ve never met and who has to do some very basic training / is often unsupervised.

At nursery there is much less chance someone forms a 1-1 bond with your child and even if they did, they have other children to think about and won’t ever love your child like a nanny would.

I understand benefits in socialisation and most people can’t afford a nanny, but I’ve always found the concept of a nursery a bit counterintuitive to what very small children need.

If you are like me and ask people to please remove your shoes in the house, then you should have a pair for her to wear. Her feet were probably cold! I don't find it weird to share slippers, but some people are weird about feet. I have communal pairs that I offer to guests when they come in - I would hate for them to have cold feet!