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?

I’d probably laugh and tell her she was a brave woman wearing my slippers. I’m my father’s daughter and I freely admit that my feet are rotten!! 😂 Things have been better since I found Trust foot paste, but I still wouldn’t want to put anyone through it.

OP I’d happily buy her a pair to use so she’s comfortable, and buy a new pair for myself at the same time

I had a Peruvian friend when I was younger, and everyone got given a pair of those hotel slippers when you entered their house. I'd just get her a pair that match yours and either give them as a gift or keep yours out of reach and let her wear the new ones.

The kids always take their shoes off at the door as they prefer it and they tend to be dirtier from playing outdoors. We always have our shoes off for going upstairs as there's carpets upstairs only. But the nanny is never upstairs, as far as I know.

This. Just buy her a pair for the house (not as a Christmas present, just say you thought sh needed them) and get a new par for yourself. Make it politely clear which pair belongs to whom!

Chap GPT has paranoia

How am I racist? I mentioned where she's from in case it's a cultural thing. If I mentioned she was from Wales or Ireland or France or Spain would you be calling me racist? And no, I don't ask her to do any cleaning, loo included.

I felt sick because they were my personal slippers that I've been wearing every day for more than a year without socks. They are stained and probably smell. I don't know why she would want to wear them.

I have never asked her to remove her shoes, that's why I found it so strange. I always saw her with her shoes on I the house. But maybe she's been wearing my slippers all the time and only puts on her shoes when she's going home...

That's why I asked. I never asked her to take off her shoes and assumed she never did take off her shoes in the house. I would find it icky to even wear my husband's slippers so I don't know why she would want to wear my old stained slippers.

Buy her a pair for Christmas.

Could be a cultural thing, my DH is Polish and when staying with relatives there we are usually offered slipper/sandal-type shoes to wear around the house so maybe she just assumed they were communal ones.

Nailed it.

Just buy her some. Not for Christmas.

What a strange suggestion that it was a racist dig. I am not a racist.

Maybe, I've never heard of this sort of thing before. But obviously things are different in different countries.

Nope. I'm Brazilian and wearing Havaianas type slippers is common indoors, but there is no expectation of providing slippers for guests!
I have to ask this OP, but is she qualified? I ask because up until a few years ago becoming a nanny was the standard employment for unqualified women in Brazil, and during my childhood I had some REALLY inadequate ones because they simply hadn't been trained. Your thread reminds me of one who would "borrow" my mother's underwear without asking.

Why does this make you feel sick? What a weird overreaction. They’re just feet.

Does it make you feel sick when you touch doorhandles which other hands have touched? Or escalator handrails? Or stroke dogs?

Nothing bad is going to happen. I think it’s an invasion of personal space / belongings but we have to stop with all the immature “eeeew germs” crap. It makes you sound ridiculous.

I can't imagine someone else putting their feet in my well worn slippers.

Slippers are just so personal.

I cannot understand why you didn't simply say, 'Maria - are those my slippers you are wearing?

This. You found someone wearing your shoes and didn't actually say anything to them at all?

That's bizarre.

So what are you going to do @SilverDoublet

fire nanny which is extreme

or a much more civilised option

hi nanny. Got you some slippers as saw you had mine on

Surely you'd just take them off and put them in your bag as you were going? Why is it complicated?

Well, I wouldn't be comfortable wearing shoes all day indoors so I'd bring my own.
The employer isn't providing a uniform so the same goes for footwear

That's personal choice. I had assumed the op was a shoes off house and so required the nanny to remove her shoes. She has since clarified that is not the case.

If the employer requires shoes off they should provide suitable footwear. If it's the nanny's personal choice then she should provide the footwear herself.

OK so she is from Brazil, a hot country. She is probably freezing in your English house.
I would buy her a new pair and say: I've noticed you wore my slippers, your feet must be freezing, here are new slippers for you to wear when here.

Done, no big deal. Zero need to post on mumsnet about it.

YANBU for getting the ick but I really don’t think you can sack someone for wearing your slippers. That’s a tad of an over reaction. Just ask her not to!