Private nanny - how do you do lunchbreaks?

[mcrlover]

We are hiring a private nanny all day monday-friday. I was wondering, how does it work with lunch breaks?

Our child sleeps for about an hour each lunchtime. AIBU to say that the nanny can then have that whole time "off" as their lunch break (ie they wouldn't be expected to do any baby-related chores etc, can spend the time as they'd like, as long as they are "on call" in case the baby wakes up?)

I'm confused because for any other 9-5 job you'd usually be allowed a full lunch break without needing to be "on call"

We are paying the nanny by the hour so my idea would be to pay them for the whole time including that lunch "break"(not quite break).

Or should I instead make sure that one of the parents is at home over lunchtime each day so that we can give the nanny a real break to spend as they please without needing to be around in case baby wakes up?

You sound so lovely! Most Nannie’s don’t get a lunch break at all, and during naps, are expected to do nursery duties. Your set up sounds lovely and I expect your future nanny will love working for you ☺️

Nannies just take their break when the baby sleeps (or is at pre-school or is having quiet time).

Usually the family will provide lunch as a sort of benefit to make-up for the fact that they don't get a proper break.

Teachers get paid lunch breaks as they cannot leave the site to go off and eat. It's probably the same principle here

I wrote a lunch break into our nanny’s contract and she just laughed and said she’d never had one before.

Ours are older but when they were younger she’d have some quiet time whilst they napped. Now they’re older she will just grab a break when she needs it. She eats lunch with them, eating what they’re having, same with dinner if it’s a rare late evening.

If they’re out for the day we cover all her food and drink costs (realise you didn’t ask this but just in case it’s helpful)

Really helpful, thanks!

Her break is when the child sleeps, or no breaks. Lunch can be eaten on a break or together with a child.

I have been a teacher for 10 years. I have never been paid for my lunch break.. even though I never get a lunch break and work through it!

They don't get paid and they can leave

Tangent but I’m a teacher (secondary state, p/t after having lots of kids) and frequently leave at lunchtime to go to Waitrose for a sandwich and coffee. I’ve done burnout and not doing it again.

You pay them for the whole time they are there and they get lunch when they can. When the kids are little this is usually at nap time.

As long as the kids are well looked after, their rooms are clean and tidy and their laundry is done I’ve never specified what their nanny should be doing when they are napping (or when they are at school, as they are now).

You pay for all their time, provide their lunch, and they take a 30-60 minute break while the baby is napping or older child has quiet/TV time.

Our nanny just ate whenever she wanted to. Don't forget the baby will be napping and she will have plenty of time to watch tv and eat whenever suits her.

When I had a second child, she ate with the toddler. She often brought what was presumably her dinner from the evening before and heated it up in the microwave.

The whole idea is for your children to have a home routine. If you were looking after the baby during the day, you would eat, sit down to have a coffee and so will the nanny. Ours often met a friend in the playground, went to baby classes, went to the shop. We didn't ask ours to do any housework other than stack the dishwasher after they had eaten. She will have lots of time to eat, don't worry.

Oh sorry my mistake then - my sister is a teacher and told me she did as she doesn't have time to go off site so I assumed that was principle in all schools

I think there’s a difference between expectations of older and more experienced nannies with newer nannies.

We have a part time nanny so it’s not an issue for us, but I am on a Facebook group for nannies which I joined when we were looking. Every now and then there will be a poster who wants to know how they get breaks and the responses are varied between getting paid the entire time and trying to get chill time when the kids are sleeping or playing independently, and expecting a full lunch break and telling the family that it’s their duty to find someone to fill that break.

They don’t have a lunch break. That’s a ridiculous idea - how would that even work - a second nanny who comes for an hour?

That's more the reason 'the time' By the time you've sorted uour last lesson and prepared for the nextt one, its normally eat on the move, and tgats nit including tge influx of children, who need you for something, or other colleagues finding you!
I do know staff who ensure they get out to have the break but most do remain on site.

That is not true

When I was a nanny I was paid for the whole time and it was always the norm that I didn't have formal breaks. I did nursery duties but no housework other than the dishwasher and cleaning up after I cooked so there were usually times where I could sit down for a while but on busy days or if the baby didn't nap I just got on with it. I had one meal a day included as they liked me to prepare and eat a cooked lunch with the children.