nannies advice please on how best to stop my nanny's current bad habits?

[mrsshackleton]

We've had a new nanny for five weeks, since the beginning of the school holidays. Everything's been basically OK, but I have various reservations about her. The main one is that my dds seem to like her but say that's because she is "always giving them treats" and "takes them to McDonalds"

I don't mind occasional treats and once or twice yearly trips to Mds and I said she could take them there once when she asked but today they tellling me they go almost every day with her. She is not good at cooking I've realised and I'm pretty sure she takes them to Mds for lunch as that's what she wants to eat and buys them an ice cream or whatever while they sit there.

I also get the impression from dds' recent behaviour that she's in the habit of doling out sweets and biscuits all day whenever they ask, as they've now started to whinge constantly about being hungry, obviously expecting a treat straight away.

Anyway, my question is how to tackle this with our nanny? I'm nervous because to her it's clearly fine to eat in Mds every day/stuff children with sweeties and I dont' want to be seen as criticising her lifestyle. How would all you lovely nannies out there suggest I word it? Thank you

You do need a good talk, otherwise it'll end as it did with mine, her taking them to her boyfriends house and all sorts.

your nanny goes to maccy d's most/every day for her OWN LUNCH

this has got to stop and you need to stop it now

it is not a case of your dc telling tales but surely any professional nanny knows not to do this, yes she may be young but even when i started nannying 19yrs ago at 18yrs old i knew not to go there every day and eat lunch

is she a qualified nanny? if so then she should have some basic food nutrition/skills from her course

rubys method is def micromanaging and would drive me insane but it works for her and her nanny

but any person should be able to cook simple meals like shepherds pie/lasgane/casserole/fish pie or meat and veg

Blondes you should be a consultant for nannies and families. Imagine how lucrative your business would be!

Well, if there were no MN where you can find the advice for free...

the nanny going to MacDs for lunch, may not be young. MrsS didn't answer that... I think the nanny may be quite mature and a mum herself.

Blondes - totally agree! I can't believe she'd eat her lunch there and let them watch, that seems cruel to me.

I LOVE crisps (wish I didn't!) but this is a healthy eating house in general and being a childminder, I can't be seen to be stuffing myself full of crisps in front of the children then not letting them have them. I therefore have to wait until they have naps or whatever and sneek a pack in or wait til they've gone home!

Oh sorry yes, forgot to answer that - as NN of amazing memory says she is in her fifties and a grandmother. Which makes me wonder what she fed her children all these years

It's all a bit strange really... she makes sandwiches for the DDs for picnics out... yet she ends up at MacD's (can't be many, if any MacD's in woodland, parks etc). So she must be making a concious decision to go to MacD's... even though she could make lunch for herself.

Is she perhaps concerned about using your food for her lunch? I presume you providing lunch is part of the deal... is that right?

She's in her 50's... surely she can cook a few things by now?

sorry mixed up rubys young nanny with op

but as she is an older lady and a grandmother then its almost worse - she SHOULD know how to cook healthy meals

starexpat, i have thought about that i would be rolling in it, but why mn is here, the people are safe from me lol

Not a great example to be setting your children about what meals adults enjoy. Especially if she is eating food and not allowing them any - it'll might become especially tempting to them.

I do feel if you're paying a lot of money to have a nanny then you'd expect to receive an 'above average' service -and your children sitting and watching the nanny stuff her face with bigmac and fries is not what I'd call above average. I'm a CM and (although I wouldn't usually choose to eat in McDs anyway) I would never, ever take my mindees anywhere like that - even if they were sleeping or to buy myself a meal to eat later, as I'd be embarrassed that I might be 'seen' setting such a poor example.

To me it would be a misconduct issue as she is meant to be entertaining/looking after your children to a high standard and she clearly isn't doing this!

Totally agree Blondes she blimmin' well should and claimed she could but doesn't/can't. But ime all nannies have strong and weak points and she's good at other stuff so I am prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt as long as trips to Mds stop when I categorically ask.

And NannyNick yes, I've already said she can help herself to anything we have for lunch and there's a wide selection. I think she just loves Mds

she had better be bloody good at other stuff if you are willing to over look the food/cooking issues

strix would not let this nanny continue

im really alarmed that an adult can not cook simple meals, how hard is it to dry fry some mince, add chopped onions/carrots/celery and tin of toms, season and simmer and then boil some potatoes and = shepherds pie

I agree, cooking issue is shocking. But she is four days a week, half days so the dds aren't exposed to her all the time - anyway, I will update you next week with how our chat went. As I say if trips to Mds continue then she's outta here