Nannies and their employers. WWYD?

[SchrodingersCat]

What would you do in this situation?

I nanny/pa/half arsed housekeep for 4 children. Both parents work full time. I work on average a 14 hour day (kids are at school but still have lots to do during the day).

My boss has invitied a friend and her two children as well as another two children to stay during half term. This means I will be cooking for 12, washing for 12, and looking after an extra 4 children.

I am not happy.

Would you as nannies ask for more pay and how much?

As employers of nannies, would you pay more and how much?

OMG! I think they're taking the utter piss! I'm a working parent and am very grateful for anything our nanny does (we only have her one day a week), I wouldn't dream of putting so much extra on her without consulting her prior to making arrangements and at least doubling her money, IF she wanted to take on so much extra.

As a nanny I would be 'ill' that week and let her see how hard it is!!!

I think you need to sit down and havea chat with your boss (easier said than done I know) to find out if she expects you to be caring for the children the whole time, if she does you need to sort out whether she will be paying you extra or the other mother, they probably haven;t though about it but if you present it as which one of you is going to be paying me, that may well make them think.

Good luck.

if you have nanny insurance (and you should if a professional nanny) then you are not covered for 8 children

if the mum has arranged for her friends to come,then fab, but you are not their nanny - why cant the mum look after her own children

As a nanny employer i wouldn't dream of asking my nanny to do something on that scale

Like rubyslippers I'm a nanny employer and wouldn't dream of asking that, not for a whole week. I think you need to try and sit down and explain that if you're expected to childmind them all it is a safety issue, and secondly far too much for you to do. Perhaps for that week you could agree to different duties, i.e. if you look after all the children for a couple of hours(assuming that is possible), then no childcare the rest of the day and limited work will be done around the house.

i would NOT be happy and would not be doing it...

maybe if MB sat me down and asked me very nicely could i cook them all dinner on one night id probably say yes.

I would NOT be looking after other families children, and i most certainly would not be doing any of the others families washing either (and that would include NOT laundering the bedding used by the guests)

in fact with all those extra adults around id be expected to be leaving early!!!

Has she actually asked you to do the extra work? Maybe if her friend is staying she is planning to take time off.

I've worked for lots of families and been told to make up certain guest accommodation for people staying over and I would be expected to help out with food for the kids etc but not cooking for the adults unless its in your contract I would be having a word with your boss about the arrangements that week.

I think when you are a nanny/housekeeper it can be less defined on what your actual role is and its a difficult balance to try to do it all well and without feeling you are been taken advantage of.

Nannyl, I don't think it is right that she should be doing other families laundry but as a housekeeper it would normally be her duty to change the beds for guests.

That sounds Hellish.
I had a boss who did that to me all the time. They invited people to stay and their kids would suddenly be my problem and I would be expected to cook different meals for each according to their faddy tastes and all their mums would boss me around as well as my mb. She used to encourage it but then that was a nightmare job.
I charged the parents in the end. That soon put a stop to it.
I had another mb who went about the whole thing differently. Asked me nicely, made it very clear to her friends that I was HER nanny not theirs and I did not cook to order and insisted if they were using me then they had to pay me something. Consequently there were no problems whatsoever on any side.
True about insurance though

What does your contract say?

Mine does allow my boss to look after friends/relatives as long as it doesn't exceed my insurance so you have a get out clause there.

4 extra children is double your workload - I'd expect nigh on double the pay tbh! But in all honesty I'd refuse to do it and say I needed another pair of hands for that week. At their expense.

Another nanny-employer here who thinks they're completely taking the piss. Is this part of an ongoing pattern of stretching the boundaries of your role? In which case you need to start managing the issue (formalising arrangements if not well documented, referring to contracts etc if they are in place) Or is this a one off? In which case you can maybe address less formally, approach your employer and say a) you are disapointed in lack of consultation b) what exactly do they expect you to do? c) what recompense you expect (is it practical to ask for Time Off in Lieu instead of cash if that would be your preference?). After the event you also need to sit down and discuss hypothetical situations with your empliyers and define the boundaries of your role, presuming your contract does not cover in sufficeint detail - it's often easier then duscussing actual events, as both parties are less stressed. Depending on your employers' reactions, you may also wish to start putting out feelers for another role!

Whilst I think the mother is taking the mickey and should have spoken to the OP about her expectations for the week, two things strike me:-

1. the nanny isn't being asked to work any extra hours, and if this happened in our household I would expect the nanny to do her contracted hours and no more, so I would imagine that the cleaning would slide, the PA stuff would slide and that the nanny would fit into her hours the stuff that mattered.

2. Is the mother intending to be at home herself over this period? That matters a huge deal and if she is then I don't think there is any issue to be honest - it strikes me that it would be very unfair for her to expect you to look after extra children by yourself (presumably because the parents of the two stray ones are working themselves), but if she is planning to take the time off as well then I would imagine she just expects you to pitch in, rather than take sole charge for all these people. Or is that exactly what she is expecting?

If the OP is who I think it is (a long standing poster) then that's exactly what the mother will be expecting! Plus all the other duties to be done as well.

Frakk - you should be a PI!

I have spoken to the mother. She has said that I am not expected to cook for all of them as they mother and her two children will be out and about a lot. The other two are guests and I will have to cook for them and ferry them around etc.

The mother will not be at home. She will be at work. The father will be working, albeit it from home but he will not be entertaining the children.

I have to take 2 kids to the theatre after my finishing hours I have just been informed.

I will be leaving on time, every day irregardless of what is happening.

Stillsquiffy - why the hell should I cook and clean for houseguests. They are not my guests. I have not invited them. Would you at your work take on extra work without being asked? WIthout any compensation? 8 children at once???????

As a housekeeper then yes, cooking and cleaning up for guests is part of that. That's what a housekeeper does

The problem is that you have a dual role and can't be expected to do both proficiently when there is extra people.

I think you should just work your normal hours and do what you can - asking the employer which of these takes priority for the week - stuff is bound to slip.

And I hope you're getting paid extra to take them to the theatre

I am a nanny/pa/housekeeper. My roles are not true housekeeping roles.
I was hired as a nanny but do a lot more.

I bloody better be paid extra. I will bill for it!

Ahh it all sucks!

What Laurie says - if you are taking on a housekeeper/PA role then you should be flexible enough to do things like clearing up after house guests too, but only within the boundaries of your normal working hours, with the expectation that some things might slide if you are too busy. And tidying up after guests is absolutely part of the job description for a housekeeper (I have had housekeepers myself). So long as you work 14 hours and get paid 14 hours I don't see it as a problem.

If the mum and two of the children are going to be out and about and are not your responsibility, then it seems that the extra required is (correct me if I'm wrong):-

1. Some tidying up after the guests
2. 6 childrens' meals instead of 4
3. Looking after 6 children during the day instead of 4
4. an after hours trip to the theatre.

Taking it one by one.

1. Part of the role in my opinion although not if it puts you over your normal hours
2. and 3) Given that the mum herself is not going to be helping out here then she should have asked you first and also asked the other children's mum to pay you extra for this, that's how I have always done it and it means the nanny gets a huge cash boost, so all round. If mum hasn't done this you should suggest it to her and tell her that you think this is what normally happens.
3. You should get overtime for this.

To be honest, I always expect my nannies/au pairs to 'go the extra mile' sometimes in holidays and I would never negotiate more money for this unless more hours are involved - I would take it as swings and roundabouts, knowing that sometimes my nanny will slack off for the day during term time (it happens, and she tells me. She knows it works both ways). It is having the flexibility that makes nannies/housekeepers' so valuable - and it is a flexibility that I think should be rewarded at bonus time, not negotiated week by week.

Saying all of that, I have often said on here that I think these combined nanny/HK roles are a nightmare in practice and create lots of bad feeling. And from the other post it seems that this is part of a bigger problem with your family?

frakk is not the only detective, i worked you out at once, but kept stum

and sure you will be doing extra stuff and wont be paid for it

frakk, must admit when i read that in your contract, i thought you mad thing, would NEVER have that in mine lol

Agree with Squiffy.

I would focus on hours, not duties. If more cooking menas less childcare and same hours, then that's probably okay.

It was definitely bad form not to discuss this with you. But as all of these things are within your duties I can understand why you would be expected to undertake them.

Look over the plan, and try and estimate impact to hours. Then, that is of course something for which you should be paid extra.

i guess in op mb defence, she hasnt actually said you WILL have the other 4 children/have to cook meals for them etc yet ..............

I will HAVE to cook for the adults. I will HAVE to look after the extra children. I WILL have to clean up after them.
My job is too look after the family. Not their houseguests. I do not mind one or two but FIVE extra people in one week is a nightmare.

If I was being paid extra, being given time off in lieu then fine but this is all on top of my normal duties. That is why I am annoyed. In any other job if you are given extra duties then you are reconpensated for it (has been in every other industry Ihave worked in). And is not as though I can just leave it until the next day. More work will just pile up.

So basically, majority think I should just do it. Just It is not in my contract at all by the way.
Either way I am screwed.
Thanks anyway

I'm with you SC. I'm sure they won't pick up the slack for you when you get to the end of your day looking after 5 extra people. The dishes etc will be waiting for you in the morning.
Unfortunately, sucking it up and getting on with it seems to be what most employers want if you are 'lucky' enough to be working for them.
Out of interest, did you start off as a nanny and end up as pa/house keeper?

Ok, I wonder if the problem is that if you leave the work then it will just pile up and you will still have to do it?

It is the same in other jobs - if you get extra duties/extra projects you have to prioritise and then let the other work slip. You need to take some of the emotion out and just do the hours you are paid for and gradually catch up over the next week weeks - it is what others do.

If you have to actually work longer hours then of course they should give you extra money.

netbook - I started as a nanny. Somehow (mainly through my own fault for not saying no and circustances at the time - parents started working 20 hr days due to credit crash and I had to take on more duties) I ended up as a nanny/pa/hk.