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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Should clients be friends on Facebook - should we follow our boss on Twitter?

32 replies

nannynick · 11/12/2010 11:48

Social media has become a tool which can be useful and can have side affects. If we post something on Facebook/Twitter, other people can see it. If they post something, we can see what they write.

Is this a good thing? What are the problems with doing it?

I follow my boss on Twitter and use Twitter to give some idea of where we are, what we are doing. I'm not friends with my boss on Facebook - not that I use Facebook much these days.

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looneytune · 11/12/2010 12:57

I have 8 parents/ex parents who are Facebook friends. Not had a problem so far but I of course don't moan about worky stuff that often

lifeinagoldfishbowl · 11/12/2010 13:03

I don't have my boss on facebook - don't use twitter.

I would have no problem with her seeing what I have written but I only have it for friends and don't want to blur the lines of employment - even if we do share a bottle of wine and a take away every so often.

My boss once came up in the people you may know suggestions and on clicking on her found she had an open profile - I read her latest status and to be honest wasn't interested in reading any more.

A friend has her boss on hers and often comments on his status' and he on hers, which I don't agree with - not sure why.

cinnamondanish · 11/12/2010 16:11

I had a friend who got turned down for an interview because they checked out if she was on Facebook or Twitter before she turned up for the interview.
They said they didn't want to hire anyone who uses these social networking sites as she may post things about them on it.
From a nannys point of view my friends and I might moan about a hard day at work or something irritating that happened at work today but we have privacy settings to stop our bosses being able to see our comments.
Surely everyone has the right to vent to their friends about a hard day at work. I'm sure our bosses vent to their friends about their nannies.
I have past bosses on my Facebook site but not current ones as it's not good practice.

euracantha · 11/12/2010 17:26

I do not have my boss as a friend on Facebook.I know she is on it but I prefer to have some privacy as I`m sure she does as well.I wwould usually tell her anything interesting anyway!!

looneytune · 11/12/2010 17:49

Actually I can see why nannies wouldn't do whilst working with that family as of course the parents are their boss and if anything is said about how your day is going, it's clearly THEIR children you're talking about. As I have many families coming to me, I feel that saying something like 'having one of those days' is ok as isn't pointing at any particular child and tbh, they know my biggest pain is my own toddler LOL. If I was a nanny I doubt I'd be friends with a parent on there, childminding I feel is quite different and some of the families like that I can share photos with them etc.

nannyl · 11/12/2010 18:25

I have all my ex bosses (and a few ex charges) on facebook.

Wouldnt have a current boss on facebook though.

Dont use twitter anyway

Now im working in a school i have most of the teachers (including the teacher whose my boss) on facebook, but none of the childrens parents

nannyl · 11/12/2010 18:26

..and i NEVER put photos of charges up, my facebook profile is ONLY visible to my friends and only my friends can view my photos

Original poster

nannynick · 11/12/2010 18:41

Is childminding really that different? If a parent posts on facebook that they are enjoying a day at home whilst their childminder cares for the children... that can cause issues - as per Well You Can Take Them With You Can't You.

Suppose it depends on what you use the social media platform for... it is useful as a way of communicating what you are doing during the day - which a parent may well like to know.

OP posts:

looneytune · 11/12/2010 19:23

Nannyl - I only ever post photos of their children if they've asked me to so they can 'share' onto their profile :)

Nick - what I meant about the difference is that I can put things like 'oh god, what a day that was!' and they wouldn't know which child I'd had a nightmare with (IF it was to do with a child), that sort of thing. I hadn't thought about the other way round and thinking about it, it wouldn't bother me what the parents were up to whilst I'm being paid as per contract. Saltire's case is very different though and I fully understand why she was pee'd off!

For me, Facebook is more about keeping up to date with what we're doing (childminding wise) and for my family who are scattered over the country to be able to keep up to date/in touch and see pics of my kids etc. Everything is limited to friends only.

SantaClausImWorthIt · 11/12/2010 19:27

I'm not a nanny, but I work in a service industry, so have many clients.

I segregate social media. I use FB for personal things (although a couple of 'close' clients have ended up on there - so I make sure I never post anything too intimate, and don't ever, ever post when I'm pissed!)

I use Linked In for professional networking, so my clients are on there.

Re Twitter, I have 3 a/cs - one for my business, one for me in my real name, which some of my clients/colleagues/competitors are following, and one in a version of my MN name, to make sure that none of my clients ever sees the rubbish what I tweet using that name!

stomp · 11/12/2010 19:54

I use facebook but never comment on my working day. I?m friends with many childminders as well as my other friends and family but keep my work very separate. I might comment on a training event or paperwork but I think there is always a danger of confidentiality issues arising so I never make any remarks about children, parents or our routine.

looneytune · 11/12/2010 19:55

LOL at the not posting when drunk!

I must add that the ones on my FB are after quite a while of knowing each other and becoming close, not just new ones who've not been with me that long.

pollywollyhadadollycalledmolly · 11/12/2010 21:45

I'm a cm and wld never have any of my parents on my facebook or anything similar. I feels it really blurs the lines between us and not something i want to chance doing lol

x x x

nannyro · 11/12/2010 22:59

Not friends with MB and DB on facebook although I know they use it often (as they know I do) and we talk about it and show each other pictures and friends and things that are on there.

Blondeshavemorefun · 12/12/2010 10:52

i use fb but would never have my current boss's as friends on it (tho both use it)

i get on very well with my boss's but we both need our privacy on things,im sure she doesnt moan about me, but if i did do something to piss her off, then she could have a moan to her friends - just as all us nannies/cm have an odd moan as well and neither of us would be wiser

i do have ex boss's on and ex dc on (if over 18) i have refused to add ex dc if under this and very annoyed to find one ex dc tried to add me, she is 9 and on her profile says she is 25

new2cm · 12/12/2010 11:44

I do have clients on my Facebook.

However, I have a strict policy of not discussing minded children on my Facebook and I asked parents to respect this by not discussing childminding matters on Facebook. I always have written permission from the parents if I would like to load up a photo that includes their children.

I have asked parents not to post childminding related problems or posts on the public part or the "wall". I would rather they came to me face-to-face, or on the 'phone or e-mail. If they use Facebook, I insist they write via the private message facility. As stomp says, I never make any remarks about children, parents or routines.

I only have 32 'friends' and most are very close friends or relatives. All my privacy settings are on "friends only." Many of my relatives are living in New Zealand. For example, there was recently an earthquake in Christchurch. My relative posted lots of photos, and we had a lengthy discussion regarding repairs to the property. It is that sort of conversation I have on Facebook (or 'boring stuff' as one of my clients called it!). Having said that, one of my clients did find it usefull in that she found out things about me that she would not have otherwise known - for example, that I have relatives living in New Zealand.

I rarely post any controversial stuff on Facebook. I try to keep my wall conversationally-neutral and of course, I do not have any photos of anyone in any compromising situation.

I have been on Facebook for over a year, and I have had no complaints or problems to date.
I do not use Twitter.

Gay40 · 12/12/2010 11:49

Avoid avoid avoid. Far too many people getting sacked and taken to court over Facebook and Twitter. Keep it for personal friends and family - NEVER work people or management.

MJB66 · 13/12/2010 19:33

I am friends with the parents of my very 1st mindee, he sadly is no longer with me as they moved to another part of the country, and to be honest although I would never mention work on FB, and only post on there occasionaly, I felt uncomfortable posting anything at all on their when I knew they would be seeing it, and (I know they wouldnt)possibly judging me on it.
I now dont have any parents on my FB.

ayla99 · 14/12/2010 09:50

As a childminder my reputation is vital to the success of my business. If I chose to post personal comments like some of my friends do, it would affect my reputation just as if I got drunk and behaved inappropriately at the local pub.

I don't use twitter much, but thought it could be used as a promotional tool. I only use it to post things like discount codes, special offers, local events and things of interest to parents, occasionally very general comments about my activities as a childminder.

Facebook, again I am careful about the content I post. I do have mindees, ex mindees and parents I've worked with as facebook friends. There are MANY young children on facebook, having lied about their ages. This worries me no end, but it has enabled me to help a child who knew and trusted me enough to seek support.

Its nice to keep in touch with families who no longer use my service and have moved abroad. Its also useful to see photos and comments of what mindees are up to at home. It helps to give me ideas for future activities and conversation topics. It has helped me in my business to be more informed about children's lives.

Do not imagine that anything you email or post on the internet is private to the friends you have selected. One of your friends might forget to log out properly. Anything you post can be printed or cut & pasted to a different forum or email etc.

ArtrixChick · 14/12/2010 13:01

I have a 'professional' Facebook & Twitter presence and a 'personal' one of each. It's useful to network with clients/businesses via social networking sites but I never have anyone currently connected with me via work on my personal sites. It does sometimes get confusing if I'm accidentally logged on to one & want to post on the other and I've almost mucked up once or twice but I try not to get unprofessional on either unless it's via a personal message! My job is to manage the social & viral profile of my workplace anyway: my current boss only has a vague idea of what it's all about! As an ex-teacher I've advised many colleagues not to 'friend' parents of pupils past or present (or pupils, for that matter!) on Facebook but I know lots who have. I think it's dangerous, no matter how well you seem to get on. I'd advise anyone who works with children or families to think very carefully about it. We are, after all, only human!

Oldjolyon · 14/12/2010 13:25

I'm on facebook, but would never add my boss as a friend. In my husband's old company, the bosses used to add all the colleagues as friends, and then used facebook to check up on them. (Ie, where they on facebook when they phoned in sick, or give status updates indicating they were going somewhere). I even know of one case where they used evidence from facebook as evidence as part of a disciplinary against someone.

I think the danger with facebook is that some people treat it as private, whereas even if you're friends are limited, it really is public communication and should be treated as such. My policy is that as my dad is my friend on FB, whenever I post something, I always ask myself, "would I be happy if my dad reads this?" So long as my dad would be happy reading that about his little girl, I won't go far wrong!

I teach 'A' levels and do allow students to add me as friends once they have left (and are usually at university). It can be a nice way to keep in touch with students that I have got to know quite well over the past two years. But even then, within my friends setting I do customise it, and limit what ex students can see - although my posts are never exciting - usually about my children. Oh and I never post anything negative about work. Ever!

ShoppingDays · 14/12/2010 15:56

I don't use Facebook. I wouldn't be prepared to put anything personal on there, I'd only email people privately about things. So there's no point joining.

GoldFrakkincenseAndMyrrh · 14/12/2010 16:36

I have ex-bosses on FB. Don't use twitter at all.

Rarely put anything on FB tbh!

geordieminx · 14/12/2010 17:16

I'm not a c/m but I havent added my boss as a fb friend. I do occasionally update from work, and in the past he has pulled up colleugues in a "joke" manner about updating in work time... you could tell he was serious though

casbie · 14/12/2010 21:25

the funny thing is we are not allowed to use Facebook or Twitter at work... yet, the company has their accounts and we're invited to join them?! seems as though social networking is only allowed if your promoting the company... and in your own time!

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