Live-in nanny - babysitting

[JinxyCat]

Hi all,

Wanted to ask some advice on what 'normal' practice for a live-in nanny babysitting is.

We wrote in that there should be two nights babysitting per week (which we don't always use TBH) - but we didn't specify whether it was weekend/weekday babysitting.

With our last nanny we had the ad hoc agreement that we wouldn't book more than two Saturday nights in a month - but this isn't in the contract.

I have two questions:

1. What do nannies/families normally expect the two nights babysitting to be taken?
2. Do you think it's ok, if the two nights babysitting have not been used during the week to ask for a few hours help at the weekend?

(this doesn't happen often, and we try to schedule it around my LO's afternoon nap so it's not too intensive for the nanny)

Apologies if this has already been answered, did a bit of a search but couldn't find anything particularly relevant...

1. You need to put it in the contract. Any arrangement is ok really as long as you've discussed and agreed it with your nanny. I'd say two Saturdays a month and the rest on weekdays is reasonable.

1. NO. absolutely NOT. I wouldn't do it and would be shocked that the family even had the audacity to ask tbh. However, some nannies are more flexible (have fewer weekend plans) than others so you may find your nanny agreeing to this, but I think you would be taking advantage.

What Ohnoshedittant said - in particular definite no to number 2. One of the main reasons I no longer work as a live-in nanny was the lack of respect for my weekends. When she finishes work on friday (or thursday, or tuesday or however long her working week is), thats it until the new contracted work week starts, unless its paid overtime, offered with the option to refuse.

1 generally mon-thur and one weekend a month

2 no

agree, a def no for nr 2, and personally no to babysittng on days off, but dont mind friday night if days off are weekends.

1. Monday-Friday and 1 MAYBE 2 Saturdays a month

2.No way! Absolutely no way!

1 its Monday to Friday for me
2 no way have worked all week

1. Mon-Fri, occasionally Sat or Sun with no more than 2 weekend nights/month (Fri-Sun) specified in contract.

1. No. I want to do things with my weekend and not worry about being on call. Presumably you wouldn't know until the Friday whether you'd used up babysitting or not and that's really short notice. If you have something planned in advance then ask and I might consider counting it as a babysit or doing it as paid overtime but no way would I contractually oblige myself to be available. At least give me the illusion of choice

Hi,

1. We specified in our contract with our live-in nanny which days possible babyssitting refers to and it was Mon-Thur. So the contract said that included in her salary were up to two evenings babysitting per week.

If we asked her to babysit on a Friday or Saturday then we paid that in addition to her salary (again, at a previously agreed rate, which was also in the contract). To be honest, I think nannies have hard enough job looking after children full time and then expecting them to babysit on a weekend for no additional money is a bit too much. (Then again I used to be a nanny many years ago so I'm hoping I can see it from boths sides). I think your point 2 is definitely a no.

Hi there, I am a nanny myself and think there's no harm in asking if she could give you a hand for a few hours at the weekend, however, make it clear to your nanny that she has the choice to say no if she has plans or if its too much.

I help out on the weekend (well, actually am contracted til noon on Saturday but due to our crazy travel etc I often work Saturday afternoons and Sundays too. In return I get LOADS of extra time off when we travel, afternoons if the GPs want my charge, to 4 day weekends if Aunty comes to stay. So in my mind it works more in my favor to be uber flexible, as this way I get double my contracted time off. In the last 12 months I should have had 5 weeks and I have had more than 10 altogether. So you might find a nanny willing to be flexible IF you return the favor and make it worth her while too.

My contract states one night babysitting a week (can be overnight) any overtime paid at £xx per hour.

That said, if my employers are good to me, then I will do extra babysitting and not charge, if I have no plans of course.

I will also watch the boys on the weekend for 30 mins while MB goes for a shower if she is on her own and I am having breakfast etc. But I have always had seperate accommodation so doesn't happen often!

My bosses are very generous with time off, boys go to GPs for a long weekend every 3 or 4 weeks and GPs come here for a long weekend in between, when the boys go to grandparents, I take the boys up to London on Thursday afternoon, meet GPs who then take them up North! Once the boys are safely handed over, the time is my own. When GPs come down to us, they walk in on Thursday afternoon, I hand the boys over, go catch up on jobs that are not easy with the boys around (spring clean their bedroom/playroom (if GPs take them out) sorting clothes, batch cooking or finishing ironing) or shoot off for the weekend! once done, I am free until (generally) Tuesday morning when they leave.

They never ever quibble about paying me for this time off, so if we go on holiday, I don't tend to charge for travelling days if they fall on a weekend (which ordinarily I would whether or not I was working!)

It is all about give and take!

If you would like your nanny to do the things you are asking, then ask at interview! If she says yes, fine. If she says no then carry on looking or review what you are asking, if you really like her.

But whatever you do, please get it all written down in a contract and make sure you both sign it/

Great, thanks guys - this is all really useful stuff.

I think we'll try to make it clear in the interview and contract that we would like to occassionally have weekend babysitting included in the two nights, but no more than two weekend nights a month (TBH, our last nanny babysat three weekend nights in ten months so I'm not sure we'd even use them)

Really interesting to see the strength of feeling about not working hours during the weekend. My thoughts were that as long as it was arranged in advance (the two times we've asked it was for a Christmas lunch and to go and see a friend's new baby, and was over his sleep times both times) but I can see that it is an imposition on the weekend time so if I do happen to ask again, I'll make sure that we offer to pay (and of course, be happy if she said no)

Thanks again :)

I think maybe if you're using the weekend babysit as a daytime babysit very occasionally as one of your 2 a month it might be okay. It's not really a babysit then as much as shifting hours around and if you really don't use them often there might be a bit more flexibility if it was booked well in advance. Depends on the nanny really. Otherwise it's paid overtime, but I really wouldn't want to be contractually obliged to do it, especially as live in nanny baby-sits are often on very short notice (top tip: give as much notice as you can). It's just that the OP seemed to smack of trying to get your money's worth by having some extra time on a weekend if you've not needed the weeknight IYSWIM. Arranging something well in an advance and wanting to use babysit hours for it is up for negotiation in interview, although some nannies will say no.

I am in agreement with previous posters that I would babysit during the week,Mon to Fri as part of my contract but would expect to be paid to baby sit at the weekend,I think the truth is that We top up our wage babysitting at weekends and I would not take this on when expected to work during the day unless being paid or given a day in lieu.I am speaking as alive out nanny,if I live in and am living in at the weekend it doesnt hurt if you watch the children for a short time if you are there anyway,We just dont like to think we are being taken advantage of.