Typical mileage question

[lobsters]

Can i just as, if you live outside London, and look after pre-school children, what is the typical mileage for a nanny? Ours is creeping up, I'm certain she is doing the miles, and there are more car journeys then in summer as its so cold. But there seems to be a lot of trips she doesn't really need to do, and it feels like she's supplementing her income with mileage. Is is unreasonable to ask her not to take DD to the next town (17 miles round trip - ish) more than once a month, we live a big town where there is everthing you need. She's done in 3 times in the last 2 1/2 weeks so it's starting to add up

A typical local trip to a toddler group can be 20 miles round trip for me, in West Surrey/East Berkshire border.
Thus monthly mileage can be 200-300 miles (without looking it up, may look it up later).

Perhaps look at where they are going, consider the educational value. Pre-school years can be great for showing children historic places they may not see for many years to come - castles for example can be popular.

Looked it up, I was right - i'm doing around 200 miles a month typically, going up to 350-400 in school holidays.

She's not going to historical places, the long journey is always to the nearby town (where she lives) to go to the play ground there or see the ducks, when we have play grounds and ducks a lot nearer. There are lots of play groups and activities within a 2 -3 mile radius that she does go to, and in summer there will be some mileage to the local animal park. But I have to say it is no where near 200 miles a month

She's your employee so you can tell her not to do the mileage. You could place a weekly cap on the mileage - anything over the cap the nanny does not claim for.

There is a playground just behind where I work, built in the 1970s I think, only about 5 things to do, and not a lot changed over the years. Where as there is a fantastic large playground in another town, where the children will spend hours. So maybe places are picked due to how long the children will play there, the variety of activities.

200 a month is 50 a week and 10 a day if 5 days a week- tbh not a lot

i can do well over 80 a day on Tuesdays with double school runs/tumbletots/after school activities but i look after 3 and get a car

you can fix an amount of miles, but what would you want to fix it at?

I think it's reasonable to say you want her to stay in the local area - after all that's where your DD will hopefully be going to school, making friends etc - so trips to the next town for ducks/the playground (assuming they're nothing special) aren't very beneficial.

Be strict on the mileage and casually point out there is a limit in a year of what you can claim at 40p/mile before it goes down (although it's something ridiculous!). It might make her think twice about unnecessary journeys.

I think rather than restricting outright you need to appeal to her common sense and maybe say you want her setting an environmentally sound example to DD as well so using local amenities and walking where possible.

obviously the more local park/ducks would be better - maybe your nanny is lonely and is meeting old nanny friends where she used to work near?

seems she goes once a week there (if 3 times in 2.5weeks) - maybe she could combine going to next town with a music/swim/tumbletot class?

if she does less than 200 a month (£80 a month at 40p), then thats less then 50 a week (less than £20 a week petrol money) which tbh doesnt seem much iyswim