Above & beyond childcare nanny expectation setting...

[cityangel]

So I've been posting a lot basically because dh and i don't agree on our nanny expectations:

Is it reasonable to include:

cleaning the house
shirt ironing (while ds1 naps)
picking up packages

I would agree if we were employing a live-in nanny but what is the max live-out nannies expect to do? Or sign up to contractually?

With the exception of collecting a parcel, most nannies do NOT do house cleaning or parents ironing (or laundry) (wether live in or live out nannies dont do that)

you need a nanny housekeeper for that

nannies look after the children and child related duties.....
childcare & developement
childrens laundry
childrens cooking
cleaning up mess they make as they go along..... so wiping down surfaces / table sweeping floor after meals.... NOT washing the kitchen floor, or cleaning the kitchen.
Ideally the nanny should be left a clean kitchen / house when she arrives and the house should be in the SAME state when she leaves.
most nannies will put on dishwasher when full and unload when it finishes IF she is working at that time

It is not reasonable to contemplate asking your nanny to do housework/laundry for the parents. You can ask her to keep the children's bedrooms and bathrooms clean (preferably enlisting the children's help - it is bad for both nanny and children when she is expected to wait on them and clean up after them IMO), to do the children's laundry and ironing. And it is reasonable to expect the nanny to leave the kitchen and other areas she and the children have used during the day in the same pristine state in which she was left them!

Running family errands (picking up packages) - I think this is a reasonable ask if the errands can be part of the nanny's normal day ie drop by the PO on the way back from the school run, and especially if the parents, because of their working hours, cannot do those errands easily.

As a nanny I would not do:

cleaning the house
shirt ironing (while ds1 naps)

I would: picking up package

Though whose shirt would it be? DH should do his own. DS1 probably can't do his own, so nanny might well do that, though personally I don't do ironing - I'm no good at it and so I look for jobs where the parents are not fussy about their children wearing ironed clothes.

I see the children and the home as being my responsibility... so while "cleaning the house" is not done, sweeping the kitchen floor and running the vac around the lounge may well happen on occasion. If you need cleaner, get a cleaner (they tend to get paid more than nannies). If you just need someone to help keep on top of things... then a nanny may well do a bit of light cleaning if time permits. Children are unpredictable... children don't always nap in the day and certainly won't do as they get older.

I do/have done the following things:
Make bread (using the breadmaker)
Cook food for the children, bake cakes/biscuits etc.
Load/unload the dishwasher
Put washing in machine, hang to dry
Strip children's beds and wash their bedding
Call out emergency drain contractor when drains blocked
Figure out why central heating switches off when it's very cold outside (pipe insulation is great as a play sword)
Feeding chickens, chasing chickens, rat catching.
Basic plumbing - washing machine fittings for example.

So generally speaking, it's things that are related directly to the children in some way. Not things directly related to the parents.

If you do children's clothes washing and your washing together... then nanny could continue to do that. It's like the dishwasher, easier if everyone does it - so everyone fills it and when full it get's put on.

thank you this is very helpful

I think the answer is to decide what you ideally would like the nanny to do (above and beyond the childcare) and then discuss that with potential employees to see if they are happy to do it.

You may find someone you think would be the best nanny who isn't prepared to do the non-child (or chicken - @ nannynick!) related stuff and come to the conclusion that it is worth living with those extra things not being done, but surely no harm in asking...some nannies I know are happy to do the other stuff...except for proper cleaning...never known any who do cleaning above and beyond keeping place tidy and kitchen/dining area clean.