Am I doing 'too much'

[kirsty12321]

I've been in my current(and first) nanny job since sept '10
I work a 65 hour week living out Monday - Thursday 14 hour days and 9 hours on a Friday. I care for two little boys 17 months and 3 yrs, they dint go to nursery are just cared for by me, they both only have 20 mins sleep during the day. I cook all the childrens meals and I do all the family's laundry Inc clothes bedding towels suits ect and ironing, I also have to clean the whole 4 storey 5 bathroom 6 bedroom house every week, the is alongside buying groceries arranging activities making observation folders and running errands the children wake at 6 when I arrive and get into bed at 730 . I am paid £6 an hour gross?

Yes, you are doing far too much. Either sit down and renegotiate salary with the parents or drop some of the chores - you should not be doing laundry for the whole family or cleaning the whole house either or alternatively, get yourself a new job. I think the latter is more likely as no reasonable family would have asked this level of work from a nanny in the first place.

So you're basically a housekeeper/nanny? If the parent is there you would be a Mother's help, and HELPING with all of those tasks for those hours, I could understand a £6 an hour gross rate. But doing them yourself? No, I think you're being underpaid for what you are actually doing.

Did it start like that or did the tasks get introduced gradually?

When I started the children were at nursery two full days a week and I would drop them off and go back and clean all day then pick up again at tea time but now thyve dropped the two days I'm still expected to do the same amount of cleaning as I was when I had 'allocated days to do it' I expected this was normal a

you are a slave - stop doing so much! you are either a nanny or a cleaner - not both on that wage!

As I'd only just qualified a btec nd in children's care so thought low wage was reflecting my experience

Well yes, the rate would reflect your experience, but not doing EVERYTHING!!! For heaven's sakes, they really are taking the piss - especially as they've probably saved at least £200 a week nursery fees by dropping those 2 nursery days. I suspect you wouldn't get anywhere talking to them. Anyone with an ounce of common sense would never have given you that much work in the first place. BUT.... in the hope that they would have at least a smidgen of compassion and common sense - you should ask them to put some of the money they've saved from dropping the nursery days to hiring a cleaner for about 5 hours a week.

How long have you been working there now?

Well yes, as you'd only just qualified I would expect your salary to reflect that although £6 is still very low. Also depends on where you are in the country. I am in the SE and even newly-qualified nannies are looking for £7/£7.50 net. Definitely if the extra two days with the children has been introduced post taking up the job, you need to sit with the parents and tell them it is impossible for you to do all the laundry and cleaning - not that you should ever have been doing it in the first place. Laundry and cleaning should be related to the children only, cooking/grocery shopping can sometimes be done for the family depending on what you are cooking (it's as easy to make spag bol for four as it is for two).

I pay my cleaner more than that.

You need to move on I think and get better terms of employment next time

You ARE being taken advantage of!! Without a doubt. Make a diary of all the duties you fullfill in a typical week. Don't just write house work, write down All the house work duties etc. Include everything, even if you get the chance to have a break or eat a meal, if you don't get a break then put that down too. Then request an informal meeting/review with the parents. Explain that after doing some research etc you feel that your pay does not actually reflect all the hard work you do for them. Show them your lists as it may make them sit up and realise what you do in their absence too. Don't moan at them as they may not react positively to you. Explain that you feel that your wages need reviewing, suggest a new figure and see how they react. Good luck, you definitely deserve more ;)

Thank you for all your help! My Partner and parents thought I was being taken for granted of but I didn't think so.. I do now! I found this family on childcare . Co.uk and they created a contract with a local agency. I work and live in the SW in bath so a rather affluent area tbh! Think a move is on the cards. Thank for all your Input hopefully I can find a nice new family who respect me this time! Should I hand in 4 week notice or look first? :)

Two words: give notice.

I'm a parent but most newly qualified nannies I know earn at least £6 net. Ok, so I'm in the South East but I still think you are being grossly taken advantage of. You need to be firm and make it clear that you are there to look after the children and that any duties you do should be in relation to them. So while it's ok to do a bit of cleaning in your spare time, it's not ok to clean the house from top to bottom. Tell them to get a cleaner!

What does your contract say? It's their right to drop the nursery days for you to look after the children but you shouldn't be doing any cleaning on those days. Also, 14 hour days are very very long hours.

I second Tattoos suggestion about having a serious meeting with your bosses but I have a suspicion that if they are as selfish as they appear to be, you may be better off looking for a new job. Everyone always wants to do well in their first nanny job and stick with it but sometimes, you may need to move on and this sounds like one of those situations. Have that talk though, and see where it goes from there.

Yes, doing too much.

I used to be a nanny and often did things that weren't my job but that came with being happy in my work, not taken for granted and having employers that were willing to be flexible when I needed them to be.

Talk to your boss about a payrise... if that's a non starter then look for a new job before resigning (keep in mind your current employer will be your reference for you new job). There are not that many jobs around so it could take time to find something you are happy with.

Meanwhile, in current job salary will rise by 8p in October - if you are aged 21 or over... see National Minimum Wage. Though if your employers know that or not is another matter.

I would try renegotiating with the family first - maybe a payrise, but definitely not doing the family's cleaning and laundry as you don't have time to do it if the children aren't in nursery.

I would look for a new job. You are clearly being exploited, anyone with common sense can see that thus the family must also see that!! On those ground why rock the boat and confront them. Get a new job and resign gracefully.

Do the parents actually do anything?

Makes me wonder why some people have children?

I employ a nanny. She works 55 hours live out and is employed to loom after my children as I would if i had more time. She is not my slave.

If you are paid 6/hour is that gross? Does that meet minimum wage laws? Seems very low for the amount you do. And where are you? London?

I m sorry but you are a nanny not a slave, they are taking the mickey out of you ,I think you should listen to your family and start looking for another job .I am usually in agreement with Na nnyNick but I have to say in this case I wouldnt ask for a rise I would leave even, if they put you up 50p or £1 an hour you are still doing too much.All of us work very hard looking after children but you are being taken advantage of you are not a housekeeper.I`ve just read your Original post again and it reads even worse the second time.leave.

You are doing way too much! When are you supposed to spend time with the kids on these days that you're cleaning? Even with a higher wage i wouldn't do that job though tbh. Try to find a new job asap. I was looking for jobs in Bath a couple of months ago (live-in admittedly) and there are quite a few about, there will probably be many more as the summer hols are coming up!

def doing too much

find new job asap but DONT hand in your notice till you find one AND have signed contract in your hand

much easier to find a job, when in a job

That is not enough money and too much work! You must be shattered. Agree with others that a job move would be a good plan.

Thanks everyone, sorry been a Bit quiet on a well deserved holiday this week so haven't thought to check much!
Spoke to parents this evening and have agreed to a informal meeting on Monday but think I might just keep quiet and look for another job so they don't feel the need to give me reference that is anything but perfect! Don't want to end up with them giving shitty references just because they think I might stay if I don't get another job! I don't see any other nannies at the toddler groups we go to or at the park so didn't realise I was being treated like their bitch!
Probably not the best time to mention they already owe me over a month and a halts salary... Cheeky fucks really!

I'd definately be leaving if they owed me money too!

You need to ask them when they intend to pay you.

why havnt they paid you?

They pulled the boys out of nursery at the end of march (due to the 'care' being a bit shocking) and then asked me to ofsted register to receive childcare vouchers ofsted took their time doing this and now I'm waiting for both the voucher companies to complete my applications to them but the parents are just totting up the vouchers so when its all finally sorted they can just pay what I'm owed in vouchers then start paying me normally with 486 in vouchers and the rest by BACS monthly, they can't afford to pay me the full salary with the 486 included just by BACS every month, I have asked for them to pay the salary minus the vouchers as I would be getting monthly when it's all sorted but for some reason their not, this month I got paid a grand total of £307 for a month of 2400 hours! Hopefully it should be sorted this week, fingers crossed!