Bit of advice/help please

[dblte]

Hi, I am a first time Nanny and have been in my current job as a nanny for 8 months looking after one child who is now 2 years old. I am on min wage, working 3 days a week 8.5 hours a day. Sometimes i work a few hours on a sat or sun.
My employers are also first time nanny employers. They both work from home but in outbuildings.
At the moment during a working day I feel as though i do everything associated with the child: feeding breakfast/lunch, dress her, clean her bedroom (clear up any toys played with) tidy up after after her, take her out and play/stimulate her. She still has an afternoon nap which can be up to 2 hours, during this time i would empty dishwasher, and make sure kitchen and living room are tidy, once thats done i have a sit down.
i dont do any washing/ironing as her mother does this.
What other duties should i be expected to do that is classed as nanny duteis, and what else should i be doing when she is sleeping?
Also what should I be asking for regarding petrol allowance?
Any advice would be very much appreciated thanks.

I think as k

Gah phone.

I think as long as all the jobs are done you should definitely be sitting down while she's sleeping. Maybe one day a fortnight you could do some food prep or batch cook lasagne/tomato sauce/soup but otherwise you have it covered!

Petrol you can ask for up to 45p/mile for the first 10,000 miles, which is the recommended rate. More would be taxable but some people get less. It's not just petrol - it's all costs associated with running the car like MOT and insurance too, because business insurance can put your premium up.

Have your employers raised an issue or do you feel guilty for having a sit down?

Thanks for the reply, Emplyoers have raised an issue, I understand what they are telling me, which was they are paying me and all im sitting down. But i dont know what else i can do whilst the child is sleeping. I do occassionaly sweep the floors, and mop (when asked or if child has an accident).
I will discuss petrol allowance with them and see if we can come to an agreement on how much i should as them for
Thanks

Well if there's nothing to do there's not anything to do - you presumably don't have housework in your job description?

Washing and ironing would be within your remit but you should be able to take a break.

Perhaps ask them what they would like you to do that fits within your role?

I would definitely/ say sit down and have a break... I'm sure its illegal to not have a break during your working day!

I would definitely sit down. One day she won't sleep and less stuff will get done. I used to do kids washing and ironing but once the little one stopped sleeping I couldn't do the ironing. Kids Ironing didn't take that long so I still had time for a break.

Thanks for the replies. I know im entitled to a break, but is there a law as to how much break i'd be entitled to?
And has anyone have any other ideas as to what other Nanny duties I should be carrying out?
Thanks

Prepare meals?
Cleaning the child's bedroom?
Look online for new foods, games etc to introduce to the child?
Organise play-dates?
Sort out child's clothing - items that are now too small?

I think you are entitled to 20 mins for every 4 hours worked but it's worth checking this out before taking my word for it.

Direct.gov.uk: Rest Breaks

Could you bake cakes / bread, that sort of thing during child's nap time?

At some point, possibly quite soon, she will stop napping. So things could well change. Do you ever spend all day out and about? Maybe worth doing now that summer is approaching.

our nanny also changes the girls beds and does their laundry / ironing. She's great at cooking and will cook a big batch of each dish and freeze the rest. On petrol allowance, the maximum is 45p / mile, but that is the maximum. I pay 40p per mile and don't know anyone who pays more than that (& if you're not in a town & doing any kind of real mileage, it's pretty ruinous at 40p / mile!)

I used to pay 40p per mile, but other nannys I interviewed were asking for 30p so have switched to that now. Is that ok? I get 25p for my mileage at work of which is far far greater! So I thought 30p was fair enough?

I always say to the anny that she should have an hour break as I dont want an exhausted nanny in charge of the kids! Might be worth suggesting a designated lucn break for you afte you have done the duties they want you to do?

And you're on minimum wage? Is that normal for a nanny job? I've always paid well over that for childcare.

All carers are specifically exempt from UK law pertaining to rest breaks. Nannies would be included in this. Reasoning is (for example) that generally a sole care nanny with baby can't just bugger off for 20 mins half way through the day.

How often are you sitting down each day? TBH my nanny always keeps going regardless - she'll batch cook, change sheets, do kids laundry, iron, etc all the time - takes maybe a couple of cups of tea during day and eats when the kids eat.

maples, pls can you come and be our nanny?!?! sounds great idea with the batch cooking etc, my first nanny did this and it was great.

I definetly think dtlbe should have a lunchbreak though. everyone needs a break. difficult when the child is not sleeping but i always said to my nannys happy for ds to have an hour after lunch in front of tv/on ds so she could read a book etc.

sounds like they want their moneys worth out of you - all the things you say , sound to me normal nanny duties

suggest you do the childs laundry, but tbh you need a break, to sit and have lunch etc - its not as if you 'have' a lunch break, as cant leave children alone, but need to make time for yourself

regards salary, you obv agreed to work for nmw so i dont feel you can complain - tho working on sat/sun i wouldnt agree to

petrol 45p per mile,as frak said it for wear and tear as well

Thanks for all the replies, i will talk with my employers and see if we can come to an agreement. im happy to do the childs laundry - and will tell them this.
I have no complaints about being on min wage, but maybe the weekends i should ask for a bit more. They live in a rural area so I will discuss pertol money as i have to travel a distance to take her places, 30p i think sounds fair - as fraktal said it goes towards wear and tear as well as petrol ect