Is it mean to impose restrictions on our nanny now she's passed her driving test?

[headfairy]

She's only passed a couple of days ago. Would it be really mean for me to ask that she only stay in the local area (within a couple of miles, the park, town centre for example) until she's more experienced. She's worked for us for 18months but only just learnt to drive this year. I feel having three under 5s in the car when you're a new driver is so distracting.... she had been talking about taking them to the coast, an hours drive away.

I personally wouldn't want her driving any where . So I don't think you are being mean.

I'm a fairly new driver, I passed my test in March 2011 and was driving with kids (mine then 3,6,11 and 13) in the car. The only way she'll get better at driving is with experience. I went out every day for the first week, did 100 miles without really going very far at once.

If it were me I'd suggest that she builds up to driving that far, so go somewhere bit nearer a few times before trying to go to the beach. An hour's driving is quite hard work when you're not used to it, and even if lessons were an hour long, she's not used to having the kids distracting her.

How old is she? If you think she's responsible enough to look after your kids you can probably trust her in a car.

lookbehindyou she's 31, and I trust her to look after my kids because she's been working in childcare, she's been driving 2 days. You can't compare the two.

bumpy I'm happy for her to do some shortish trips to the park etc to build experience, I'm just not sure about a 50 mile trip on a motorway.

I'd suggest leaving it for a few weeks till she's done some motorway driving in her own time. Having said that, wow, she's only just passed at 31???

why wow at 31? I was 38 :)

if it involves motorway driving, has she had any experience? maybe suggest she has a motorway driving lesson with her instructor?

I wouldn't think it mean.

I would allow her to take the children on short journeys, maybe 10 minutes or so, but not to the shops until she was more practised ( this is because shopping is stressful and then getting back in the car might not be the best thing), but trips to the park, would be okay.

I passed a month ago (aged 37!) and have still only taken my kids on very short trips

I agree, I wouldn't be keen. Let her build up her experience, its really different driving for real.

I agree with bumpybecky, she should have a lesson first on the motorway, I had one when I passed my test and that was a long time ago.

I can still remember learning how to drive on and off a motorway.

Sorry meant to say she's been working in childcare for ten years, driving for two days.

I don't think she has any motorway experience. I will ask. Perhaps she can do some driving with her dh and dd on her days off to get more confident.

It's hard to know what to do because I'm one of those annoying people who passed at 17 on first attempt after 10 lessons and I've been driving for 25 years (I'm that old!)

istill find it stressful driving with the kids after 25 years of driving.

I think you're being perfectly reasonable.

Ask her to do the PassPlus course before doing any motorway driving. It will bring the cost of her insurance down too.

God I didn't even think about insurance, she'll have to get proper insurance to drive with my kids won't she?

My car insurance was only an extra £5 per year to change from social & domestic to business.

Talk to her about it. When i began nannying I had only driven a handful of times, despite passing my test two years before. I had also only driven on the Isle of Wight, and was nervous about motorway/fast/busy road driving. Manage to drive into the gatepost my first day in the job!!

The mum drove with me on the school run, and then left it up to me to practice as she was happy with how I did then.

How long has she been learning for? Was she driving a lot with other people in between lessons?

LookBehindYou that's a really bad comparison. I'm a nanny (a good nanny!) and I can't drive. Being responsible and able to look after children is in no way related to the ability to drive.

OP I think you are absolutely right to impose restrictions on her driving. She's been with you 18 months witout driving so there must be things nearby/good public transport? I'd ask her to continue with whatever she has been doing for at least a few months until she's had real driving experience.

HolyCamera, I have no idea what you think I was comparing.

Gosh no you are being perfectly reasonable, I passed at 31 while pregnant with DC1 and looking back I don't reckon that I was that safe on motorways etc for about a year after passing. Then again I am uncomfortable with any one driving my DCs apart from me, DH, DM and DMIL. Maybe drive with her to get a feel of how confident/able she is.

lookbehindyou I think HolyCamera was thinking (as im afraid i did) you were one of those posters who disapprove of anyone who uses childcare... Kind of like the ones who contribute to threads asking how much to pay a nanny with comments along the lines of "your children are your most precious things, you can't put a price on their care etc etc"..... Sorry if that's really presumptuous. That's what your post came across as. Apologies if that's not what you meant. Our nanny has been working in childcare for over ten years, I trust her abilities to look after my children of course. She has been driving for two days, I don't really trust her to drive long distances with them yet.

HolyCamera, god I was being really presumptuous about you too... Ignore me I'm in a presumptuous mood!

Haha! I was going to follow up with some points but wanted to check it wouldn't be super patronising if she wasn't an 18 year old.
I'm in favour of childcare, cleaners and would also have a cook and butler if I could afford it.

Oh my god, I'd be right behind you in the queue for butlers and cooks

quite understandable you are wary as shes only just passed

can you go out in the car with her to see what her driving is like and how confident she is

has she driven in the rain at all-very different from driving in the dry - tho long may the sun last

taking to the beach via car would be nice (ive spent the last 2 days at the beach topping up my tan bliss) and prob far much easier then taking public transport but maybe i would say no this time