parent issues

[NannyVix]

I currently work for two Doctors and nanny for their children a silly amount of hours. I am hoping for some other nannies advice regarding a few issues I have come across and how Ive already tried to tackle them.

1. The parents are great at telling the children what they think about the work I do, but never mention anything to me...i have a communication book and this is written to the parents every night about how the children have got on etc but i am very fed up with the comments from the children (which have definatley come from them) instead of them speaking to me directly. I have left messages and spoken to them face to face asking them to be careful with what they say around them and if they have any problems would they speak to me about it

2. annual leave - this year I have already handed in my holiday form for days off i want this year, which have been approved and now they have decided the children are off to their grandarents for half term and I have to decide which holidays I want to swap for half term off? Is this right...nothing states this in my contract..should they be bonus days? I am wi;ing to half term but they have chosen to send the children to their grandparents

this is soo frustrating so if any nanny could offer me either an answer or some advice about our rights etc please help me

1. Does the communication book work? How about using e-mail instead?

Sounds like things the children say are negative things. If the parents want to raise such things with you they should do so... Do you ever get a time to chat?

1. If they have approved the holiday, then no I do not feel it is reasonable of then to change that approval. Employers can dictate when an employee takes leave but it would be usual in my view to do that by refusing to approve some leave requests, ending up with leave balanced between time convenient to you and time convenient to them.

The communication book did work but neither of them leave me msgs in it....i do it so i have evidence for my own peace of mind now. Holidays are frustrating and yes my holidays have been approved so its wrong they r making me change them

1. It depends a lot on what they're saying, can you give us an example. Have you tried confronting them? Either at handover or during an appraisal/review? Other than that all you can do is ignore it I think.

2. They're being completely out of order here I think. I don't know what you can really do about it though. Refuse to change days and see what they say?

I would explain that since they approved your holidays you have already made arrangements. You are available to work half term since you haven't requested time off then....So you don't expect to see a reduction in your work for those hours.