Nannies, would you tell your employers...

[bettina46]

Hi, I'm a live-out nanny and happy with my present job however not very close with my employers.
They never ask about my personal life and we only talk about things related to the job. My husband has just moved out and I wonder if I should tell them about it. I've got two teenage children at school and would not survive without the job. I also need the extra money I get for babysitting for them. I worry that if they know I'm a single mum they might not offer me extra work. What do you think?

If you don't normally share personal info/they don't ask then I wouldn't unless you specifically want to.

I would tell your employers. I'm sure you are trying your utmost not to let it affect your work but you must be very stressed and anxious and that's quite likely to be coming across in your interactions with them. It's best that they know that there's a reason why you're unhappy, that you're not dissatisfied with your job in any way.

I'm not sure why you think they might not give you the extra babysitting work? Are your children old enough to look after themselves in the evenings? I would reassure them of this and say that you appreciate the extra work because you need the money.

Much sympathy for your situation.

Depends how nice/sensible they are.

If you were comfortable telling them that money is tight due to a change in your personal circumstances, you never know they could offer you more work, or refer you to friends for babysitting?

I've got a teenager (have always been a single parent) and have found that in the last 5 yrs I've had more and more free time (have spent some of it in work and have taken on a lot more responsibilities and been given more seniority).

Sorry that wasn't a boast, I just meant it to illustrate how being a single parent doesn't necessarily limit you in working more if you need to!

Sorry to hear your spilt up with dh

I would tell my employers - if you can't do face to face then email or text mb and just say along the lines of

That sadly your marriage has come to an end. That you hope your personal life won't make a difference to your working life but that you wanted them to know

Add that you are happier to do longer hours /extra babysitting

Thanks. My own children are old enough to stay at home alone. My charge is very little and I do my best to look after him as well as I can. Thanks to the job I do not have time to think about my problems too much.

I told mine when my ex moved out and have done tonnes more babysitting

I would see no reason for you to bring it up if it isn't going to impact you performance at work... Especially as personal circumstances are not normally a topic of conversation.