Nanny Holiday - Asking her to come in whilst we're on holiday

[meggleshs]

Hiya - we have a wonderful nanny, but as first time employers I wanted to ask your advice.

Our nanny has 4 weeks holiday - we choose 2 and she chooses 2. We're going away for over 3 weeks this year, but as that's our choice, we won't penalize her or make her take her holiday during that time.

However, there are few child jobs that need doing like sorting out their playroom, going through too-small clothes, etc. Could I ask her to come in 1 day during the two weeks that we're away to do that work? I know she hasn't booked a week away, and is having a 'staycation'. She can choose any day in that two week period to come in, as its probably only 2 - 4 hours of work.

How does that sound? Make sense? Unreasonable?

So you are paying her for that week you are away?
Sounds entirely reasonable to me to ask her to come and do some child related jobs

Completely reasonable. It's also worth asking her if she wants to do anything like do some batch cooking for the freezer while you are away so you have groceries in/have left her with cash to buy food.

utterly reasonable. If you were going to give her six weeks holiday a year, i'm sure the annual salary would be adjusted to reflect that.
Ours will do the nametapes for next year's uniform, feed the cats, go through the playroom and bedrooms and generally get things sorted before term starts. If she could cook well, i'd definitely ask her to get the freezer sorted too, but that's not her thing. I know you'll get responses from some outraged nannies saying how they wouldn't lift a finger while their bosses are away but in the real world, people continue to go to work while their boss is away.

Yes, perfectly reasonable, I used to batch cook for the freezer, deep clean bedrooms, sort out toys and bleach the (revolting) bath toys they refused to chuck away

I would have thought she would come in to do all the child jobs she can't do while looking after your children anyway, especially as she being paid anyway.

Thanks ladies! I'll work with her to come up with a list of jobs to do and she can do them anytime she wishes that week (ie do them all in one big go or a little bit each day).

Might be great if she could do a very basic food shop (milk, eggs, bread, cheese) the day before we arrive back.

Can I just say, that I love having a nanny. She relieves so much pressure in the house!

Jobs like sewing the name labels into school uniform sounds great - so useful.
The fact you are being flexible about when she does the work will be appreciated.

If you ever sign another contract, perhaps you could add to it, that if you go away on holiday during her usual working time, there would be an expectation of her coming in some do a number of simple jobs, but on no flexible basis.

As a nanny/housekeeper that's what i'm doing (see my "welcome home" thread in housekeeping)

Tranmere it sounds like you have a bee in your bonnet about nannies??
Don't tar everyone with the same brush. OP asked about asking the nanny to do nanny related stuff, and yes, she is perfectly within her right too. What would get a nannies back up would probably be stuff along the lines of 1. Sorting out bosses knicker drawers, wardrobes, dry cleaning.. 2. Handwashing all their delicates. 3. Putting new plants in the garden and mowing the lawn every day. Etc etc etc. you get the idea. Non childcare related duties.
PS I do help out, but, I've never been asked to do this type of stuff for years. Older and wiser now.

Back to the OP. Your requests are perfectly within reason and I can't see why she wouldn't agree to it.

no bee whatsoever, but this question is asked regularly here, and there are regularly nanny posters (one in particular) who find the suggestion outrageous.

Lol. Hope that's not aimed at me. I've always had the extra time off but obviously if asked I would go in to do child related duties

The fact op has said be a few hours /one day out of two weeks is very reasonable

Meg- I would order a tesco delivery and ask her to be in for the delivery rather than asking her to do a shop for the family.

Hi OP
Perfectly reasonable to ask nanny to do jobs on the days you have holiday and she doesn't.
You mentioned four weeks holiday I assume that your nanny works Mon to Fri and this doesn't include bank holidays? Statutory minimum for holiday is 5.6 weeks.
Most employers in professional jobs have more than stat hols
As a nanny I would expect to work any days employer has holiday and I don't. If she is away I would be available to work so child related jobs are totally expected..
I wouldn't be happy to do other household chores, although happy to water plants , feed cats etc.

Sounds fine to ask for child related things. If nanny wants to help out with some non-child related things then they can certainly do that. Just talk to your nanny and see what they are happy to do.

It mostly a paid week off for them and as long as it is agreed in advance what is expected then I do not see an issue.

I agree with Florence about the 4 weeks thing... personally I find it better to think in terms of 5.6 weeks as that works for part-time as well as full-time nannies.

Perfectly reasonable, but I'd never ask (I'm an employer)! I don't have so much that needs doing and I think the odd extra bit of leave builds up goodwill that might be useful in future if you are home late etc.

Election - completely agree and you are right! You sound like a nice employer

Thanks Ladies - I esp like the online grocery shopping idea as that's a win / win for both of us.

And yes, our nanny has 5.6 weeks, but only works 4 days a week so it works out as 9 days each PLUS bank holidays that fall M - Thursday (obv changes each year).