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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Nanny and cleaner

22 replies

Underparmummy · 24/01/2016 18:53

Hi all, nanny (3 days a week) has asked if I can move out cleaner to a day she doesn't work. Cleaner comes on day she generally only has the littlest and most of the time there are three of them there for just an hour and twenty. Occasionally it is just one for four hours which I can understand is a it more annoying if no plans to go out.

Am I being unreasonable to think that this is a bit unreasonable on her part? I don't want to ask cleaner, after many bad cleaners this lady and her staff are lovely and really good and I know they are very busy. I guess I also don't want them on my day off (hypicritical I guess but I have had this before and I will be doing batch cooking/washing etc so more annoying with a cleaner than just playing).

Am I being unfair? How far does everyone else let their nanny dictate other things in the household?

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ceeveebee · 24/01/2016 18:56

So if the cleaner moved to a day the nanny doesn't work then you would be at home with the cleaner? I wouldn't allow myself to be dictated to by our nanny tbh, in fact I often asked her to be in to let plumbers in, take deliveries etc.
Can't she just make herself scarce while the cleaner is there?

ceeveebee · 24/01/2016 18:57

Oh and you're not being hypocritical because it's your house and you are the employer and get to decide

Pico2 · 24/01/2016 18:57

Do you know why your nanny has asked for this?

Ebb · 24/01/2016 18:58

What reason did she give? Can she find an activity to do on the morning they're there or does she have to be in to let them in? You are not being unfair by having a cleaner on a day that suits you but I guess if cleaner is hoovering and waking baby, for example, then I can understand the nanny would find that annoying. Just tell the nanny, the cleaner can't do another day.

Original poster

Underparmummy · 24/01/2016 18:59

It could be my day or the day we use a nursery. The nursery day was the one I originally asked for but cleaners only had a spare slot on the nanny day. This was 4 months ago.

I also think she could just find a group but she seems reluctant. I might resuggest that.

I suppose I feel as its time I'm paying for she should probably work round it rather than moaning to me.

OP posts:

Original poster

Underparmummy · 24/01/2016 19:00

She just said she hates feeling under their feet and in the way.

As mostly its three it's all over by eleven and youngest is 18 months so can definitely wait till then for his nap.

OP posts:

ceeveebee · 24/01/2016 19:09

I'd just suggest she finds a group and gets out of the house that morning

Iguessyourestuckwithme · 24/01/2016 19:10

Hello. I am a nanny and my bosses have a cleaner too. When we first employed the cleaner; my boss did ask what day would be best for us [me and the children] as it a] makes it harder to clean when the children are around/under foot b] because it's easier to look after children/do activities/play/cook without a cleaner under foot.

9 months on, we now have the cleaner come on a day that doesn't suit me; there are no groups on that day, it's a day that I would prefer to do nursery duties; batch cooking etc, and it clashes with nap times. I have asked my boss if we can move the day and we are looking into it - I am out 4 mornings a week and most afternoons; the 1 day that the cleaner comes is the 1 day I'm in. While it's not my place to dictate to my boss I am the one who is at home during the day and I know when would be best for me and the children, however I also understand that the day she chooses works for her...

If you can change it; why wouldn't you?

Ebb · 24/01/2016 19:12

Surely it's the perfect time for her to take little one to a music class or baby gym or even a walk? How is she in other ways? Does she go out on the other days?

nbee84 · 24/01/2016 19:19

Is she out the other 2 mornings a week? Would you be able to swap to one of those days? If there are no groups /classes on the cleaner day then she could go swimming or to the library or a play date at another nanny's house.

NannyNim · 24/01/2016 19:19

I'm a nanny and do dislike having the cleaner around when I'm working. We get in each other's way and it seems futile for her to clean when the little one is throwing his toys about the place and dropping food on the freshly mopped floor. One of my charges once had a serious phobia of vacuum cleaners. That was fun.
If you could change the day to a nursery day it would be good.

That being said, I try and get out of the house while she's there - even if that means bundling a reluctant 3yr old into a snow suit and out into the garden. I've also (with parents blessing) had a "movie morning" and watched TV upstairs in bed while the cleaner was there or gone to the park.
It sounds ridiculous but it can be quite difficult.

But if the cleaner can't do a different day your nanny should just get on with it - especially if you've offered to pay for a class on that morning for her! It's your house and if you want an uninterrupted day off you should have one. It's a few hours on one morning. She just needs to be more creative!

Original poster

Underparmummy · 24/01/2016 19:23

I will ask the cleaner but say not my day off I think. I just feel a bit put out that I'm arranging other things around her, especially as for a bit back in our old house the cleaner did come on my day off so it's not like it's always been like this.
Yes the other days she does do things, she quite often does things on this day too just not regularly.

Thanks all!

OP posts:

Blondeshavemorefun · 25/01/2016 09:09

Most nannies tend to go out when cleaner is there. Just makes things easier tho if usually 3 of them for an hour ish - tell nanny to suck it - and tbh not really that essential to have to go out

Having one person for 4hrs is a bit diff esp if sleep time is in that period or cleaner trying to do kitchen at lunchtime etc

Callaird · 25/01/2016 13:11

I do have some say in when our cleaner comes, she comes on Thursday morning when we go swimming so will out for 3+ hours (my charge thinks he's s fish!) We do overlap by an hour in the morning but she just starts upstairs out of our way!

I would never dictate to my boss! She does give me lots of input into what happens while they out of the house but we try to come to a mutual compromise (and then DB goes along with it!!)

MissMooMoo · 27/01/2016 21:38

My bosses have a cleaner 2x a week.
I always go out! usually just me and 3 yr old but even during school holidays I take all the kids out to the park,library,supermarket for food needed for the week etc.
We walk, so usually walking somewhere,doing activity and walking back is enough time for the cleaner to do what shes there to do.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 10/02/2016 12:57

I'd start with what works for you as a family. eg: some people want the place cleaned after the weekend, some right beforehand.
Then what's available with the cleaner
Then I'd take into massive consideration if it clashed with nap times etc.

Some cleaners can be quite sniffy if you are in the house instantly making the place look scruffy [particularly kitchens] as soon as they leave a room. I can understand why to some extent and why that would make your nanny uncomfortable. I'd just be asking her to make herself scarce if it suits in every other way, even if it requires signing up to a paid activity at that time.

BoboChic · 10/02/2016 12:59

I would be aghast if a nanny complained that the cleaner was getting in her way.

middlings · 10/02/2016 13:27

Our cleaner is here for five hours from 9 until 2 on a day the nanny's here. DD1 is at pre-school and our nanny and the little one go out for most of the morning. By the time they get back the cleaner organises herself to have finished downstairs and DD2's room so that the children have lunch and then DD2 has her nap. Works well for us! DD1 comes home from pre-school apparently and trots upstairs to the cleaner and says (name change to protect the innocent) "Excuse me please Mary, may I play in my playroom, have you finish hoovahing?" and says "Oh THANK you" when answered in the affirmative! The cleaner thinks she's hilarious :) Which DD1 loves.

So I think your nanny needs to learn to deal with it.

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 10/02/2016 19:35

The thing is, in the world of hired help, nanny usually does trump cleaner. Twas ever thus. Governesses (for the girls) and tutors (for the boys) were practically part of the family, definitely above the housemaids and didn't even have to eat with the rest of the lowly servants.

Anyways a bit moot nowadays. I think your nanny is quite cheeky TBH. You arrange your household in a way that is best and most convenient for YOU and she just needs to work around that.

HSMMaCM · 10/02/2016 20:19

If there's a time which the cleaner is available, which is also convenient for you and nanny, then book that. If you would like nanny to do a class on the morning the cleaner is there, then ask her to do that.

I don't think it's so much the nanny dictating, but finding a solution that works for all of you (including the cleaner). Most cleaners would prefer to clean an empty house I would have thought.

Blondeshavemorefun · 10/02/2016 20:56

op's cleaner is there 1.5hrs not all day ours was there for 6hrs, we had a natter if i saw her but would tend to try and be out some/all of it

Borninthe60s · 10/02/2016 21:37

Nanny needs to get a grip and organise 90 mins of activity in another part of the house, got to the park, for a walk or just keep out of the way.

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