Hi, I'm a newly employed nanny to three children who are French but live in London.
Basically, we discussed me travelling with them but not the terms, and now things are getting a little strange.
They seem to view me accompanying them as a treat for me, whereas I am happy to travel for work, and over the moon to go to such a lovely place as their holiday home, I think they should recognise that it is work for me and I'm away from my own partner. They do not think it's fair to pay extra for me to travel with them and have offered 50 hours per week when I will be there 24/7.
They also consider it more appropriate for the children to entertain themselves on holiday, and for me to take on more of a cleaning / housekeeping role. I see this as more of an au pair role, and while I'm happy to help out I do think I am being asked to change my role and not get any recognition for it.
I am not a very experienced nanny - I have some experience with children during my life, a Level 2 Certificate and worked in schools during the training year, but this is my first post with a family. However, I feel I'm not being treated as a professional adult here - I'm inexperienced, but still a "grown up". I am very willing to be flexible about cleaning duties, and I don't feel as though we are able to communicate very easily. I have agreed to do the extra laundry duties and so on - but feel as though asking for a day off would be stepping out of line!
Any thoughts?