further to my other thread (apols to those who have already helped) - would you be happy for your nanny to read a book when 'on duty'?

[Tutter]

(your nanny gets a break of at least an hour a day, btw)

am torn between thinking

"it's not a problem - i need MN time after all"

and

"she's being paid so shouldn't be doing her own thing"

god can I be your nanny

I never get to read a book

if it was alll day than I would be abit miffed but if its while the children are playing safely etc I think its ok.

mind I haven't got a nanny so I might be talking out of my arse....

I used to read when I was a nanny, if I got a chance

or talk on the phone, or watch tv, or whatever

would you rather have a sane nanny who slacks off sometimes, or a nanny who spends every single minute of the day amusing your children (do you do this?) and has to be carted off at the end of the week

do people who work in offices go on MN when they are not busy? Yes. Do people who work in shops phone their friends when they are not busy? Yes. Do people who work in cafes go in the kitchen and gossip to the chefs when they are not busy? Yes. And nannies read books when they are not busy.

Yes - it's a bloody hard job (which is why I went back to work ) and they do deserve a bit of rest. Unless someone else physically takes over for an hour a nanny never gets a break - no proper tea break or lunch break. Sometimes it's even hard for her to get to the toilet!

Lighten up on her.

I honestly think my dc would be a bit miffed if there was always an adult getting in the way.

If you want her to be doing other stuff (housework, that sort of thing), then that's different.

I was going to add - reading a book for pleasure is a REALLY good example to set the children, also

Yes, I would be happy for my nanny (if I had one) to squeeze in a chapter of a book whilst the children were playing nicely.

As long as it's not Enid Blyton.

ok

thanks all

relaaaax, BIWI - i think i mentioned she does get min an hour's break

i think the difference then is whether she is still in the same room as them, no?

(child is 2yo btw)

OMG how i would love to get the oppertunity to read a book as well as having an hour off per day.

I seriously reckon i get 1 hour off per month if im lucky! I can garebtee when the school holidays start in a week and a half i will not have a moment off until mid september

I would not have a prob with a nanny reading a chapter of a book while on duty! I cant imagine it would happen unless you had a child that was at school full time and / or a young baby who still has a nice long sleep.

So long as the children are safe and happy and the nanny duties are done what is the problem?

On the other hand..... surely its not much different from office workers checking their own email / ebay auctions while online at their desk.

We are all people and live and let live for goodness sake.

I cant imagine i would be able to work for any body who would have a problem with me reading a chapter of a book to be honest

Oh yes... as already mentioned i rarely even get to go to the loo by myself... especially since the lock has been removed after 1 year old locked himself in

"We are all people and live and let live for goodness sake"

why so angst-y, nannyl?

can't see that i have made a judgment on this tbh

as i've already mentioned, she gets minimum of an hour's break. child is 2yo, so neither at school f/t nor a small baby

if circumstances are such that you would sit and read a book (ie they are playing safely close by or napping) then why not.

A nanny who gets a break - I remember those days... 2 at school, 1 at pre-school, and I got about an hour after doing chores (in my hour break, I made a coffee and watched the news).

Children need some time to be alone, without adults getting in the way. I have had to learn to back off and give the children I nanny some freedom to play by themselves (middle two are 4 and 2). Typically in the garden, or in their bedroom.

If nanny is reading a book (lucky them, when I have tried it I usually only manage a page before being interrupted) in another room, but your child knows where nanny is, and nanny is within screaming earshot... then I don't see nanny reading a few pages of a book being a problem.

Is this issue actually causing you any problems? Is it part of a bigger issue, or were you just wondering what mumsnetters views would be on the subject of employees reading books during employment hours?

gosh i can sense heckles rising here

shall i link to my earlier thread? perhaps that would help...

orig post

I used to when I was nursing (providing supervision- not in theatre LOL), there were lots of quiet momoents when patients were occupied elsewhere (I nursed peole in their own homes).

if you're in an office you chat to epople and make jokes, at home you don't do that so you refresh for a few minutes in other ways

Tutter, you are evil whip-cracking employer. Admit it

I wouldn't care that she read a book so long as all of her other duties were complete (i.e. laubrdy, cook, washing up, etc.)

In fact, it's probably a good thing that children observe her reading. It may encourage them to take an interest in books.

If your child requires constant supervision, then that is what nanny will have to do. If your child can be given freedom, then I feel they should be given as much as possible given their age. Children these days can get far too wrapped in cotton wool and shoved in a bubble.

I would monitor the situation for a while. See how it fits in overall with how your new nanny operates.

Regarding other thread... If your garden is not suitable for your child to play in, then access to it needs to be restricted. If the garden is safe, then why can't your child run out to the garden... running helps release energy.

As your nanny is not doing sole charge - is the reading a book issue only occurring when you yourself are out?

yes nick, reading has only happened when i've been out

garden safe - as safe as any garden can be for a 2yo anyway - i.e. he can't get out to a road