what's your backup plan?

[beforesunrise]

Hi all, just curious really about your backup plan is. i have dd 18 months old, back at work since she was 8 months and she's always had the same lovely nanny who is probably the most punctual, reliable person in the world. i think i have been a bit spoiled as she suddenly called me yesterday asking for next wednesday off. clearly she has right to time off and since she never does this i am not going to be telling her that she has to give me 2 weeks notice or something like that, but i am in the middle of changing jobs and really really stressed so can't take a day off myself. spent the day frantically trying to arrange cover, in the end arranged for my cleaner to look after her and me/dh going to work late or leaving early. cleaner is lovely but a bit flaky so not my ideal solution but she's never been i nursery and i liked that option even less.

what do you all do in these circumstances?

Has your nanny, not got any nanny friends who could watch her ?

true i didn't think of asking. spoken with a good friend of mine who is shortly going to move near us and we've agreed we'll ask our nannies to spend some time together with our 2 kids (playdaets etc) so they can be each other's back up plan...

before sunrise.... that sounds like a fab idea! I have a couple of nanny friends and if they for some reason couldnt work i wouldnt mind having their charge(s) (who also no me and my charges well)

I would be happy with this for about 1 day (or maybe 2 days max... but ONLY in an emergancy, not a regular thing)... also because you get issues with going anywhere due to not enough car seats / buggies fitting in the car etc.

Would also expect full pay from whoever elses charge i had.

Whilst as i said i wouldnt mind in an emergancy IMO its up to the PARENTS to arrange cover for their children, they are your children afterall, and not your nannies! (we have plans to and cant always do thinsg with an extra child)

What im trying to say is discuss this very carefully with BOTH nannies before you assume they will both be happy to effectively do double work at the drop of a hat just because it suits you

(If you went into work and were told that today your college was off and you were expected to do ALL your work AND ALL their work, in the same amount of time would YOU be happy about it?)

if i got paid double for a day, i probably would. but you are of course right- i need to discuss these things.

I have nanny friends and they often share the care in situations like this. The children are all friends anyway so its fine.
When I used to nanny the grandparents could usually help out but otherwise it was my nanny friends.

You definitely need to back up plan - what if nanny calls in sick or has an emergency of her own to deal with? If your partner or you really can't take a day off, are there any relatives who could fill in? I always tried to cover the days we knew about in advance myself or DH, that way the unexpected days off we didn't feel so bad begging a mum to jump on a train.

Second all the thoughts about shared care solutions - you would have to be prepared to pay the friend's nanny what you pay your own for that day (so double for you) unless you expect someone else's nanny to do you a favour at the drop of a hat.

If you don't have friends or family living locally who can step in there are temp nanny agencies - might be worth looking into.