What Kind of Housework would you Expect from a Nanny?

[Applefruitcake]

Any nannies / parents using nannies here - What kind of housework would you typically expect from a nanny?

I usually work with children around 4-8 years which don't sleep during the day, so I've never really done much housework except for the usual tidying up their toys and cleaning mess in the kitchen. But... now I have been approached by a parent to look after a baby (5 months) which obviously would be taking naps during the day. I'm wondering what I would be doing during that time.

Thank you in advance

@HPD76

When I worked as a nanny many years ago, I would tidy up after ourselves, which may have included doing a quick vac of the lounge or something. Also I’d stack and empty the dishwasher, make meals and tidy the kitchen up. Basically I’d make sure me and the kids had a good time, and that the house didn’t show evidence of that good time after. The parents worked hard enough without coming home to a dump.

This sounds like a perfect nanny. That's what our nanny did. She also cooked meals that were big enough for us to reheat later that evening if it was something like fish pie / lasagna- it was a real treat as she was a good cook.

Baby may not sleep for longer than 20 mins, so I wouldn’t count on long naps! But that aside, when I had both a nanny and a cleaner, I thought it was pathetic that neither of them would empty the dishwasher for example. I ended up getting rid.

@Imcatmum

My nanny does EVERYTHING. She basically is me if I was there. DIY, laundry, garden, cleaning, evening meals prepped, any trips to post office, bringing car for service etc. She's frankly the best nanny you could ever wish for. Were incredibly lucky.

She's a housekeeper not a nanny

Nope, she's a housekeeper AND a nanny if you insist. She's not exploited. I never once asked her to do anything that wasn't strictly a nanny task but she likes to be busy. The kids are very well looked after, nobody could do more for them than she does.

I only ever expected put nanny to clear up the kid's things, maybe a bit of kid's laundry, put the kids' clothes away etc. But when they do extra I really notice it.

Nannies do jobs only relating to their charges. So baby/child laundry, cooking, cleaning up food prep, tidying DC's room, sorting DC's toys etc, but not the overall cleaning of the house or adult laundry.

Nanny should really only do duties related to the child(ren). So for babies, laundry, food prep, tidying, etc. I did occasionally ask our nanny to do things like hem babygros or sort out the changing bag. As the children get older the range of child-related tasks expands exponentially so ours will now collect prescriptions, host play dates, supervise homework, take them shopping for sports kit, scrub out the bath, etc.

That said… our nanny likes to keep busy and will do lots of other non-child related things like empty the dishwasher. I always make a point of saying thank you and I make it very clear to the children that she is their nanny, not a maid.

I have sometimes come home and found that she’s made our bed!!!

For heavy duty cleaning

That last sentence was meant to end “I use a cleaning service or so it myself”.

@Imcatmum

My nanny does EVERYTHING. She basically is me if I was there. DIY, laundry, garden, cleaning, evening meals prepped, any trips to post office, bringing car for service etc. She's frankly the best nanny you could ever wish for. Were incredibly lucky.

Our nanny used to do everything too but the children were at school and nursery for a lot of the day.

@MiaMarshmallows

This is how nannies get exploited. A nanny is a nanny and paid for that role. If you want her to also be a cleaner and a housekeeper, you should be paying double and mentioning it at interview that this is what you require.

They don’t need to be paid double!

The difference in pay between a traditional nanny and a nanny housekeeper is about £1-2/hour net

I’ve had both, currently have a nanny housekeeper who was recruited as a nanny but we kept her on after ds started nursery
So rather than cut her hours, she uses the 3 hours a day when he is out to walk the dogs, do laundry (whole family, no ironing), put away our shopping order, Hoover, mop and dust
She cleans the DC bathroom once a week and sometimes does ours without being asked
She also cooks and sets up craft activities for the afternoons a couple of times a week

As a Nanny- I never agree to do housework. I am employed to look after the children, if working as a cleaner as well then my time would be split But my employers would expect the same high standards in both areas, and I would like to deliver too. The housekeeper tends to do child related laundry, but I usually work with the children to keep the rooms tidy. I also tend to unpack the dishwasher and sometimes cook Sunday dinner for the family and prepare full English breakfast on Saturdays., again for the family. I often make cakes and scones with the children and in the summer take the children fruit picking and help them make jam for the scones and gifts for grandparents.
Any domestic emergency I am very hands on and would not stop until it was resolved and the mess cleaned up, provided the children were safe
During children’s downtime I prepare arts and crafts, research activities and places to go, make resources
With. A 5 month old have you discussed diet: weaning with Mum? Do you need to research her diet preferences and start experimenting with how these can be made into suitable weaning foods?

Thank you everyone for all your responses. It seems like there is quite a range. I guess it depends on what the nanny is willing to do combined with what parents expect. Some people mentioned that baby won't be taking long naps at this stage, and obviously they will be the priority when awake but I just wanted to get an idea of what nannies would do during that time. Baby is not weaning yet, but will keep that in mind when they get to that stage

I don’t mind emptying the dishwasher but equally annoying when it’s been run in the evening and you get there in am and stacks of their evening stuff to tidy up

Everything goes in the dw

If it can’t and parents have used then they will be washing it up

Some temp jobs I would arrive to and huge pans waiting to be washed

I left them

Luckily in all my nanny jobs. - was a sole charge one for 20yrs - they all respected me and didn’t take the piss

I interviewed them as much as they interviews me

I would expect the house to be as clean as when I left it in the morning - so kitchen surface and floor cleaned + high chair/table. Tidy bathroom after they’ve used it. Emptying and filling dishwasher. Bottles, making food, emptying nappy bin, emptying main bin and recycling if full.
Responsible for kids areas, so playroom, their bedroom, their washing etc.

Basically, I expect the house to be as clean and tidy as I’ve left it. Plus nursery duties.