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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

Bit miffed with nanny! What should I do?

23 replies

ziopin · 22/10/2008 09:09

Have a p/t time nanny to look after my little ones in the afternoon. She also does a few hours cleaning every week for me.

This is totally seperate to her nanny hours. She has started to do her cleaning during her nannying hours (so she doesn't have to come back in her own time )

She is allowing the little ones to play in their rooms or watch a bit of tele while she does her cleaning! I'm right miffed.

How can I stop this?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Kewcumber · 22/10/2008 09:12

Tell her to stop. Explain that if you wanted your DC's to play in their rooms whilst someone cleaned you'd get a cleaner not a nanny!

If she is not able to come back in the hours agreed to do the cleaning then tell her you'll get a separate cleaner. Nip it in the bud now.

NewTeacher · 22/10/2008 09:14

reduce her pay! she's doing less hours so why pay the extra...

I'd speak with her first and tell her in the 'nanny' time she should be doing just that. Looking after the children.
Cleaning is a separate chore and should be done in its allocated time. If she doesnt like that, I would stop her doing the cleaning and get a cleaner.

This means all she can do in her nanny time is actually look after the kids!

SammyK · 22/10/2008 09:16

I agree, just tell her you are not happy.

Offer that if she cannot committ to the cleaning hours you will look for a replacement cleaner as her childcare duties are her priority.

She is being cheeky IMO and trying it on.

Original poster

ziopin · 22/10/2008 09:16

I know I should tell her, but feel really awkward about it

OP posts:

phraedd · 22/10/2008 09:21

so she has reduced her hours?

surely you reduce her pay and let her come to you as to why you have done that

Kewcumber · 22/10/2008 09:48

I understand you feel awkward, but just think that she doesn't feel awkward about trying to pull a fast one so why should you feel awkward about stopping it.

Just say - "I don't want you to clean whilst you are looking after the children, if you don't have time to do the cleaning later then I'd rather you focussed on doing something with the children and I'll get someone else to clean separately" and smile nicely. Imply that you think perhaps she doesn't have time to do it.

SammyK · 22/10/2008 09:48

She is taking advantage of you, hoping you don't bring it up. If you think of it like that does it maybe fire you up a little to approach her?

You shouldn't feel awkward, she should be discussing it with you before changing her hours, and merging two jobs.

elkiedee · 22/10/2008 12:50

What everyone else said - and if she's being paid for the cleaning job in separate hours, those hours aren't her "own time".

AtheneNoctua · 22/10/2008 17:30

What do you mean by "a bit of cleaning"? If you mean she lets them in and they have a chat and interact while she does the ironing that one thing. If you mean she plonks them in front of the telly and heads up to the third floor to vacuum where she couldn't hear them if they sreamed bloody murder, that's another.

My nanny probably plonks my kids in front of the telly from time to time so she can do their laundry (which is part of her nanny duty but could fesibly be classed as cleaning duty). I don't have a problem with this. So long as it's all done and my kids aren't suffering any neglect I don't care when she does what so long as it is all done at the end of the week.

AtheneNoctua · 22/10/2008 17:32

Oh, and...

Kewcumber · 22/10/2008 21:23

I think its a bit different if you're paying her extra, otherwise why wouldn;t you just makeit part of her duty Athene [tight accountant emoticon]

HIJACK - How teh devil are you anyway? Are you as busy as me? I have no life Work is hell and DS has croup.

AtheneNoctua · 23/10/2008 09:20

I'm okay. Work is busy busy busy. F'ing three ring circus. I'm okay. We have a new nanny. She is lovely. DD took up hair cutting this week, one snip of DS' fring, and one off her own head... Good thing school pics were last week.

We should get together and have an after woork meal/catch up. I'm still in Brantford so very close to you.

How is the platlet count?

As for Ziopin's nanny and cleaning duties. I'm also considering the less precise art of the personal side of employee management. I know that part time nannies are hard to come by. Most want full time work (or at least full time pay). And, Ziopin might have to give a little to keep her nanny happy... especially if she has not got another one lined up to take the job. So, a bit of ironing I could overlook, complete neglect on another floor I would say something.

Speaking of nannies, am going to have to have a little chat with mine soon who has a little time management problem of her own. I think she'd spending all of her free time at the gym (with the kids) and not leaving time to do that oh so exciting chore of laundry.

jura · 23/10/2008 14:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

squiffy · 24/10/2008 16:30

Oh, it's like a surprise party, have been worked off my feet and have just about broken my MN addiction - haven't been on here for ages - then I stumble on this thread and find you all on here.... how the devil IS everyone?

Ziopin, by the way, what has happened - have you had a chat with nanny?

AtheneNoctua · 24/10/2008 18:02

Me too, squif. Work work work... But, ahh... look at the time. 'tis Miller Time as we say in the states. (only I no longer drink crappy piss water Miller beer) Think I'll go home and find other more suitable form of alcohol... maybe I'll make me a margherita. Oh, that sounds good....

Hey Ziopin, any chance of persuading you to come to the MN Christmas party. It's going to be lots of fun. Promise!

cheapskatemum · 24/10/2008 21:31

AtheneNoctua, I'm confused as to how your Nanny can be spending all her free time at the gym, with your dcs. Do you mean she puts them in the creche there? If so, who pays? How is it her free time if she has dcs with her?

ScottishMummy · 24/10/2008 21:43

do you have specific job description for each allocated task eg nanny and cleaner roles

have you spoken and clarified the remit of each role eg separate tasks

maybe get a separate cleaner,so boundaries not blurred

you are the employer and can legitimately discuss your preferences/wishes

AtheneNoctua · 25/10/2008 20:04

I just mean she isn't managing her time very well. SPend a lot of time at the gym. Puts them into activities which are not charged additional to the membership I already pay. This is great. I'm all for my kids getting the most out the gym and learning to play lots of sports. But, she needs to find the balance between using the gym and still getting her domestic chores done.

It is a small complain really. She is a great nanny. Just needs a tad bit of time management adjustment. That's all.

mummypoppins · 27/10/2008 11:09

........and that just makes it harder when you are even busier at work and would love to have some free time to go to the gym........waves to everyone ........

AtheneNoctua · 27/10/2008 13:52

Heeeelllllloooooo MP. Hows tings?

lindseyfox · 27/10/2008 17:07

i agree if you pay her for x amount of childcare hours and x amount of cleaning hrs then she should do those all of those hrs.

if she did childcare for you and cleaning for someone else she would have to do all her hrs to get paid.

think its very very cheeky.

you can say to her that if she feels she can get the cleaning done whilst looking after the children without comprismising their care then her hrs are obv less and you will need to discuss a salary reduction with her, but if she wishes to remain on the same hrs and salary then you would appreciate that the cleaning is done when she is not in charge of the children.

mummypoppins · 28/10/2008 20:31

hello AN........ok nanny seems to have settled down a bit and so do I. Far too busy at work as ever but trying to chill out a bit at home.

Im in London 6th November for a day. have a meeting at 11am..........anyone free for lunch ????

Blondeshavemorefun · 29/10/2008 17:39

you pay her extra to clean yet she does it when caring for your children?

shes taking the piss - and you are letting her

simple - dock her the extra cleaning money as she can def multi task

athene - im all for children excersing etc -maybe say to your nanny to have a look at gyms time table and then you /she can choose what the children can do and then she can plan when to do her chores

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