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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

Providing food for nannies.

55 replies

callaird · 05/02/2009 20:11

I was wondering how many of you provide food for you nanny, live -in or live-out.

If you interviewed a nanny who said that she would bring her own food each day (including tea/coffee/squash and snacks) but she wanted more money, what would your reaction be??

Look forward to hearing your replies.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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tankie · 05/02/2009 20:34

I'm a nanny and I've always had all food, drinks and snacks provided as a live in, including alcohol (occasional beer or glass of wine), and live out I would always expect to eat lunch with the children. Depending on when I would start, maybe breakfast too - I had one job where I started at 7.15 and ate breakfast with the children.

nannyL · 05/02/2009 20:46

i am allowed to eat whatever i like while working. All meals / snacks / cups of tea etc

I eat meals with my charges, the same food as my charges eat

my bosses would think I was mad if i asked for more money in return for bringing food from home

they positively like me eating with the children as it teaches them good table manners and to eat things they otherwise might not want to try, as they see me trying and enjoying new things

equally if we eat out my bosses pay for my food too.

Ebb · 05/02/2009 20:48

Hhmm! Is this related to another thread on another forum?!

no1andno2 · 05/02/2009 20:57

agree with Nannyl . We have a rule in our house that successive nannies have always used ( at our request ) that you are not allowed to say you dont like anything unless you have tried it and of course if nanny is not eating with the dc's its very difficult to enforce.

This week as a result or our policy Dc's ( 9 and 7 ) became firm fans of pea and pumpkin risotto ( ala Tana Ramsay )( nanny is a great cook ).They eat almost everything and whilst I am not a food fanatic in anyway it is an important social and health skill.

Not only is nanny eating with Dc's the norm but also damn good discipline.

Ebb · 05/02/2009 20:58

LOL! I thought you were the argumentitive one trying desparately to fight her corner!

tankie · 05/02/2009 21:00

no1andno2 - I agree about the importance of eating together! I never get any fuss at lunchtime, when I eat with my charge, but often have fussiness at tea time when I'm tidying the kitchen while they eat.

NannyDonna · 05/02/2009 21:19

I am a nanny and have always had food and drink provided for me.it would be of the nannies own choice if she brought things with her.
I sometimes take in food as i fancy something different from what they have in.
If you have food that you would rather she did not eat let her know as you will get fed up opening the fridge and your rump steak has gone.lol

Original poster

callaird · 05/02/2009 21:30

Ebb - yes it is related to a thread on another forum, I am interested to hear an employers point of view (other than my own employer, as she is biased!)

So mum's (and dad's) would you pay a nanny more if she said that she would provide all their own food, drinks and snacks??

OP posts:

Tiramissu · 05/02/2009 21:31

How can she bring her own coffee/tea?
I m trying to imagine it. Is she coming in the morning in with a starbucks in hand or you mean she is coming there opens her bag and gets her own teabags out?
Bizzare thread...

tankie 'including alchool'? nice job

tankie · 05/02/2009 21:40

Tiramissu - yep - wine with dinner, or a beer in the evenings if I fancied it!

Original poster

callaird · 05/02/2009 21:41

Tiramissu - why bizzare thread??

Just asking a question.

Another nanny said that she thinks nannies would get paid more if they take their own food and I was wondering whether or not this would be the case.

I think buying her own teabags/coffee jar and keeping it at work, rather than taking teabags in her bag. Which wouldn't work for me as I don't have a bag!!!

OP posts:

ChippingIn · 05/02/2009 21:43

Callaird - is there some specific reason you would prefer to bring in your own food? If it were because of an allergy, religion, dietary choice (vegetarian etc), then I guess 'subbing' the nanny's food would be ok, but a bit tricky. If it was just so the nanny could save an extra little bit of money I'd be a bit weary...

Tiramissu · 05/02/2009 21:47

callaird,
i find it bizzare, sorry.
I 've never heard of this before. Nannies always eat at workplace, the food is provided by the family. Even if you have special died, they'll usually provide it for you.

Original poster

callaird · 05/02/2009 21:57

It's not me! I have all food provided for me (including weekends!) am live-in but with seperate accommodation. Have always had food provided in every position I have had in 22 years!

Another nanny mentioned that she thinks nannies would get paid more if they take their own food and I was wondering how right she was.

I would never be organised enough to take my own food to work!!

I am very organised at work but when I have finished my 12 hour day, I don't want to have to think about what I am going to eat the next day or to get up earlier to prepare in the morning!!

OP posts:

Original poster

callaird · 05/02/2009 22:00

Tiramissu - I find it odd too, as I have said I have always had food provided for me in the 22 years I have been a nanny, live-in and live-out, for wealthy families and for families with tight budgets.

I just wanted to ask parents if the other nanny was right that nannies who provide their own food would get higher wages!

I have never heard it before either, all my nanny friends have been "fed" by their employers.

OP posts:

ChippingIn · 05/02/2009 22:05

Callaird - sorry, when you said your 'employer was biased' it made it sound like you were asking on your own behalf... but then, you did say 'at the interview' so should have known/guessed it wasn't you... sorry!

Well, other than the fact it's not you, my post still applies... if it were a money saving thing I'd be concerned.

Agree with you totally, it's bad enough organising your own food for the next day when you have to (office with no canteen, no local shops etc), but when you are nannying... not a hope!!

I guess in theory she's right - I just think she'd find it harder to get a job in the first place if that's the kind of thing she's asking at an interview

Tiramissu · 05/02/2009 22:06

Ok . now i understand what you meant.

But i think your friend is wrong anyway. I dont think the family will like this and tbh if i was still a nanny i would be very embarassed to suggest it to the family.

Glad you are fed well, you need it with 12 hours shifts

AtheneNoctua · 05/02/2009 22:08

Hi Caillard.

I think it would be a pain in the arse if nanny wanted to have her own meal plan, apart from the kids. And I certainly wouldn't pay extra for it.

Original poster

callaird · 05/02/2009 22:15

She is not a friend of mine. But a poster on a nanny forum. Of course all the nannies on the forum think that it's not likely that you would get a better wage if you didn't eat their food. So I wanted to find out what employers thought.

ChippingIn - my employer is biased as she said she would never have an employee working in her home and not feed them, she was rather shocked at the suggestion! She even feeds the gardener, who comes once a week for 4 hours!! I think if she could (and was home) she would feed the Ocado driver!!

OP posts:

Tiramissu · 05/02/2009 22:25

OP,your employer sounds like me

Athene, is not unusual for the nanny to eat different stuff. I was veggie when i was nannying and although i usually worked for vegetarian families, ocasionaly i worked for meat eaters. They always made sure they had enough veg options for me.

But to ask the family to give cash for it, somehow doesn't sound right.

I wouldn't mind a nanny asking me for special food, i d be happy to provide it. I wouldn't like a nanny who lives on diet cereal bars and reads every label for calories. For the obvious reason

lisalisa · 05/02/2009 22:32

I hav employed nannies for 12 years and have never been met with this request (although had some pretty weird ones over the years!). Tbh I wouldn't like it either and would see it as a money making ruse. How much extra would nanny want for not eating food and how rude to snub employer's food and expect to bring it from home and be paid for it!

In my position at work I have a choice - either bring in food from home or buy food outside but nowhere is being paid for making the first choice part of the deal!!

A nanny position is different in that the nanny works in a domestic home where food is readily available. Eating that food is a perk. But choosing not to eat that food does not carry an entitlement to ask to be paid in lieu of that perk.

ChippingIn · 05/02/2009 23:33

Callaird - is your MB as nice as she sounds?? She sounds great

LisaLisa... go on, tell us, what are some of the other weird things you've been asked for..

Eating that food is a perk. But choosing not to eat that food does not carry an entitlement to ask to be paid in lieu of that perk

... that was well put!

rainbird · 05/02/2009 23:48

Yes on "the other thread" the nanny thinks if you are on say 8 pound per hr and they are providing food- you would prob be getting 9 per hour for bringing in your own

jura · 06/02/2009 00:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

nbee84 · 06/02/2009 08:22

I'm on the opposite of all this. I'm not allowed to take in my own food . This is because the family are Jewish and keep a Kosher kitchen.

But in over 20 years of nannying I have always eaten the food at work anyway. It's much easier to encourage a reluctant child to eat their veg if you are eating it too.

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