My cleaner is on a charm offensive to become my nanny

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Maybe this should be in chat really...

DD is 2 months old and DS is 3 so think she knows we're likely to be in the market for a nanny when I go back to work. She is an ace cleaner but not a real nanny, she thinks:

• DD should be having formula
• DD has a cold and I should give her Panadol
• DS has a cold so I should take him to have his tonsils removed
• I don't wrap DD up warm enough

She doesn't criticise, she says "oh I had to do xxx with my [now 20 year-old] son"

It's a shame we don't see eye to eye on childcare as she clearly really loves the children and likes working for me!

Anyone else had similar?

Same here... her name's not Vicky is it.

I had a nanny once who had this "mother in law syndrome" which you have described. It is difficult because not hiring her will surely offend and it may result in her departure from the cleaning job. But you cannot hand your children over to someone who will second guess your decisions / instructions. It will drive you batty. (unless you are happy for someone else to raise your children as they see fit irrespective of your own wishes -- but I'm going to hazard a gues that that would not be okay with you).

It's difficult to say from a post on here. Butm I think there is a fine line between the nanny offering advise and trying to be helpful and a nanny who thinks she knows better and will do as she sees fit in your absense.

My MIL did not feed DD as I had asked her to. And I realised way too late that she meant well, but what was doing what she thought was best in my absense rather than what I had asked her to do. I was positively furious when I realised what had been going on.

correction:

"My MIL nanny did not feed DD as I had asked..."

You've hit the nail on the head as to the attitude Athene.

Luckily I have realised how I can keep her happy as just cleaner, she is Bulgarian (so it's not your Vicky, June!) - this means she is an A2 national who is allowed to work in the UK on a self-employed basis but who would not be allowed to work here as an employee, which a nanny would be. So there. When the time comes she'll have to be nice to a (most likely) Australian girl .

That is, an Australian with an ancestry visa, of course.

mine keeps making comments like "she sounds hungry" when baby's just been fed, or "you should really strap her in her high chair" when she really does not need to when I am with her to make sure her legs are on each side of the middle bar, she is not going to slip through that, or telling me that my (newly bought and standard) moses basket was not adequate...
We had the weirdest conversation on Friday (brought on by a little toy ghost mil got for dd) where she told me that "she does not beleive in the future being told through tarot card reading "cause that's just stupid" but that she does firmly believe in the future being told via coffee leftover in your cup" (cause that's not stupid ?!). I just warned her of people who can take advantage of you (and take your money) like that but she was having none of it.
I'm definitely looking elsewhere for childminding...

no June it will be fine with her seriously because your little one wouldnt drink coffee.lol

I can top that. When DD was 1 had a cold and fever nanny recommended.... I kid you not.... wait for it... "vodka socks"

My face was a picture I am sure.

Apparently vodka socks are a know Eastern European remedy for a fever whereby you soak wool socks in a 50/50 vodka/water solution. Put them on. Put dry cotton socks on over them. And it apparently works to reduce your fever. What I want to know is if the alcohol is absorbed through the skin and the patient gets a bit jolly.

Anyway, the only word I really heard was "vodka" and I have a vague receollection of saying something like "over my dead body".