advice needed please

[crispycake]

sorry if its long.

Right i am a nanny for 2 children. I am off for the whole of august, parents choice as mum and children are away in portugal.
Mum asked me today if i could fly out for a week and look after the children while she comes back to england to work.
So i would be by myself with the children in a strange country, i dont speak the language and the one thing that the children will be doing is swimming. The oldest is 4 so goes into the adult pool but i cannot swim and 100% wouldnt be comfortable with them in the pool.
She said i could take my boyfriend along which is nice but he doesnt want to go which is understandable.
I just dont know what to do!
What would you fellow nannies do?
Please help me

Just say you have made other plans and you can't do it

Was it agreed as a part of your holiday allowance for the year or did you agree that you would be available if needed during this time? I just know someone in a similar situation is why I ask. In her case - She has all of July off but she also has her other 4-5 weeks or whatever it is throughout the year. The parents agreed in the contract with her at first that she'd be available if needed in July, full pay, but most likely have mostly free days.
Not sure about if they're asking you to go to another country, though. And I agree about the swimming. I even feel anxious with my own ds (lucky dh LOVES taking him swimming and ds is a total water baby ).

So i would be by myself with the children in a strange country, i dont speak the language

That would be good enough reason for me to say NO.

If mum brought the children back home... then providing care at the usual place of work I would consider.

I feel that asking you to change the previously agreed holiday time is reasonable... give you are getting 4+ weeks notice. However I don't consider it reasonable to expect you to provide care for the children in another country.

I wouldn't do it out there. I think it's reasonable to say you're happy to have them back here but not on your own in a strange country.

Good idea I didn't event think of that! Yes, tell her to bring them back to their home and you'll look after them there

Tbh I have looked after children in a country where I don't speak the language and would again but I see your point especially re swimming.

Depending on where in Portugal the language may not be so much of an issue anyway, especially if in a tourist area.

What does your contract say? If this is not booked holiday time and your contract makes provisions for you to care for the children away from home then you might not reasonably be able to refuse, although I understand your reluctance.

You need to talk to your MB about it.

I would not mind so much the language problem but I would be more concerned about the swimming.
Ask her to fly the kids back.
However, if you have booked holidays etc then you have every right to say no to working during your holidays.

If you tell the mb that you're not a confident swimmer, she will understand.... and probably be so grateful that you were honest about it instead of just going ahead and getting in the pool with the dc.

Problem as I see it is that the Op says she cant swim Star,
I swim pretty well, and to be honest I wouldnt be happy taking another persons children swimming either, with sole responsibility.

Majafa - sorry, I should have said "If you tell the mb that you can't swim..."
I still think the MB would be very grateful if she told her this instead of agreeing and getting into the pool with the children.

The language won't bother me, but not being confident to care for the children while they are swimming would mean a No.

thanks all for your messages.
Ive told them i dont want to go

What happened when you told them you didn't want to go, Crispycake?

As a parent with a nanny I would be pretty annoyed if I was told "I don't want to go", especially if you still have another 3 weeks of paid time off, but then we put it in our contract that there will occasionally be the requirement to travel abroad, but never for more than 1 month at a time unless agreed to by the nanny.

Your right Star, I suppose really she should have said at the time, she couldnt swim, and took it from there

chitchat07 - there is travelling abroad with the parents and there is travelling abroad looking after children alone in a foreign country where the nanny cant speak the language, tho sure if in a hotel will speak basic english (as tbh most countrys do)

2 very different issues i feel

crispycake have you thought about taking lessons, tbh i wouldnt employ a nanny who couldnt swim, but thats just me

where is the dad, or will the mum take children alone for a month - agree see if the children fly back for a week

majafa are you a nanny? most nannies i know happily take other children swimming sole charge

Not really very different blondes - it depends on the wording of the contract whether it's 'travel with the family' or 'caring for children in other locations as specified'. If it's the latter you technically don't havea choice.

Just double checked the wording of our contract, and it's even more general. Our Nanny is not expected to work outside the UK for more than a month without prior notice. But then some of our trips to visit our family last 5 weeks which is why we put this wording in.

Also, we wanted the flexibility of having the nanny travel with the DCs if we wanted them to visit our families without us.

sorry im late getting back.
She was fine about and said she understood.
Dad is here working.
they are getting work done to the house so they cant come back, thats why mums taking the kids away.
I usually work 3 days a week but to make up the days in aug im working 5 days now. mums idea.
Its not in my contract i have to go away with them.
it would be nice to swim but im allergic to the chorlrine.
they knew this on employing me and where fine with it.
thanks for you messages

No Blondes Im a Childminder, but have nannied in the past,
Taught my own children to swim, and that doesnt bother me in the least
I think my problem is that I always think the worst will happen, silly maybe, but thats me

I feel really uncomfortable with water/children / swimming, too, majafa... just because I know what horrible things could happen. I did nanny a bit when I was at university (in the summer, in America) and I was fine with the kids in water, just anxious. Luckily now that I'm a teacher, we have special swimming teachers for swimming and I don't have to even go near the pool!

Star - Was beggining to think I was a bit odd there for a mo..
And thats the thing isnt it, its all very well putting your head in the sand and thinking 'it wouldnt happen to me' but unfortunatly no matter now experianced/good a swimmer your are, people can drown in very shallow water.

I heard once " a child can drown in a teaspoon of water"

It does not take much water to drown, so would not be surprised if a baby could in theory drown on a teaspoon (5ml) worth.
However if children are not exposed to risks how will they learn how to take risks? We teach children about other risks - crossing the road for example - so is swimming all that different?
As a nanny, swimming can be one of the things we do. Some childminders take children swimming, as do some nurseries.
Sure there are risks, up to each individual/parent to decide if those risks are worth taking.