Nanny Role/Chores

When I was a nanny I had 3 girls to look after. The oldest two were at school and the youngest who was 3 attended pre-school 2 morning per week. Even when she was at pre-school or napping I was technically still "working". I had to do the grocery shopping, kids laundry, made kids beds, make lunches/dinner for the kids and keep the kitchen, playroom, and other areas we used tidy. Hope this helps. Good Luck. :-)

As a former nanny, here is what i see. She is slacking in her job. I would have never dreamed of leaving toys or dishes around, or not cleaning up after meals. That is part of my job as the nanny. And its reasonable to have her help with potty training too.

I would sit down with her and say _______, you are a wonderful nanny and I want to be able to continue that relationship. I need for the toys played with to be cleaned up. And any dishes and messes from meals to be cleaned up too.

Now, this means too that the house needs to be kept that way if u expect her to do that for ur family.

I think that not letting the house fall to disaster is a reasonable expectation. Even a babysitter should wipe up spills and messes from children during the timeframe they are in the sitter's care. It is also not unreasonable to pick up after a toddler or encourage said toddler to start picking up toys before Mom and Dad come home. I think that it's not even asking too much, but just asking her to maintain a level of cleanliness so that you at least come home to what you left, not a bunch of food on the floor or counters. I wouldn't go all fire and brimstone on her but I would sit down with her and outline the things you would like her to do as part of her day, what you expect, etc. If you are comfortable with her napping, that's fine. But if you are not, offer alternatives to inspecting her navel - if a toddler naps 2x a day and she's bored, there is no reason for you to find a mess when you return.

Definately have a talk about cleaning up her own mess!!!!!!!!!! Talk about singing the Barney clean up song to teach your young one about picking up toys etc. You should not expect to come home to the mess that the nanny has left during the day. Apparently she is young enough that you need to spell out everything, ie "clean up after breakfast, snacks and lunch which would include putting supplies away, wiping off the counters and sweeping the floor".

M

I think you've let the nanny get away with this for too long. She is used to not having to clean up after herself and her charges, and this needs to stop. Faye is absolutely right about what she is supposed to be doing. Make a list and tell her that she is responsible for this. If she balks, tell her that she either needs to understand that she has to earn her wages, or she takes a big pay cut. That will change her tune.

If she sulks and/or refuses to do what she is asked to do, you will need a more mature nanny.

Please don't take offense at my adding this, but the only way for her to become more mature is if you require it of her. And that means acting like her boss. That shows her what maturity is supposed to be.

Good luck,
Dawn

We are in the same situation where my oldest is now in school.
But our nanny has my little one out all day long at the park, so she's not hanging around the house.
I haven't asked for her to do anything additional cleaning wise (she also does dishwasher and laundry).

I think it's a reasonable ask to make that change, given that you haven't changed her pay. However, I would suggest sitting down formally and outlining it on paper, so that she is clear of your expectations, and why you're asking for them now.
Sweeping and cleaning the counter tops seems well within reasonable. Potty training - maybe/maybe not. Mine did help with that. But that's just her style...I didn't ask her to.

I have this fight with my sitters...I never left a house more messy than when I came. You pay her the same because she is "on-call" for your 5 year old even if she isn't there.But she needs to pick up after herself for sure. That's a sticking point for me. It's so easy to run the broom or wipe the counters. I do it when I'm at home and HATE to come home to a nasty mess after I've paid someone.

the issue is: you are trying to add to her load, because you feel like you're not getting your money's worth. That's not the case. She is continuing in her job.....as she always has.

Each of your complaints should have been addressed from Day 1. If you change the rules of engagement, then she will expect an increase in pay. The next time you hire a nanny...set the ground rules/expectations before hiring.

& as for that nap, Oh!NO! She is not being paid to sleep!

EDIT: yes, potty training is part of the job....if you're a childcare provider.

I believe that cleaning up after the children she is watching is part of being a nanny. She should sweep, do the dishes and clean up the toys. I would not expect her to do a weeks worth of family dishes, but anything directly relating to taking care of the kids she should be responsible for and it should not matter if the oldest one is in school or not.

When I was a nanny there were 7 children in the family ranging in ages from 18 months up to 7th or 8th grade. The mom's boss had one child and she paid me separately for his care, our wages were set up between us. They were comparable but she just paid me by the day whether he was there the full day or not. That worked out for me nicely since I could count on a certain dollar amount each week. And yes, I was responsible for paying my own taxes and SS. I did file the taxes on my income each and every year I worked for these 2 families.

For the family with all the kids I was paid by the hour per child. If I had one I got paid for that one child, if it was a day out of school for mom I got paid for the kids that were there under a certain age. If I was not there those older kids would be old enough to stay home alone so they did not need supervision.

I got paid by the hour separately on top of the wages for the child care to cook, clean, do laundry, mop, take out the trash, sort clothes in rooms or clean the kids spaces that were not a mess of my making.

So it was NOT my job to be their housekeeper. I did clean up after myself, that was part of my job. If we made a mess fingerprinting with pudding I was to clean up the pudding thrown on the floor, the chairs, the table, etc...it was our mess and therefore part of my duties.

Once the one dad got home at 3:30, the kids got home on a normal day about 3:15, I was "off duty" from watching the kids and was paid by the hour to cook dinner and do any other chores she wanted me to do extra.

The nanny is there to help take care of your child and help raise her. Her FIRST responsability is your daughter, which I can see that you totally get.
Next on the list is her cleaning up after herself and your child. When she leaves at the end of the day she should leave the house the way it was when she got there. So, if she plays with your daughter then the toys should be picked up. If she eats then she should clean up the mess that was made when cooking, prepping, and eating. She should put her dishes in the dishwasher and she should wipe down the counters.
You are lucky she is doing your laundry!
L.

I am a nanny & I always clean up after myself & after meals.

I do the kid laundry once a week & grocery shop once a week.

They have a housekeeper, so I'm not responsible for any other cleaning.

I prepare family meals twice a week.

I did help potty train. I help with the dog.

I've been doing this since the kids were 4 & 10 months.

Nothing you've listed is unreasonable. Make a contract.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect that your nanny clean up after herself and your child during their daily time together. When you walk in the door at the end of the day, I'd expect the counters to be clean and free from food and crumbs, as well as the floor underneath the dining table. I'd also expect the toys to be put away and a general tidiness about the house. And yes, the nanny should also begin working on potty training. Put this all in her updated contract and have her sign it.

When you’re hiring a nanny, you should be clear about the responsibilities you’d like her to have. While nanny responsibilities may vary from household to household, the basics remain the same. Typically, nanny responsibilities include everything that correlates to the care of the children in her charge. This can include preparing meals for the children, clothing them, providing mental stimulation for them, doing laundry for the children, and reinforcing appropriate discipline. Additional nanny responsibilities can include providing transportation for the children and facilitating playgroups and outings.

It’s important to keep in mind that some nannies will only perform duties associated with the care and cleaning of the children and will balk at performing other household duties. Other nannies have no issue with providing services such as meals and cleaning for the remainder of the family. The most important task at hand is for you as the employer to discuss and clearly outline the duties you expect with your nanny.

Nanny responsibilities can include the care of just one child or multiple children. If she’ll be responsible for more than one child in the family, be clear on how many children she’ll be caring for and compensate her accordingly...http://tinyurl.com/9uge4qm