What does your nanny do while your child is napping?

[Anonymous]

My nanny cleaned, did laundry or other household chores. In later years, she cooked

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Takes a break just as you do, don’t expect her to do much. Caring for a child is a lot of work, hopefully you’re compensating her accordingly.

When my kids were younger and napping, on weekends when I was home with them I used naptime to be productive. I didn't take a break. I got things done that I couldn't do with them awake or that were easier to do without them awake. Just like I expected the nanny to do.

Best parenting advice I ever received was never do chores when the kids are asleep. I do chores while they play or they help. Nap time is me time.

[Anonymous]

Nanny here. I always take a break first (since you never know when a nap will just not happen). I usually lay down and listen to an audio book or guided meditation and close my eyes and fully relax. I set a timer for 25 minutes (I don’t know why but that’s the sweet spot for me). After that I use the bathroom without being missed (🤣), prep meals (I cook 100% of meals for my charges and often cook some meals for parents too), rotate laundry, or catch up on online stuff like planning a playdate or outing or ordering more diapers from Amazon, etc. If there is a mess from the morning, I will tidy up/wipe down high chairs, etc. and I try to set up an activity prompt for after nap since that is usually our time playing at the house (I tend to do an outing most of the morning).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Takes a break just as you do, don’t expect her to do much. Caring for a child is a lot of work, hopefully you’re compensating her accordingly.

When my kids were younger and napping, on weekends when I was home with them I used naptime to be productive. I didn't take a break. I got things done that I couldn't do with them awake or that were easier to do without them awake. Just like I expected the nanny to do.

Best parenting advice I ever received was never do chores when the kids are asleep. I do chores while they play or they help. Nap time is me time.

Exactly

[Anonymous]

Mine mostly takes a break. Maybe spends 10 minutes washing kids lunch dishes or tidying the playroom if its not already done. And folds kid laundry one day per week. And I do not begrudge her that break. Young kids are exhausting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Takes a break just as you do, don’t expect her to do much. Caring for a child is a lot of work, hopefully you’re compensating her accordingly.

When my kids were younger and napping, on weekends when I was home with them I used naptime to be productive. I didn't take a break. I got things done that I couldn't do with them awake or that were easier to do without them awake. Just like I expected the nanny to do.

Best parenting advice I ever received was never do chores when the kids are asleep. I do chores while they play or they help. Nap time is me time.

I can see the wisdom of that, but it seems just so impractical with two super little ones. My kids are 2.5 and just turned 1. With just one of them, chores are great and easy - I sort laundry, organize closets, unload the dishwasher, clean up the kitchen, sweep, no problem, they both like to "help."

Two of them together? It doesn't really seem possible. Especially because the baby can't "help" but wants to touch all the stuff involved, and the toddler can "help" but doesn't want baby in his way/touching the stuff, and she is a big climber, but then isn't always steady, and it's so easy for him to knock into her especially when frustrated... is I missing something? Or is this like a "wait a year" situation? If they were 3 years apart instead of 18 months, this seems much more manageable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Takes a break just as you do, don’t expect her to do much. Caring for a child is a lot of work, hopefully you’re compensating her accordingly.

When my kids were younger and napping, on weekends when I was home with them I used naptime to be productive. I didn't take a break. I got things done that I couldn't do with them awake or that were easier to do without them awake. Just like I expected the nanny to do.

Best parenting advice I ever received was never do chores when the kids are asleep. I do chores while they play or they help. Nap time is me time.

I can see the wisdom of that, but it seems just so impractical with two super little ones. My kids are 2.5 and just turned 1. With just one of them, chores are great and easy - I sort laundry, organize closets, unload the dishwasher, clean up the kitchen, sweep, no problem, they both like to "help."

Two of them together? It doesn't really seem possible. Especially because the baby can't "help" but wants to touch all the stuff involved, and the toddler can "help" but doesn't want baby in his way/touching the stuff, and she is a big climber, but then isn't always steady, and it's so easy for him to knock into her especially when frustrated... is I missing something? Or is this like a "wait a year" situation? If they were 3 years apart instead of 18 months, this seems much more manageable.

I’m a nanny, not a mom, but I am pretty full-service. For those ages, I babywear the little one a lot when getting stuff done (on my back). They can still feel involved (hand them a spoon while we unload the dishwasher, ask them to point to where the soap is while I wash dishes. I also will set one up with a sub-task (e.g., if I am prepping dinner, set the 2yo up with a damp sponge and a pile of carrots to “wash” the produce, while the little one helps me carry ingredients from the pantry to the counter, then switch and put the baby into a high chair with some damp dishes and a towel to “dry” them, while older helps me measure ingredients, then have older practice stirring something while I chop veggies, etc. You can kind of get into a rhythm where someone is always contained somehow but you rotate often enough that they both feel included.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Takes a break just as you do, don’t expect her to do much. Caring for a child is a lot of work, hopefully you’re compensating her accordingly.

When my kids were younger and napping, on weekends when I was home with them I used naptime to be productive. I didn't take a break. I got things done that I couldn't do with them awake or that were easier to do without them awake. Just like I expected the nanny to do.

Best parenting advice I ever received was never do chores when the kids are asleep. I do chores while they play or they help. Nap time is me time.

I can see the wisdom of that, but it seems just so impractical with two super little ones. My kids are 2.5 and just turned 1. With just one of them, chores are great and easy - I sort laundry, organize closets, unload the dishwasher, clean up the kitchen, sweep, no problem, they both like to "help."

Two of them together? It doesn't really seem possible. Especially because the baby can't "help" but wants to touch all the stuff involved, and the toddler can "help" but doesn't want baby in his way/touching the stuff, and she is a big climber, but then isn't always steady, and it's so easy for him to knock into her especially when frustrated... is I missing something? Or is this like a "wait a year" situation? If they were 3 years apart instead of 18 months, this seems much more manageable.

I’m a nanny, not a mom, but I am pretty full-service. For those ages, I babywear the little one a lot when getting stuff done (on my back). They can still feel involved (hand them a spoon while we unload the dishwasher, ask them to point to where the soap is while I wash dishes. I also will set one up with a sub-task (e.g., if I am prepping dinner, set the 2yo up with a damp sponge and a pile of carrots to “wash” the produce, while the little one helps me carry ingredients from the pantry to the counter, then switch and put the baby into a high chair with some damp dishes and a towel to “dry” them, while older helps me measure ingredients, then have older practice stirring something while I chop veggies, etc. You can kind of get into a rhythm where someone is always contained somehow but you rotate often enough that they both feel included.

Mom here. This is truly impressive and I’m in awe. I also don’t think I have anywhere near the creativity/patience to do this. Hats off to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Takes a break just as you do, don’t expect her to do much. Caring for a child is a lot of work, hopefully you’re compensating her accordingly.

When my kids were younger and napping, on weekends when I was home with them I used naptime to be productive. I didn't take a break. I got things done that I couldn't do with them awake or that were easier to do without them awake. Just like I expected the nanny to do.

Best parenting advice I ever received was never do chores when the kids are asleep. I do chores while they play or they help. Nap time is me time.

I can see the wisdom of that, but it seems just so impractical with two super little ones. My kids are 2.5 and just turned 1. With just one of them, chores are great and easy - I sort laundry, organize closets, unload the dishwasher, clean up the kitchen, sweep, no problem, they both like to "help."

Two of them together? It doesn't really seem possible. Especially because the baby can't "help" but wants to touch all the stuff involved, and the toddler can "help" but doesn't want baby in his way/touching the stuff, and she is a big climber, but then isn't always steady, and it's so easy for him to knock into her especially when frustrated... is I missing something? Or is this like a "wait a year" situation? If they were 3 years apart instead of 18 months, this seems much more manageable.

I’m a nanny, not a mom, but I am pretty full-service. For those ages, I babywear the little one a lot when getting stuff done (on my back). They can still feel involved (hand them a spoon while we unload the dishwasher, ask them to point to where the soap is while I wash dishes. I also will set one up with a sub-task (e.g., if I am prepping dinner, set the 2yo up with a damp sponge and a pile of carrots to “wash” the produce, while the little one helps me carry ingredients from the pantry to the counter, then switch and put the baby into a high chair with some damp dishes and a towel to “dry” them, while older helps me measure ingredients, then have older practice stirring something while I chop veggies, etc. You can kind of get into a rhythm where someone is always contained somehow but you rotate often enough that they both feel included.

Mom here. This is truly impressive and I’m in awe. I also don’t think I have anywhere near the creativity/patience to do this. Hats off to you.

Aww, thanks! I have been nannying for 15 years so a lot of it is practice! 🤣 But I also think it’s really much easier to do this kind of stuff together and then use naptimes for mental work. It is pretty much impossible to (for example) enroll your kid in a toddler music class online with two tiny people climbing all over you jealous of the phone/laptop getting your attention.

So my rule of thumb is physical labor together, mental labor solo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My nanny cleaned, did laundry or other household chores. In later years, she cooked

+1 after a 30-45 minute break

[Anonymous]

Lunch, rest and relax.

[Anonymous]

I believe she eats lunch, plays games on her phone, cleans up morning messes from my kids. I don't watch her, so I don't know for sure. Whatever it is, it seems to work--kids are happy, she seems happy and has been with our family for 5 years, and everything appears in order when I come home.

[Anonymous]

My toddler naps almost 2 hours a day. Our nanny cleans up the mess from DC's lunch, tidies up the play areas, and once a week she does DC's laundry. Aside from that, she's looking at her phone or reading a book. I told her she can nap on the couch or go out for lunch/run errands since I work from home, but she doesn't do that. I would love to ask her to vacuum the play areas and kitchen once a week so I don't have to do that, but I understand that's not a typical nanny task.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Takes a break just as you do, don’t expect her to do much. Caring for a child is a lot of work, hopefully you’re compensating her accordingly.

When my kids were younger and napping, on weekends when I was home with them I used naptime to be productive. I didn't take a break. I got things done that I couldn't do with them awake or that were easier to do without them awake. Just like I expected the nanny to do.

That’s two days a week. Nanny is on all week with them, and not your housekeeper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She eats lunch and takes a break. I transitioned to having a nanny after being a SAHM and I would never in a million years ask her to do extra work while kids are napping. Anyone who takes care of small children absolutely needs a break in the middle of the day.

+1