Child care when youngest goes to Kindergarten

[Anonymous]

I think this is a crazy thread but to the original idea, yes, you just keep paying her and having her work full time. When my youngest went to K, we asked if she wanted to keep the job with more housework and errands and said yes. Now my youngest is in 6th grade and she is still working for us. It's great - she does driving, grocery shopping, is there for kids if they have off or snow day or vacation, does household tasks etc. Every year we go over the changing job description and she agrees to stay.

Of course, we originally discussed trying to find her a different job during the day but I'm so glad we didn't ask her to do that. She works for us full time so we have so much more flexibility.

[Anonymous]

This whole thread is ridiculous and just oozes selfishness. Must be nice to pay someone to do every job a family is supposed to do and then keep her around to be there for you so you don't have to do anything yourself. Does she draw you a bath and pour your wine when you walk in the door?

I used to part time nanny two elementary-aged kids. There were so many times I saw disappointment in their eyes that their parents miss yet another event or milestone because they worked late, went to an event, etc... I picked them up, took them to all their sports, did all their homework, made them dinner and drove/went to any night events. They were showered and in pajamas every night when one decided to show up around 7pm. But even then, I would stay longer so they could go use their exercise machine in their bedroom for another 30min or so. It was so strange. Many nights both kids were in bed already at 7:30pm by the time one came home. I loved those kids so much but it was those moments and seeing their faces, I realized I would never aim so high and work so hard that my kids would basically be a 1 hour additional "job" a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is ridiculous and just oozes selfishness. Must be nice to pay someone to do every job a family is supposed to do and then keep her around to be there for you so you don't have to do anything yourself. Does she draw you a bath and pour your wine when you walk in the door?

I used to part time nanny two elementary-aged kids. There were so many times I saw disappointment in their eyes that their parents miss yet another event or milestone because they worked late, went to an event, etc... I picked them up, took them to all their sports, did all their homework, made them dinner and drove/went to any night events. They were showered and in pajamas every night when one decided to show up around 7pm. But even then, I would stay longer so they could go use their exercise machine in their bedroom for another 30min or so. It was so strange. Many nights both kids were in bed already at 7:30pm by the time one came home. I loved those kids so much but it was those moments and seeing their faces, I realized I would never aim so high and work so hard that my kids would basically be a 1 hour additional "job" a day.

Ok - this attitude drives me crazy. OP here. I am home every night around 6:00. I think it is GREAT that I can afford to pay someone to do everyone's laundry and do some cooking (not all - but some) so that I can give my kids 100% attention until bedtime. That means games, homework, bathing them, putting them to bed, etc. I go on field trips with them. I eat dinner with them every night, except for maybe 2 or 3 a month when I have a work event or am on work travel. My husband and I go to every sports event, every band concert, every play. However, I do work and I do need some kind of care for my kids for a few hours after school most days, as well as during the summers and other school holidays.

I'm trying to NOT be selfish by telling my nanny I only need her for 12-15 hours a week now, so she can either take a big pay cut or go find another job. I am trying to find a way to keep her at her current salary because I know she wants to stay. That requires me to spend $50,000 a year for her when I could probably get the hours and duties covered for less than half that. As a former nanny yourself, I'm surprised you think that's selfish. If I told her her salary was going to be cut in half because I only needed her half as often, I'm sure you would criticize me for being a selfish employer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is ridiculous and just oozes selfishness. Must be nice to pay someone to do every job a family is supposed to do and then keep her around to be there for you so you don't have to do anything yourself. Does she draw you a bath and pour your wine when you walk in the door?

I used to part time nanny two elementary-aged kids. There were so many times I saw disappointment in their eyes that their parents miss yet another event or milestone because they worked late, went to an event, etc... I picked them up, took them to all their sports, did all their homework, made them dinner and drove/went to any night events. They were showered and in pajamas every night when one decided to show up around 7pm. But even then, I would stay longer so they could go use their exercise machine in their bedroom for another 30min or so. It was so strange. Many nights both kids were in bed already at 7:30pm by the time one came home. I loved those kids so much but it was those moments and seeing their faces, I realized I would never aim so high and work so hard that my kids would basically be a 1 hour additional "job" a day.

...and this, my friends, is why we now have a separate nanny forum. So obnoxious nannies who chide their employers can argue about being underpaid, elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is ridiculous and just oozes selfishness. Must be nice to pay someone to do every job a family is supposed to do and then keep her around to be there for you so you don't have to do anything yourself. Does she draw you a bath and pour your wine when you walk in the door?

I used to part time nanny two elementary-aged kids. There were so many times I saw disappointment in their eyes that their parents miss yet another event or milestone because they worked late, went to an event, etc... I picked them up, took them to all their sports, did all their homework, made them dinner and drove/went to any night events. They were showered and in pajamas every night when one decided to show up around 7pm. But even then, I would stay longer so they could go use their exercise machine in their bedroom for another 30min or so. It was so strange. Many nights both kids were in bed already at 7:30pm by the time one came home. I loved those kids so much but it was those moments and seeing their faces, I realized I would never aim so high and work so hard that my kids would basically be a 1 hour additional "job" a day.

...and this, my friends, is why we now have a separate nanny forum. So obnoxious nannies who chide their employers can argue about being underpaid, elsewhere.

NP. Since when is the truth obnoxious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a crazy thread but to the original idea, yes, you just keep paying her and having her work full time. When my youngest went to K, we asked if she wanted to keep the job with more housework and errands and said yes. Now my youngest is in 6th grade and she is still working for us. It's great - she does driving, grocery shopping, is there for kids if they have off or snow day or vacation, does household tasks etc. Every year we go over the changing job description and she agrees to stay.

Of course, we originally discussed trying to find her a different job during the day but I'm so glad we didn't ask her to do that. She works for us full time so we have so much more flexibility.

What's her hourly pay?

[Anonymous]

But even then, I would stay longer so they could go use their exercise machine in their bedroom for another 30min or so.

Creepy.