Is it fair to ask our nanny to be on standby for one weekend?

[Anonymous]

My initial post above was made before I realized you may be the poster who was in despair because your nanny wanted to use her accrued leave to recover after her second dose of the vaccine.

If you are the poster who didn’t know what to do with your toddler unless your nanny worked, and who said your toddler only wants nanny right now, then you need to 1000% give her back the paid sick days she used.

I try hard not to parent shame here, but if your toddler truly actually prefers nanny over you and your partner, you BOTH need to step back at work and step up as parents. Your child needs you. Your child needs to know that they do matter to you, and that spending time with them is important to you.

If you do not start actively parenting now, your child isn’t going to connect with you as they age. I’m a damn good nanny, and in 20+ years, I’ve never had a toddler truly prefer me over their parents, because their parents prioritized time with their children. The kiddos loved me, and vice versa, but their parents were always preferred over me.