Parents, what do you consider above and beyond or exceptional?

[Anonymous]

OP here again -- Also I started out working 3 days per week and when asked if I was willing to pick up an additional day I did so happily. After working four days per week for about three or four months she asked me if I would be willing to work 5 days if her work requires her to go back to working 5 days. I agreed right away.

I meet all expectations of the position, I just would love to make myself into Ultimate Super Nanny and would love to do more.

[Anonymous]

When she does things outside our contact without expecting anything back.

When I really need her to stay a bit longer when I get crammed at work and she doesn't balk at the idea. (I don't ask this alot. In fact in the past two years I've only needed her to stay twenty minutes or so later about five times.) I also understand that she might have other important priorities.

When she notices a few items running low, instead of just writing it on paper for me, she stops at the store quick and grabs the items so I don't have to worry about it later.

When she spends the 3+ hours my infant is sleeping (and other child is at kindergarten) doing productive things instead of laying down watching TV. (of course I don't ask her to do things to fill up time. She will take an hour for herself to 'recharge' and spend the next hour or so doing anything and everything.)

When she goes out of her way to sign my child up for an activity. Which is much harder now that I have a newborn but she still makes it happen.

When she goes out of her way to cook a whole meal from scratch when she could just heat up something quickly. (Like past nannies have done. Which is fine but like I said, my current nanny stands out because she puts effort into each thing she does.)

Basically to sum her up, she gives without expecting. She doesn't just do the bare minimum nor does she milk the clock. She doesn't leave a fork in the sink simply because it's not one of the kids silverware.

She gets a very generous bonus and I never fail to give her raises because I can afford it and she deserves it. Every penny.

[Anonymous]

PP here -- Also, if my nanny ever had a issue I know she would come to me instead of coming to anonymous boards to rant and complain. She truly is the best and she's going to be in our lives for a long time.

[Anonymous]

A nanny who steps in like a member of the family-sees something that needs to be done and does it to keep our children's lives as smooth as possible-is the one I consider to be going above and beyond.

[Anonymous]

Honestly OP you sound like a gem. All I'd want from you, if I was your MB, was for you to keep on keeping on without burning out. My nanny started out like you, but I can tell over time she's gotten less enthusiastic, less interested in doing a fantastic job and more doing a good-enough job. She's still fine and she loves my little one, but I miss the enormous enthusiasm she used to bring to the job. What you're doing already is probably pretty exhausting (I only WOH part-time so I know what it is like to spend fun but long days with a child) so make sure to keep yourself recharged so you can keep doing a great job over the long haul. That is huge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly OP you sound like a gem. All I'd want from you, if I was your MB, was for you to keep on keeping on without burning out. My nanny started out like you, but I can tell over time she's gotten less enthusiastic, less interested in doing a fantastic job and more doing a good-enough job. She's still fine and she loves my little one, but I miss the enormous enthusiasm she used to bring to the job. What you're doing already is probably pretty exhausting (I only WOH part-time so I know what it is like to spend fun but long days with a child) so make sure to keep yourself recharged so you can keep doing a great job over the long haul. That is huge.

How have you shown your appreciation? I know as time goes on and I don't get recognized for my extra effort, then stop going above and beyond.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly OP you sound like a gem. All I'd want from you, if I was your MB, was for you to keep on keeping on without burning out. My nanny started out like you, but I can tell over time she's gotten less enthusiastic, less interested in doing a fantastic job and more doing a good-enough job. She's still fine and she loves my little one, but I miss the enormous enthusiasm she used to bring to the job. What you're doing already is probably pretty exhausting (I only WOH part-time so I know what it is like to spend fun but long days with a child) so make sure to keep yourself recharged so you can keep doing a great job over the long haul. That is huge.

How have you shown your appreciation? I know as time goes on and I don't get recognized for my extra effort, then stop going above and beyond.

Lots of positive feedback, a generous bonus + holiday present, always being flexible with her requests when she needs flexibility, and a raise. Anything more I should be doing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly OP you sound like a gem. All I'd want from you, if I was your MB, was for you to keep on keeping on without burning out. My nanny started out like you, but I can tell over time she's gotten less enthusiastic, less interested in doing a fantastic job and more doing a good-enough job. She's still fine and she loves my little one, but I miss the enormous enthusiasm she used to bring to the job. What you're doing already is probably pretty exhausting (I only WOH part-time so I know what it is like to spend fun but long days with a child) so make sure to keep yourself recharged so you can keep doing a great job over the long haul. That is huge.

How have you shown your appreciation? I know as time goes on and I don't get recognized for my extra effort, then stop going above and beyond.

Lots of positive feedback, a generous bonus + holiday present, always being flexible with her requests when she needs flexibility, and a raise. Anything more I should be doing?

Nope that sounds great. If she's burnt out, encourage her to use her time off, take a personal day, or plan something fun for her and the kids that is a change of pace. If she's at home with a pre-verbal infant, the monotony can certainly take a toll!

[Anonymous]

When all the cencerned adults are honestly doing their best, things seem to work out really well. The children are the ultimate benefactors. Isn't that the goal?

[Anonymous]

That's a really good question. We built stuff in to our contract, like doing quick errands for us throughout the week. I guess if he had dinner waiting when we came home that would be above and beyond? But that's not realistic because DH and I don't get home at the same time.

I'm pleased that he's proactive - seeks out fun things to take the baby to, tries out different story times throughout the city, etc. - but that was something we asked for in our interviews. A little goes a long way, OP. The fact that we never have to remind him to take off his shoes when coming into the house, or clean his lunch dishes, that he cleans up toys at the end of each day - all those things are noticed and appreciated even though yes, he absolutely should be doing them.

[Anonymous]

To put another prospective out there, I have done similar things PPs have listed in the past for my employers. In doing so I find that instead of showing appreciation for these actions, they become accustomed (say getting upset when there are things they wish I had taken care of but didn't have time on that occasion and truly isn't my job). My current employers went so far as to attempt to add such "above and beyond" duties to my contract (with no compensation adjustment) to ensure they would always be taken care of by me.

The running theme for nannies who go above and beyond is that they do this consistently not just once in a while. If you just occasionally do something beyond your baseline, bottom list of duties AND you have a good deal of downtime on your hands then you will not earn points for going above and beyond. I would not make the assumption that never doing anything will yield better results because you are just more likely to replaced sooner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly OP you sound like a gem. All I'd want from you, if I was your MB, was for you to keep on keeping on without burning out. My nanny started out like you, but I can tell over time she's gotten less enthusiastic, less interested in doing a fantastic job and more doing a good-enough job. She's still fine and she loves my little one, but I miss the enormous enthusiasm she used to bring to the job. What you're doing already is probably pretty exhausting (I only WOH part-time so I know what it is like to spend fun but long days with a child) so make sure to keep yourself recharged so you can keep doing a great job over the long haul. That is huge.

Thank you! I have experienced "burn out" in a past position but that was when I was grossly underpaid and unappreciated. In this position I don't feel burnt out at all. Then again, it helps that I have his nap time to recharge.

[Anonymous]

Being underpaid and burnout seem to go hand in hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When she does things outside our contact without expecting anything back.

When I really need her to stay a bit longer when I get crammed at work and she doesn't balk at the idea. (I don't ask this alot. In fact in the past two years I've only needed her to stay twenty minutes or so later about five times.) I also understand that she might have other important priorities.

When she notices a few items running low, instead of just writing it on paper for me, she stops at the store quick and grabs the items so I don't have to worry about it later.

When she spends the 3+ hours my infant is sleeping (and other child is at kindergarten) doing productive things instead of laying down watching TV. (of course I don't ask her to do things to fill up time. She will take an hour for herself to 'recharge' and spend the next hour or so doing anything and everything.)

When she goes out of her way to sign my child up for an activity. Which is much harder now that I have a newborn but she still makes it happen.

When she goes out of her way to cook a whole meal from scratch when she could just heat up something quickly. (Like past nannies have done. Which is fine but like I said, my current nanny stands out because she puts effort into each thing she does.)

Basically to sum her up, she gives without expecting. She doesn't just do the bare minimum nor does she milk the clock. She doesn't leave a fork in the sink simply because it's not one of the kids silverware.

She gets a very generous bonus and I never fail to give her raises because I can afford it and she deserves it. Every penny.

+1

Our nanny has even pitched in to help our neighbors when their nanny is sick, etc. She has refused extra pay for that because she thinks its what people do to help out. In return, they have done the same for us. My nanny doesn't focus on "whats in her contract". She appreciates all the little ways we go the extra mile and does the same in return--without keeping score.

[Anonymous]

Having great bosses makes going the extra mile worth it. A bad boss who takes advantage, underplays, over works, or who criticizes more than they compliment/appreciate can ruin a nanny for future bosses. All the moms constantly bad mouthing nannies, looking for ways to take take take and giving reasons why not to give could learn a thing or two from the moms who have been great bosses and in return have exceptional nannies. Job satisfaction is the biggest inductor of performance when it comes to caregivers.