Slow response times when communicating with new live in nanny

[Anonymous]

I disagree with the first part of your post OP. Just because she didn't get back to you within a twenty four hour period, esp. during a weekend isn't so unreasonable. In this day and age of modern technology, it seems people expect everyone to be available/on-call on a whim and that is so annoying.

However, in your second part you raise some valid concerns. I would go with your gut on this and nip this in the bud SOONER rather than LATER esp. since this will be a live-in situation which means if things go south, it will be much harder to part ways than if it were a live-out situation.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I am a nanny and I also do not like to respond to work related communication in off hours. My boss also thinks her important, pressing issues cant wait but when I just worked for you for 12 hours and its Friday and I just opened a bottle of wine to start my weekend, yes,your email about where clean sheets are can and will wait until Monday. She's a nanny not a house slave. You don't own her and all her free time and its time MBs figure this out. When I'm off duty, you don't exist to me anymore.

[Anonymous]

Did you bother to read the thread, 8:22, because your post makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did you bother to read the thread, 8:22, because your post makes no sense.

+1. Your post has nothing to do with OPs issue. Nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with the first part of your post OP. Just because she didn't get back to you within a twenty four hour period, esp. during a weekend isn't so unreasonable. In this day and age of modern technology, it seems people expect everyone to be available/on-call on a whim and that is so annoying.

However, in your second part you raise some valid concerns. I would go with your gut on this and nip this in the bud SOONER rather than LATER esp. since this will be a live-in situation which means if things go south, it will be much harder to part ways than if it were a live-out situation.

Good luck.

Yeah, not responding over the weekend wouldn't bother me so much, but taking 5-6 days to get back about job arrangements is too long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a nanny and I also do not like to respond to work related communication in off hours. My boss also thinks her important, pressing issues cant wait but when I just worked for you for 12 hours and its Friday and I just opened a bottle of wine to start my weekend, yes,your email about where clean sheets are can and will wait until Monday. She's a nanny not a house slave. You don't own her and all her free time and its time MBs figure this out. When I'm off duty, you don't exist to me anymore.

If a nanny decided to not respond to an email or text within a reasonable amount of time of 2 or 3 hrs I would fire them. And I'm a nanny. That's just not ok in my book. I wouldn't care if it was a simple text saying how did music class go. If you don't respond all weekend your just being a rude.

[Anonymous]

*you're

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a nanny and I also do not like to respond to work related communication in off hours. My boss also thinks her important, pressing issues cant wait but when I just worked for you for 12 hours and its Friday and I just opened a bottle of wine to start my weekend, yes,your email about where clean sheets are can and will wait until Monday. She's a nanny not a house slave. You don't own her and all her free time and its time MBs figure this out. When I'm off duty, you don't exist to me anymore.

If a nanny decided to not respond to an email or text within a reasonable amount of time of 2 or 3 hrs I would fire them. And I'm a nanny. That's just not ok in my book. I wouldn't care if it was a simple text saying how did music class go. If you don't respond all weekend your just being a rude.

It is infinitely more rude for an employer to contact the nanny on her time off to ask banal questions. I don't answer work communications on the weekend either (barring an emergency or a very pressing issue). Once you start, it is a quick and slippery slope. Soon you are being texted at 9pm asking where Lucy's duck blankie is.

[Anonymous]

I would say it depends on what nanny does now. Is she a college student frantically finishing up school work before heading off for Spring Break? I have had weeks where I am so busy I can barely breathe and certainly a future issue that isn't super pressing at that moment can be put on my back burner. I would be irritated if the talk about a future job that I had already accepted had to go on and on for weeks while I was trying to finish whatever I was doing now. Can you just come up with the final plans and then do a phone call at a mutually convenient time? Lots of people aren't quick text/e-mail returners anyway.

Weird PP who never responds on the weekend. I assume that you will tell everyone that you are a super sought-after nanny making big bucks. However, this is the kind of thing that separates professionals from babysitters. I have my own business and I work with families. I basically get paid the same amount for most jobs even if 1 family is a lot more complicated than another. So 1 family needs help and calls and e-mails me at a FAR higher rate than another. I make the same amount of money as for a family who needs help but limits communication to a more reasonable amount. First of all, I respond graciously to both families, do it whenever it needs to be done (nights, weekends, whenever), and do my best regardless. Of course I don't answer a phone call while I'm hanging out with my kids but I get back to people right away. My job is an integral part of my life and as a professional this is just how it is.

And before people jump on me, I am not in a high-paying career track at all. I do my job because I love it and it is personally rewarding, not because I make tons of money. Most nannies made significantly more than I last year.

Anyway, OP give her a chance by just expressing your concerns and asking how she would most prefer to go over remaining details and if response isn't good, move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a nanny and I also do not like to respond to work related communication in off hours. My boss also thinks her important, pressing issues cant wait but when I just worked for you for 12 hours and its Friday and I just opened a bottle of wine to start my weekend, yes,your email about where clean sheets are can and will wait until Monday. She's a nanny not a house slave. You don't own her and all her free time and its time MBs figure this out. When I'm off duty, you don't exist to me anymore.

If a nanny decided to not respond to an email or text within a reasonable amount of time of 2 or 3 hrs I would fire them. And I'm a nanny. That's just not ok in my book. I wouldn't care if it was a simple text saying how did music class go. If you don't respond all weekend your just being a rude.

It is infinitely more rude for an employer to contact the nanny on her time off to ask banal questions. I don't answer work communications on the weekend either (barring an emergency or a very pressing issue). Once you start, it is a quick and slippery slope. Soon you are being texted at 9pm asking where Lucy's duck blankie is.

But the employer is the one who pays you so they make the rules. I can't imagine not responding to my employers. If I'm late responding to a text like an hr or so I apologize. If my boss calls me at 7am on saturday morning to find out where little Johnny's cleats are I answer the phone.

[Anonymous]

To the nannies that feel the need to respond almost immediately to their employer's phone calls/texts, what are you...On call like a Dr.??

You guys are obviously being strung along by your employers and are letting them work you like their puppets.

I say, get a life and grow some balls.

It's 2014 yeah, yeah I know.

But really, does that mean we ALL have to be reachable at all times??

[Anonymous]

It speaks to a lack of organization and possibly executive function. Move on.