Do all MBs think they are good at being an MB?

[Anonymous]

Everyone thinks he/she is a good driver, has a good sense of humor and is a good boss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: A lot of people employing nannies have very busy work schedules, a full family life, and don't dedicate much, if any, of their remaining mental bandwidth to thinking about whether they're being a good boss to their nanny. In fact, people hire a nanny so that they have less to think about -

This probably describes me pretty well. I don't think I am a great MB. And if I start to get overwhelmed in my life, time spent thinking about my nanny is probably one of the first things that I will sacrifice.

I am working on that. I have found this board to be pretty eye opening (if I can sort through all of the trolls).

I have also recently discovered that if I have a solid back-up plan in place, meaning that I am not too worried if I have to fire my nanny or she quits on me, then I can be a better MB. I am not afraid to ask for the things that I want to see done and even give specific instructions at times. Before, my fear was, if I ask, and she doesn't do it, then what? Now that I have a pretty clear answer to that (she is put on notice and fired if it doesn't change), what I have discovered is that if I ask, and I am specific, then she does do it, and we are both happy. Like really happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: A lot of people employing nannies have very busy work schedules, a full family life, and don't dedicate much, if any, of their remaining mental bandwidth to thinking about whether they're being a good boss to their nanny. In fact, people hire a nanny so that they have less to think about -

This probably describes me pretty well. I don't think I am a great MB. And if I start to get overwhelmed in my life, time spent thinking about my nanny is probably one of the first things that I will sacrifice.

I am working on that. I have found this board to be pretty eye opening (if I can sort through all of the trolls).

I have also recently discovered that if I have a solid back-up plan in place, meaning that I am not too worried if I have to fire my nanny or she quits on me, then I can be a better MB. I am not afraid to ask for the things that I want to see done and even give specific instructions at times. Before, my fear was, if I ask, and she doesn't do it, then what? Now that I have a pretty clear answer to that (she is put on notice and fired if it doesn't change), what I have discovered is that if I ask, and I am specific, then she does do it, and we are both happy. Like really happy.

Very true in all relationships, PP. When I was worried I would lose my husband, I was actually a terrible wife/partner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: A lot of people employing nannies have very busy work schedules, a full family life, and don't dedicate much, if any, of their remaining mental bandwidth to thinking about whether they're being a good boss to their nanny. In fact, people hire a nanny so that they have less to think about -

This probably describes me pretty well. I don't think I am a great MB. And if I start to get overwhelmed in my life, time spent thinking about my nanny is probably one of the first things that I will sacrifice.

I am working on that. I have found this board to be pretty eye opening (if I can sort through all of the trolls).

I have also recently discovered that if I have a solid back-up plan in place, meaning that I am not too worried if I have to fire my nanny or she quits on me, then I can be a better MB. I am not afraid to ask for the things that I want to see done and even give specific instructions at times. Before, my fear was, if I ask, and she doesn't do it, then what? Now that I have a pretty clear answer to that (she is put on notice and fired if it doesn't change), what I have discovered is that if I ask, and I am specific, then she does do it, and we are both happy. Like really happy.

Very true in all relationships, PP. When I was worried I would lose my husband, I was actually a terrible wife/partner.

I had a similar reaction to the PP - when I learned how to ask my husband very directly and clearly what I wanted it was a game changer for our marriage!

Good communication skills help on all fronts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone thinks he/she is a good driver, has a good sense of humor and is a good boss.

This is SO TRUE!!!

[Anonymous]

My MB thinks she is good at being an MB. She also thinks she is good at baking, singing and French. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My MB thinks she is good at being an MB. She also thinks she is good at baking, singing and French. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

This also goes for the AP families who believe their AP is having such a grand experience with them.

[Anonymous]

My nanny probably thinks she's irreplaceable but she's being fired tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My nanny probably thinks she's irreplaceable but she's being fired tomorrow.

Why would you boast about firing someone on a thread that has nothing to do with firing someone at all?

You have proven yourself to be a terrible MB and a horrid woman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My nanny probably thinks she's irreplaceable but she's being fired tomorrow.

Lucky, lucky nanny. I hope her next employer has a bit of class and ability to read (ie - this thread has NOTHING to do with firing/hiring employees).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My nanny probably thinks she's irreplaceable but she's being fired tomorrow.

I wish your nanny all the best in her new job. You are the type of MB that give all of us a very bad name.

[Anonymous]

Seems to me this thread was turning into a list of the multiples ways that MBs think they're great but really aren't.

Well, the same can be said for nannies.

In my case we have a nanny who is physically incapable of doing the job any more, is yelling at the children and not maintaining control, and who has been increasingly unreliable and insolent.

I'm a good, but not great boss. A great boss would have nipped this situation in the bud months ago and let her go then. I've let my child suffer less than ideal care because I worried too long about the nanny's feelings.

Our new nanny is thrilled to be working with us. She was thrilled at the compensation package, has been a delight in her trial times with us, and is clearly an infinitely better nanny for our kids.

Things happen. There is good and bad on all sides of these relationships.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seems to me this thread was turning into a list of the multiples ways that MBs think they're great but really aren't.

Well, the same can be said for nannies.

In my case we have a nanny who is physically incapable of doing the job any more, is yelling at the children and not maintaining control, and who has been increasingly unreliable and insolent.

I'm a good, but not great boss. A great boss would have nipped this situation in the bud months ago and let her go then. I've let my child suffer less than ideal care because I worried too long about the nanny's feelings.

Our new nanny is thrilled to be working with us. She was thrilled at the compensation package, has been a delight in her trial times with us, and is clearly an infinitely better nanny for our kids.

Things happen. There is good and bad on all sides of these relationships.

Start a new thread for your belly-aching. All you have proven on this thread is that you are a bitter and ugly woman.

PS Give your new nanny time to see you for who you truly are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My nanny probably thinks she's irreplaceable but she's being fired tomorrow.

No one is irreplaceable - even a mother. My mother died when I was three and I was raised by a loving, wonderful stepmother.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seems to me this thread was turning into a list of the multiples ways that MBs think they're great but really aren't.

Well, the same can be said for nannies.

In my case we have a nanny who is physically incapable of doing the job any more, is yelling at the children and not maintaining control, and who has been increasingly unreliable and insolent.

I'm a good, but not great boss. A great boss would have nipped this situation in the bud months ago and let her go then. I've let my child suffer less than ideal care because I worried too long about the nanny's feelings.

Our new nanny is thrilled to be working with us. She was thrilled at the compensation package, has been a delight in her trial times with us, and is clearly an infinitely better nanny for our kids.

Things happen. There is good and bad on all sides of these relationships.

Your comment was out of line. I agree with PP - it is MBs like you that give us all a bad name. You sound petty and very small.