Asking nanny to report on how time is used

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My law firm still has some paper time sheets split up by tenths of hours if you want me to send them to you.

Listen. Don't ask her what she's doing with her time. That's a stupid question. Leave her a list of things you expect her to have accomplished then confront her if they aren't completed. If she doesn't like the nanny/housekeeper split role she can quit.

Then you ought to know that op just might have to fire her and pay unemployment.

The nanny IS doing the cooking and laundry. Op is mad that the nanny is efficient, so wants to load on more housekeeping work. So dumb.

No I agree with you. She should focus on saying what she wants done. If she's too embarrassed to say the tasks, she should drop it. If she isn't doing the things they agreed she would to, OP should be specific about what she expects done at the beginning of the day/week. Don't talk about time use. Talk about responsibilities.

[Anonymous]

If you can't trust your nanny to use her time wisely and well, then it's not a good fit. If you love her so much in every other respect that you can't imagine letting her go, then you need to accept that this is the downside of your otherwise phenomenal nanny.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Role was clearly advertised as nanny/housekeeper, so there was no bait and switch here. Nanny clearly knew the job she signed on for.

We do have a contract, and it specifies vacuuming the main level daily, as well as other light housekeeping (dusting was specifically discussed before hire) and errands. We have a cleaning service, so there is no ask that she take over all cleaning or even most of it. I wouldn't actually mind if she were staying busy with other stuff, but fact of the matter is, she is accomplishing LESS with many hours of kid-free time than did our previous nanny who was never without a child at home. So, in a nutshell, I'm trying to figure out why I am paying hundreds of dollars a week for hours during which no work is being done.

I am reevaluating whether there is any need for her to "work" those hours. Would be fine by me to pay for 30 hours/wk versus 40+, if nothing is happening in those extra hours.

[Anonymous]

OP I feel your pain. Maybe you can have a sit down talk with her and go over your expectations, contract and performance?

[Anonymous]

This is an interesting read and this post totally brought it to mind.

https://www.romper.com/p/my-nanny-quit-its-all-my-fault-2295

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Role was clearly advertised as nanny/housekeeper, so there was no bait and switch here. Nanny clearly knew the job she signed on for.

We do have a contract, and it specifies vacuuming the main level daily, as well as other light housekeeping (dusting was specifically discussed before hire) and errands. We have a cleaning service, so there is no ask that she take over all cleaning or even most of it. I wouldn't actually mind if she were staying busy with other stuff, but fact of the matter is, she is accomplishing LESS with many hours of kid-free time than did our previous nanny who was never without a child at home. So, in a nutshell, I'm trying to figure out why I am paying hundreds of dollars a week for hours during which no work is being done.

I am reevaluating whether there is any need for her to "work" those hours. Would be fine by me to pay for 30 hours/wk versus 40+, if nothing is happening in those extra hours.

How many housekeeping references did you have on her?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is an interesting read and this post totally brought it to mind.

https://www.romper.com/p/my-nanny-quit-its-all-my-fault-2295

A lot of MBs make the same mistake. They should read this and profit thereby. I am not a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is an interesting read and this post totally brought it to mind.

https://www.romper.com/p/my-nanny-quit-its-all-my-fault-2295

Yet, it has nothing to do with why I (the OP) want to know how she's using her time. I am well past the "oh no is my nanny replacing me?" stage, which would have occurred over nine years ago when my oldest was an infant and we had our first nanny. This isn't about competition. This is about confirming whether it's worth paying for all these hours. Because maybe it just isn't. So why would I make a choice to pay someone to contribute little if anything to the operation of our home during those hours, when I could instead sock away that extra cash in college funds? I'm trying to gather information to make a rational decision. I'm not suffering from working mom guilt. (Oh, and in nine years, I've had nannies quit for only two reasons: (1) moved four hours away, and (2) back to full time school. And then maintained great relationships with them thereafter.)

[Anonymous]

If you do not want to pay her for those hours then you don't have to.

The money would be much better spent on a housekeeper and/or household manager.

Keep in mind that in the event your children's school is closed or they fall ill, it will be entirely up to you to either take time off work or establish back-up childcare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is an interesting read and this post totally brought it to mind.

https://www.romper.com/p/my-nanny-quit-its-all-my-fault-2295

This is completely irrelevant to what the OP posted about a nanny/housekeeper who isn't doing the cleaning she agreed to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you do not want to pay her for those hours then you don't have to.

The money would be much better spent on a housekeeper and/or household manager.

Keep in mind that in the event your children's school is closed or they fall ill, it will be entirely up to you to either take time off work or establish back-up childcare.

I think it's time for a meeting with her. Say pretty much what this poster says. Say it kindly, and maybe even say that you can understand if she thought there was less housekeeping involved, but your needs, now, are for someone who can step into this role and who is comfortable in it, who will be as dedicated to her household role as to her nanny role, since you see the job evolving further in the future. Ask her what she sees as her role, and see if the two of you are at all on the same page.

Having to even give her a specific list would irk me. The right person for this position will quickly figure out what to do when, and how your household works.

[Anonymous]

I think it is reasonable. You could also be specific with a list of things to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it is reasonable. You could also be specific with a list of things to do.

OP here. I manage A LOT in our household. Not sure I should need to lay out a list of tasks for a functional adult. I would become incredibly resentful of that in under a week. If I were managing a 16yr old, sure, but not an alleged adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it is reasonable. You could also be specific with a list of things to do.

OP here. I manage A LOT in our household. Not sure I should need to lay out a list of tasks for a functional adult. I would become incredibly resentful of that in under a week. If I were managing a 16yr old, sure, but not an alleged adult.

OP you sound resentful already. It might be time to find a new nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it is reasonable. You could also be specific with a list of things to do.

OP here. I manage A LOT in our household. Not sure I should need to lay out a list of tasks for a functional adult. I would become incredibly resentful of that in under a week. If I were managing a 16yr old, sure, but not an alleged adult.

You should only need to do it once. If it's all in the contract, maybe it's time to discuss those things to refresh her memory.