Nanny going on a 2 month vacation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:two months is too long. I would not hold the job for her. Find a new nanny.

With you, she probably doesn't care.

[Anonymous]

She doesn't sound wonderful to me if this was the first time you knew this was a possibility. Clearly not an emergency. I'd be looking for a new nanny while she was gone.

[Anonymous]

OP, I know of a good nanny finishing her job and available to temp. What area are you in?

[Anonymous]

OP - I am a nanny who travels to my home country every year for two weeks. However, 2 out of all years, I spent two months in my home country each time. I coordinated with my nanny's family and helped them to find a temporary nanny. I worked for the family for nine years, so I guess they thought it was worth it to wait for me and give me the requested unpaid leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She doesn't sound wonderful to me if this was the first time you knew this was a possibility. Clearly not an emergency. I'd be looking for a new nanny while she was gone.

Clearly, you are not very smart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:two months is too long. I would not hold the job for her. Find a new nanny.

Yes, I have to agree w/this.

For your Nanny to just tell you that she will be unable to work for two mos. is outrageous (barring a family or medical emergency.)
Either she gives up her trip entirely or she does not have a job with you when she returns.

I do not know many jobs that an employer will save for that long.

[Anonymous]

Ha! I’m sure the nanny doesn’t care if her employer will hold the job. She probably can find a new one within few days - I am a nanny who spends every summer in South America with my family - I have no problem quitting the job and finding new one as soon as I am back. If family wants to wait for me - great. If not, not a big problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ha! I’m sure the nanny doesn’t care if her employer will hold the job. She probably can find a new one within few days - I am a nanny who spends every summer in South America with my family - I have no problem quitting the job and finding new one as soon as I am back. If family wants to wait for me - great. If not, not a big problem.

"Every" summer? Families who actually need a nanny so that they can work won't be able to wait for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:two months is too long. I would not hold the job for her. Find a new nanny.

I hate to say it, but +1

I don't get to take a month off at my job! We had to have a temporary nanny for four weeks recently because our nanny had a very serious health issue, and it was a PITA. We had to pay $50 a day to the placement agency (we used White House Nannies, I highly recommend, we had already paid the $350 annual fee to use them), and that's on top of what you pay the temporary nanny, so it was an extra $250 a week for us, plus, they can't send the same nanny every day (though there were a couple we liked that we had several times) so at least once a week, you're spending a half hour showing a new person around, telling them the schedule, introducing them to the kids, etc, etc. And of course they have question during the day, so you're getting texts while you're working. Plus, with a chain of new nannies who are going from house to house, we got several more colds than we usually do. So it was expensive, time consuming, and stressful.

Now, maybe if it's the summer and you have a lot of notice, you can find one person who would take those two months of work. But I would not limit my search to people who wanted a temporary gig, and if I found someone I liked who wanted to be full time, that'd be my new nanny.

PP to add - and I'd be completely honest with the current nanny about this. "We can't commit to holding the position for you. We'll look for people who are interested in a temporary job, but that can be difficult to find. We'll need to be open to a new permanent nanny, and if that's the case, we won't have a job for you when you return, though obviously we'd be happy to serve as a reference as you look for something new."

If OP does that, the nanny won’t come back to work for her after her vacation. If OP is cool with that, fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ha! I’m sure the nanny doesn’t care if her employer will hold the job. She probably can find a new one within few days - I am a nanny who spends every summer in South America with my family - I have no problem quitting the job and finding new one as soon as I am back. If family wants to wait for me - great. If not, not a big problem.

So when prospective employers look at your work history and see that you start with a new family every fall, and every summer there's a two month gap in your work history--they'll be fine with that?

[Anonymous]

You should have a back up plan just in case she decides not to return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ha! I’m sure the nanny doesn’t care if her employer will hold the job. She probably can find a new one within few days - I am a nanny who spends every summer in South America with my family - I have no problem quitting the job and finding new one as soon as I am back. If family wants to wait for me - great. If not, not a big problem.

So when prospective employers look at your work history and see that you start with a new family every fall, and every summer there's a two month gap in your work history--they'll be fine with that?

Actually I might be when the kids are a bit older. I’d like to spend the whole summer at our vacation home and would prefer to hire someone local for the summer. This would be ideal for us!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:two months is too long. I would not hold the job for her. Find a new nanny.

Yes, I have to agree w/this.

For your Nanny to just tell you that she will be unable to work for two mos. is outrageous (barring a family or medical emergency.)
Either she gives up her trip entirely or she does not have a job with you when she returns.

I do not know many jobs that an employer will save for that long.

Far too many employers are forced to hold jobs when you go on maternity leave!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ha! I’m sure the nanny doesn’t care if her employer will hold the job. She probably can find a new one within few days - I am a nanny who spends every summer in South America with my family - I have no problem quitting the job and finding new one as soon as I am back. If family wants to wait for me - great. If not, not a big problem.

So when prospective employers look at your work history and see that you start with a new family every fall, and every summer there's a two month gap in your work history--they'll be fine with that?

Ask them - I have no problem finding new position every year. Some families just find temporary nanny because they want me to come back. My family means world to me and there is no way I would not visit them once a year.

[Anonymous]

I am having issue with different aspect of nannies' prolonged vacation discussed here and in other threads: how can a nanny afford 2 month vacation when most families can hardly afford 2-3 weeks? Flights and accommodation are super expensive.