Quitting Gracefully

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I am wondering how to go about quitting. Do I give it in writing or verbally? I do not have a contract with the family, I've been employed by them for almost three years, and decided to move on to put better use to my degree. Things have been bumpy for the past year due to them job creeping and adding more duties to my responsibility without extra pay. How much notice should I give? If things do get heated, how do I exit gracefully?

[Anonymous]

Of course verbally. And give them as much time as you can - a month if possible. Two weeks is pretty standard however.

Be kind - do not bring up any past issues as there is no point now - and just tell them the truth that you want to explore other options with your degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course verbally. And give them as much time as you can - a month if possible. Two weeks is pretty standard however.

Be kind - do not bring up any past issues as there is no point now - and just tell them the truth that you want to explore other options with your degree.

Two weeks is a slap in the face, especially for a 3 year relationship. You obviously know that it is impossible to find a nanny to start in 14 days including posting, replying, interviewing, offering, and then having the first day. You are really screwing your nanny family of 3 years with 2 weeks notice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course verbally. And give them as much time as you can - a month if possible. Two weeks is pretty standard however.

Be kind - do not bring up any past issues as there is no point now - and just tell them the truth that you want to explore other options with your degree.

Two weeks is more than sufficient and ALL that is necessary. No need to hide the job creep w/o extra pay as it might teach them something about how NOT to treat their new nanny. Chances are good they will let you go on the spot. Good luck and may you find a job. With a future.9

[Anonymous]

It'd be nice if you gave one week per year of working. So three weeks.

What I suggest you do is tell them in person and then send an email that says "Dear Barb and Jim, This is just to confirm our conversation earlier today. After three years together, I have decided to move on. My last day will be August ___, 2014. Of course I will give you back the keys and carseats (whatever else of theirs you have) that day, and will ask for my final paycheck that day as well. Thank you for the opportunity to work with you and your family all this time.

Best,
Nanny Larla"

[Anonymous]

Prepare for MB meltdown. You never know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course verbally. And give them as much time as you can - a month if possible. Two weeks is pretty standard however.

Be kind - do not bring up any past issues as there is no point now - and just tell them the truth that you want to explore other options with your degree.

Two weeks is more than sufficient and ALL that is necessary. No need to hide the job creep w/o extra pay as it might teach them something about how NOT to treat their new nanny. Chances are good they will let you go on the spot. Good luck and may you find a job. With a future.9

Terrible advice. Why bring up why you are leaving when you are leaving? No one is going to "learn a lesson" from an exiting employee. You will just make the leaving harder.

It's like breaking up with someone - a variation on the "it's not you, it's me" is always best. I doubt they will let you go on the spot!! Give them three weeks - anymore and they may let you go early because they found a replacement.

I have no clue what "With a future 9" means.

Good luck, OP. Hope you find what you are looking for and remember that if you want to come back to being a nanny, or for any other job, you will want this family's reference. Never burn bridges.
And take a special moment to explain to your charges that you love them and are going to miss them.

[Anonymous]

MB here. You should give two weeks notice at a minimum. You should not feel obligated to give more than that.
I would not bring up any of your grievances before you leave no matter how badly you'd like to. Since you're leaving it can't help you in any way and you never want to burn bridges, you may need them as a reference one day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MB here. You should give two weeks notice at a minimum. You should not feel obligated to give more than that.
I would not bring up any of your grievances before you leave no matter how badly you'd like to. Since you're leaving it can't help you in any way and you never want to burn bridges, you may need them as a reference one day.

+1 I agree - Why dredge up issue now? There is absolutely no upside to that. Leave as happy as you were on your first day on the job.

And do make time to talk to your charges - let them know that your leaving has nothing to do with them and that you just want a different kind of job but you love them and will visit them. And I hope you do make at least one visit to them which is another reason to leave on a good note.

[Anonymous]

Two weeks is not appropriate in a nanny position, or in any important or professional position. You should give a months notice. Two weeks is standard only in jobs where the departing employee can be easily replaced or where there are other employees who can pitch in until a replacement is found. It is not standard in a professional position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two weeks is not appropriate in a nanny position, or in any important or professional position. You should give a months notice. Two weeks is standard only in jobs where the departing employee can be easily replaced or where there are other employees who can pitch in until a replacement is found. It is not standard in a professional position.

MB here again. I totally disagree with this. While a nanny is certainly important, the professional positions you're referring to are senior executive types in leadership positions. People who's departure affects hundreds of people. A nanny's departure, while deeply felt emotionally, only affects 3 or 4 people.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies everyone, OP here. I will continue to be a nanny. I am just starting fresh with a new family (with younger children). The job creeping that I am referring to is cleanif duties, etc. I have been morphed into a nanny/housekeeper. I have been verbal about how I want to work with children and not cleaning, things have went downhill since then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two weeks is not appropriate in a nanny position, or in any important or professional position. You should give a months notice. Two weeks is standard only in jobs where the departing employee can be easily replaced or where there are other employees who can pitch in until a replacement is found. It is not standard in a professional position.

If it is so difficult to replace a nanny, then they should be paid considerably more. $15.00/he is not a professional wage, is it?, two weeks notice, no more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two weeks is not appropriate in a nanny position, or in any important or professional position. You should give a months notice. Two weeks is standard only in jobs where the departing employee can be easily replaced or where there are other employees who can pitch in until a replacement is found. It is not standard in a professional position.

If it is so difficult to replace a nanny, then they should be paid considerably more. $15.00/he is not a professional wage, is it?, two weeks notice, no more.

Have you every been employed as anything BUT a nanny? $15/hr is more than many entry level employees with degrees are making...and with benefits, ha! Get a license, then come back and demand professional wages. Oh wait...there is no such thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two weeks is not appropriate in a nanny position, or in any important or professional position. You should give a months notice. Two weeks is standard only in jobs where the departing employee can be easily replaced or where there are other employees who can pitch in until a replacement is found. It is not standard in a professional position.

You're probably the same poster always going on about how uneducated and unskilled nannies are, how unimportant we are, how anyone can do our job, and why you don't need to pay more than the bare minimum. You can't have it both ways. Either we are important and integral employees, who should be paid and valued as such, or we are replaceable and unimportant and you should have no issue replacing us.