how many breaks do you give your nanny?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The real question, OP, is how many "breaks" do you take over the weekend, when nanny isn't there. Or do you have a weekend nanny to?

The IQ of some MBs is embarrassing.

and all nannies on this forum have IQ of an Einstein ? .... Please

[Anonymous]

I work 7am-5:15pm. When I arrive I eat breakfast with the children. We have a snack together mid-morning on the days they are not in school. We eat lunch together. In the afternoon after their rest we have a snack together.

While they are resting I am free to do as I please. Some days I might do some laundry. Some days I might sort through the toys to pull out anything they no longer play with. Other days I go online and/or do some schoolwork (I also go to school f/t). The same thing goes for when they are at school (3 mornings/week). Although on some days when they are at school I conduct fieldwork/observations related to my degree program.

Throughout my direct time with the kids I do my own thing when the kids request to play by themselves. When I find that they've had a lot of interaction/facetime with me I usually give them a 30 minute "independent time." This is because it's good for their own development rather than so I can do m own thing.

So while I don't get actual "breaks" since I need to be available at all times in case something comes up I do have plenty of downtime throughout many of my days. Oh, and MB works from home so she is well aware of what I do throughout the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work 7am-5:15pm. When I arrive I eat breakfast with the children. We have a snack together mid-morning on the days they are not in school. We eat lunch together. In the afternoon after their rest we have a snack together.

While they are resting I am free to do as I please. Some days I might do some laundry. Some days I might sort through the toys to pull out anything they no longer play with. Other days I go online and/or do some schoolwork (I also go to school f/t). The same thing goes for when they are at school (3 mornings/week). Although on some days when they are at school I conduct fieldwork/observations related to my degree program.

Throughout my direct time with the kids I do my own thing when the kids request to play by themselves. When I find that they've had a lot of interaction/facetime with me I usually give them a 30 minute "independent time." This is because it's good for their own development rather than so I can do m own thing.

So while I don't get actual "breaks" since I need to be available at all times in case something comes up I do have plenty of downtime throughout many of my days. Oh, and MB works from home so she is well aware of what I do throughout the day.

Thanks for your reply! OP here. This is helpful to me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any time the child is sleeping is usually break time for me. I'll usually take at least some of that time to tidy up any toys/bottles/dishes etc. we've been using that day though. If I grab a snack or coffee while the child is awake, I make it quickly and go back to engaging my charge- I'm not hiding myself away in the kitchen for half an hour. If the snack is such that eating it outside the kitchen would make a mess, then I try to set the child up with an activity in the kitchen.

This is how my AP works. Not sure how you could take a "break" in the traditional sense when your job is to care for toddlers/babies when they are awake. I hope she feels comfortable enjoying a tea when she can as the DCs are preoccupied with playing on their own. When they nap she can do what ever they feels like (except sleep .

[Anonymous]

Wow, some of you are being really harsh to OP. Look, truth be told, in any other position, a break of 2 hours for an 8 hour workday would be considered ott. Why is OP getting criticism for genuinely wanting advice? That's the problem on here...nannies bitching over the smallest issue a parent asks about.

OP, I guess I also take a 2 hour break, because my charge naps for 2.5 hours, and I do some pickup for 30 min, then chill. I think your nanny is fine and you don't need to stress out. Like a pp stated, you don't want a kid who constantly needs attention and as long as the nanny picks up what is needed around the house as needed, it should be okay.

[Anonymous]

As many as she needs.

[Anonymous]

Um I would also suggest that she is taking more "breaks when your MIL/mother are visiting b/c they are THERE! As a nanny, I can tell you that when grandparents come to town, our schedule is always going to be off, and I end up doing way more "sitting around" than I normally would!

[Anonymous]

OP that is alot of breaks. How did you find out, did she tell you? I can understand when your child is sleeping but she shouldn't be sitting around all day letting him play by himself (although some alone time is good).. She should take him out, engage with him, etc.

Are you paying on the low end? I ask this because some people will be a little less motivated if they're being paid less then the going rate. If you're paying higher then the going rate then tell her to stop munching on food and watch the kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP that is alot of breaks. How did you find out, did she tell you? I can understand when your child is sleeping but she shouldn't be sitting around all day letting him play by himself (although some alone time is good).. She should take him out, engage with him, etc.

Are you paying on the low end? I ask this because some people will be a little less motivated if they're being paid less then the going rate. If you're paying higher then the going rate then tell her to stop munching on food and watch the kid.

I do not thinik I am paying on the low end. I paid her exactly the rate she asked me for which comes out to $37K a year plus I pay her share of FICA etc. which makes it about $42 K per year. She is watching one toddler. I was actually thinking of raising her as she has been with us two years ..

[Anonymous]

If you're working, how do you know about her breaks? And if you're home, why can't you look after your own kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP that is alot of breaks. How did you find out, did she tell you? I can understand when your child is sleeping but she shouldn't be sitting around all day letting him play by himself (although some alone time is good).. She should take him out, engage with him, etc.

Are you paying on the low end? I ask this because some people will be a little less motivated if they're being paid less then the going rate. If you're paying higher then the going rate then tell her to stop munching on food and watch the kid.

I do not thinik I am paying on the low end. I paid her exactly the rate she asked me for which comes out to $37K a year plus I pay her share of FICA etc. which makes it about $42 K per year. She is watching one toddler. I was actually thinking of raising her as she has been with us two years ..

That is a healthy rate and a raise after 2 years is a great idea.

I actually disagree with PP that it sounds like a lot of breaks. Think about 90 minutes straight with a toddler. How many times do you sit down, check email, flip through a magazine, use the bathroom for a minute of quiet time, make a new pot of coffee... probably a fair amount. What your nanny is doing is creating a familiar and normal home environment - the kind of place where her needs matter too, unlike when MBs expect their nannies to be day-long dancing monkeys. If she is actively engaging with him during their play time, I think this sounds more than okay - it sounds ideal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're working, how do you know about her breaks? And if you're home, why can't you look after your own kid?

are you not familiar with the concept of working from home?

[Anonymous]

Wow ! I never take any time by myself,I stay 10 hours with the kids ,I eat and drinking with them,no breaks the only break I have is when i'm going to the bathroom,this is amazing!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow ! I never take any time by myself,I stay 10 hours with the kids ,I eat and drinking with them,no breaks the only break I have is when i'm going to the bathroom,this is amazing!!!

Nannying - you're doing it wrong.

[Anonymous]

I too spend more time sitting around when the grandparents come to visit. Not because I am lazy but because I am aware that the grandparents flew thousands of miles to see their grand-kids and I don't want to interfere with their playing/bonding.