What have you done to accommodate nanny's 3-week overseas trip?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Foreign nanny here- My bosses have been amazing accommodating my requests. I take two weeks paid vacation and then another two weeks unpaid vacation 6 Months later. I take 4 weeks vacation per year. This is normal in other countries, Americans are the only people who don't time time off. My employers knew this when they hired me.

In return I have (in 7 years with the same family) never called in sick (I don't get sick often but when I do the kids are sucks we we just have a chill day together), am never late, never ask for random days off, schedule my appts on my own time (or if I can't my employer lets me take the kids to a rare appt), do light housekeeping and tidying on days the housekeeper doesn't come, and go above and beyond in my job.

My employers use a temp agency and while I know it's inconvenient they understand that I like to travel and make it easy for me to leave.

I am the same as you, PP - never sick, never late, never ask for any days off and go above and beyond in my position. I also have a degree in ECE.

And I take two weeks of vacation - two separate weeks - both when my employers can take off easily.

Foreign nannies are a problem in regard to vacation - it is a cultural thing.

Foreign nanny here- The rest of the world had more than 2 weeks vacation per year. I have a degree as well (not sure why that's relevant to this discussion?!) and I'm not from a 3rd world country or 'illegal'. I'm upfront in interviews about my vacation needs and employers don't seem to have a problem with it. I agree it's unfair to just spring it on your employer. [b]This isn't a foreign nanny problem, this is an americans don't understand life/work balance problem.

What's the difference? American nannies understand American culture, problems with work/life balance and all. I agree with your that it's a problem here, but NFs have to exist in the American context.

And the major problem is that the NFs don't get that kind of vacation, so they can't also take off to spend that time with their kids.

In addition, the expense, distance, etc. means that these trips are usually taken all at once, which makes it harder to ask someone like a grandparent to help cover it, because who has 3-6 weeks off in a row?

And, I would also say, that there is no other country where you would get to choose the timing of your 3-6 week vacation, paid or not. If your NF takes August off, you would, too. That's one trade-off.

[b]

There is no other country where you can play your 3-6 week trip? Come on. You haven't travelled much have you? Just north of the border people get 4-6 weeks holiday. Europeans its normal to have 4-6 weeks. Australians take months at a time. You can't be serious.

Nearly everyone in Europe takes August. Do you mean to tell me you think it would be a-ok for your NF to go to Spain for a month in August, and then for you to announce you're taking the month of September? All 8 weeks paid? Even in Europe, that wouldn't fly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:America first!! Right, pp? ?

When you employ a foreign nanny and you like her, you make it work with a temp.

Oh, stop the crap. You have a foreign nanny because she is cheaper. End of discussion.

[b]

Actually I am a foreign nanny (with a degree since apparently that's important in this thread) who is now a legal US citizen and I take a month of time off and my nanny family who has employed me for 5 years is perfectly happy to hire a temp.

Why hire a foreign nanny? Well I speak 5 languages. 3 fluent, 2 conversational. We are also more open minded apparently.

I am an American nanny who speaks three languages fluently. I have never taken more than one week off at a time. I fail to see how being inconvenienced makes the employer "open minded". That is all we are talking about, PP - the inconvenience of the month long nanny vacation.

[b]

I actually really feel sorry for you. Travel is important and you are missing out.

[Anonymous]

How hard is it to hire a temp? I don't get this. Yougo to an agency, get a temp and you are set.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How hard is it to hire a temp? I don't get this. Yougo to an agency, get a temp and you are set.

A temp an agency sends you is some random person. By the time you know if they're any good, it's time for them to leave. Sometimes you get a great person who is in between jobs. Sometimes you get someone you would never hire under ordinary circumstances, and its for weeks, not just a day when your nanny is sick.

Having agency back-up is also really pricey. A lot of people use their own vacation or grandparents to fill in.

No matter how you posit it, covering a lengthy absence is difficult, and when it is for travel, it doesn't seem like the kind of pressing need that maternity leave or an illness might be. A lot of employers won't want to make it work.

[Anonymous]

There was a thread awhile back about if it's better to work for wealthy or normal families. Yet another reason why I only work for wealthy families. They can afford my rate and have zero issues hiring a great temp through an excellent agency. Taking off time from work to cover the nanny's vacation is absurd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was a thread awhile back about if it's better to work for wealthy or normal families. Yet another reason why I only work for wealthy families. They can afford my rate and have zero issues hiring a great temp through an excellent agency. Taking off time from work to cover the nanny's vacation is absurd.

Taking off time when the nanny is on vacation is not absurd - it makes sense. I get to be with my child. So strange you would think a mother wanting to be with her child is absurd.

You don't sound like a very good nanny, frankly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How hard is it to hire a temp? I don't get this. Yougo to an agency, get a temp and you are set.

A temp doesn't know the children or the routine. It involves training and a very large outlay of money. Nannies work in our homes with our children - this is a very intimate and personal situation for a family. It isn't like hiring a temp gardener to work outside.

What other job do you think you will get that will cover a three or four week vacation? Go back and get your teaching degree and work in a school - you are not cut out to be a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How hard is it to hire a temp? I don't get this. Yougo to an agency, get a temp and you are set.

A temp doesn't know the children or the routine. It involves training and a very large outlay of money. Nannies work in our homes with our children - this is a very intimate and personal situation for a family. It isn't like hiring a temp gardener to work outside.

What other job do you think you will get that will cover a three or four week vacation? Go back and get your teaching degree and work in a school - you are not cut out to be a nanny.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was a thread awhile back about if it's better to work for wealthy or normal families. Yet another reason why I only work for wealthy families. They can afford my rate and have zero issues hiring a great temp through an excellent agency. Taking off time from work to cover the nanny's vacation is absurd.

So, wealthy families don't mind if their employees take a 3-6 week vacation, not at the same time the family is gone? That's not the sense I get ...

[Anonymous]

Hire a temp. I get that they won't know the kids, but a back up nanny wouldn't either. Have 1 overlap day so the nanny can show the temp the ropes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was a thread awhile back about if it's better to work for wealthy or normal families. Yet another reason why I only work for wealthy families. They can afford my rate and have zero issues hiring a great temp through an excellent agency. Taking off time from work to cover the nanny's vacation is absurd.

So, wealthy families don't mind if their employees take a 3-6 week vacation, not at the same time the family is gone? That's not the sense I get ...

I work for an extremely wealthy, high-profile couple (you would know them if I told you their names) and we all get two weeks off - no more. Even the foreign nannies (there are two other nannies). During the two week vacation period, the mother - who doesn't work - cares for the nanny-less child and the other nannies pitch in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was a thread awhile back about if it's better to work for wealthy or normal families. Yet another reason why I only work for wealthy families. They can afford my rate and have zero issues hiring a great temp through an excellent agency. Taking off time from work to cover the nanny's vacation is absurd.

So, wealthy families don't mind if their employees take a 3-6 week vacation, not at the same time the family is gone? That's not the sense I get ...

I work for an extremely wealthy, high-profile couple (you would know them if I told you their names) and we all get two weeks off - no more. Even the foreign nannies (there are two other nannies). During the two week vacation period, the mother - who doesn't work - cares for the nanny-less child and the other nannies pitch in.

This is what I would assume. A wealthy family pays not to be inconvenienced.

[Anonymous]

I work for a wealthy family and I am 'foreign'but a legal US citizen. I get two weeks paid vacation, I take another 1-2 weeks unpaid, and often get an extra 1-2 weeks off when the family travels. I get to choose my vacation weeks, if possible I try to plan it when the parents travel but they're last minute people so sometimes they have to plan around my vacations. They always hire temps. Last year I ended up with 6 weeks vacation. I've been with the family 6 years and while they don't love it when I go away, they understand that I'm a travel is important. You can't just live your life with one week vacation and go to the outer banks and feel like you're really living, I travel internationally and feel like when I come back I have so much more to offer. That's fine if you think nannies should only have one week of vacation, but for me thankfully I have always found families who will are willing to accommodate my wishes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work for a wealthy family and I am 'foreign'but a legal US citizen. I get two weeks paid vacation, I take another 1-2 weeks unpaid, and often get an extra 1-2 weeks off when the family travels. I get to choose my vacation weeks, if possible I try to plan it when the parents travel but they're last minute people so sometimes they have to plan around my vacations. They always hire temps. Last year I ended up with 6 weeks vacation. I've been with the family 6 years and while they don't love it when I go away, they understand that I'm a travel is important. You can't just live your life with one week vacation and go to the outer banks and feel like you're really living, I travel internationally and feel like when I come back I have so much more to offer. That's fine if you think nannies should only have one week of vacation, but for me thankfully I have always found families who will are willing to accommodate my wishes.

The weeks when they travel don't count for this discussion. That's "guaranteed hours," and is in a different category.

Do you take all 2-4 weeks of your paid and unpaid vacation at the same time?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:America first!! Right, pp? ?

When you employ a foreign nanny and you like her, you make it work with a temp.

Oh, stop the crap. You have a foreign nanny because she is cheaper. End of discussion.

[b]

Actually I am a foreign nanny (with a degree since apparently that's important in this thread) who is now a legal US citizen and I take a month of time off and my nanny family who has employed me for 5 years is perfectly happy to hire a temp.

Why hire a foreign nanny? Well I speak 5 languages. 3 fluent, 2 conversational. We are also more open minded apparently.

I am an American nanny who speaks three languages fluently. I have never taken more than one week off at a time. I fail to see how being inconvenienced makes the employer "open minded". That is all we are talking about, PP - the inconvenience of the month long nanny vacation.

[b]

I actually really feel sorry for you. Travel is important and you are missing out.

I am working, Child. I have responsibilities. I am a grown up with a mortgage and husband who also works. We both traveled a great deal in college, doing a year abroad, and when we were with the Peace Corp. Now we have jobs that we honor.