Nanny activities during nap time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve found that employers who may lower wages overall seem to really be the ones who want their “money’s worth”.

They expect a full-time housekeeper and full-time nanny for $15 an hour.

I’ve been there, done that...

Now I can find a job with zero housework for $22-28 without a problem. I wash bottle, do child related laundry, organize playroom, sanitize toys, anything and all things child related. I am usually busy for half of naptime but the other half I relax. It’s not a “break” if I’m on the clock. It’s downtime. I’ve visited countless employers offices with ping pong tables and nap rooms. I know many white collar office workers who spend 2 hours at lunch on Fridays seeing a movie.

I find it funny how the more you make, the more likely you are to get breaks and downtime.

Totally agree! Just look at the audacity of the ads on care.com...people are looking for full time care with housekeeping and want to pay $10-$15 an hour.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think you can compare an hourly nanny position to a salaried office worker. I may take 2 hour lunches some days but then have to work weekends other times. If you are paid hourly aside from a reasonable break you should find something to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow I guess you nick picky bosses are really going to have a problem with me then- I'm paid 40hrs a week but only work from 3:30-7:30 because the kids are in school now. I don't even go to the house until 3:30!! My boss works and needs coverage for sick days and days off school so I'm paid full time even though the kids are in school now full time... I'm currently at home laying in bed!! Getting paid!

Yes, this does sound ridiculous, working 20 hours and generally getting paid for 40. Better stay on that gravy train as long as you can because most employers would switch to after school care or the dreaded "sitter" instead of a nanny who brags about being paid for lying in bed.

[Anonymous]

Damn, that family must have money to burn. If they can do that, though, more power to ‘em. They’ve got a guaranteed nanny for holidays and sick days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why I hide in the bathroom for a long time during nap time. Cameras everywhere, mb is always on me about 'being on the clock' and I'm TIRED. The guest bathroom is huge and I spread out a towel, lay on the floor and relax camera free. They probably think I have IBS if they watch the cameras- oh well!!!!

OMG!! I just hollered

That’s not right!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Genuine question. Especially if a nanny cooks for the child, why can't she make extras for the parents, for example? Seems my friends who live outside of the DC area (major cities) all have nannies who cook, do dishes, do laundry, and straighten up the house (not deep clean/wash toilets etc, obviously) while also caring for the children. Of course, they don't cook and do laundry all day every day, but that's just how it's done.

Usually those things become daily expectations, and the nanny turns into a housekeeper just keeping an eye on kids. Btdt, I’m a nanny, first and foremost.

Op here. She does the bare minimum. She will slowly fold load of laundry over like an hr while watching tv. Sometimes she will fold half the load and finish it the next day. No hustle at all. I feel like she is checking the box of doing 1 load of laundry for the week and that’s it. Her only responsibilities are baby related. She has never even vacuumed the play area or her room. She will sometimes unload the dishwasher ( 1-2 times a week). It just feels like she thinks when the baby is sleeping that is 100 percent her time.

That wouldn't work for me. Our nanny used nap time to clean up, eat lunch, do laundry, prep dinner for the baby, play with our dog, look for local activities good for the baby, look for toys for the next developmental stage, etc. Occasionally would nap for a half hour.

It takes 2 seconds to find activities in the area, and once you’ve become familiar with those activities, it’s like second nature, you just up and go. I don’t know any nanny who has child- related responsibilities, only and able to find things to do for 2 hrs each day. If my employer didn’t want me to have down time, I would probably not want to work for them. We are human, and after running around all day with multiple children we need a little break! Especially, if we still have to keeping going after nap. A lot of us work 10+ hour days. It’s okay to ask your nanny to do things but everyday, you will probably burn your nanny out.

Being that we've had the same nanny for six years, I'm not really worried about it.

I’m sure you don’t care about burning your nanny out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve found that employers who may lower wages overall seem to really be the ones who want their “money’s worth”.

They expect a full-time housekeeper and full-time nanny for $15 an hour.

I’ve been there, done that...

Now I can find a job with zero housework for $22-28 without a problem. I wash bottle, do child related laundry, organize playroom, sanitize toys, anything and all things child related. I am usually busy for half of naptime but the other half I relax. It’s not a “break” if I’m on the clock. It’s downtime. I’ve visited countless employers offices with ping pong tables and nap rooms. I know many white collar office workers who spend 2 hours at lunch on Fridays seeing a movie.

I find it funny how the more you make, the more likely you are to get breaks and downtime.

Totally agree! Just look at the audacity of the ads on care.com...people are looking for full time care with housekeeping and want to pay $10-$15 an hour.

So true. I’m happy to say that I started off making $25 per hour, and I only clean play areas, bottles and any messes the kids make. No laundry, no dishes, no vacuuming, nothing like that. I’m free to do whatever I want while the kids are sleep for 2-3 hours! And I take great care of the kids and we participate in tons of activities!!

[Anonymous]

OP, my opinion has always been that I want my kids to have the best possible nanny, which to me means, happy, engaged, alert, rested, and unstressed. Our nanny used to take legitimate naps when the twins napped - like sleeping in the guest room bed naps. Sometimes she'd spend some time on laundry or bottles or something, but she probably napped regularly about 10 hours a week. As a result, she was never tired or cranky or short with our kids, so to me, it was worth it. And, I'd tell you what I pay her but no one would believe it because anyone who says they pay more than $20/hour on here is lying.

[Anonymous]

My kids are profuse nappers too (I'm talking 3 hr+ naps). When we had a nanny, our agreement was that she should take an hour to herself but make herself useful the rest of the time. That seemed fair for everyone involved. So if the kid napped for 3 hrs, she would take a break for an hour, and then do something for the next two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow I guess you nick picky bosses are really going to have a problem with me then- I'm paid 40hrs a week but only work from 3:30-7:30 because the kids are in school now. I don't even go to the house until 3:30!! My boss works and needs coverage for sick days and days off school so I'm paid full time even though the kids are in school now full time... I'm currently at home laying in bed!! Getting paid!

Yes, this does sound ridiculous, working 20 hours and generally getting paid for 40. Better stay on that gravy train as long as you can because most employers would switch to after school care or the dreaded "sitter" instead of a nanny who brags about being paid for lying in bed.

Jealous, much? I've been with my family for 8 years honey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids are profuse nappers too (I'm talking 3 hr+ naps). When we had a nanny, our agreement was that she should take an hour to herself but make herself useful the rest of the time. That seemed fair for everyone involved. So if the kid napped for 3 hrs, she would take a break for an hour, and then do something for the next two.

I would have to tell my employer to get give me a layout on what to do for 2 hours, everyday, that doesn’t involve interacting with the child. Otherwise, the 2 hours would have been wasted on me thinking about what to do for 2 hours

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow I guess you nick picky bosses are really going to have a problem with me then- I'm paid 40hrs a week but only work from 3:30-7:30 because the kids are in school now. I don't even go to the house until 3:30!! My boss works and needs coverage for sick days and days off school so I'm paid full time even though the kids are in school now full time... I'm currently at home laying in bed!! Getting paid!

Yes, this does sound ridiculous, working 20 hours and generally getting paid for 40. Better stay on that gravy train as long as you can because most employers would switch to after school care or the dreaded "sitter" instead of a nanny who brags about being paid for lying in bed.

Jealous, much? I've been with my family for 8 years honey.

Exactly. Parents who have selfish priorities (rather than put loving, stable and competent childcare in the forefront) are a pathetic bunch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think you can compare an hourly nanny position to a salaried office worker. I may take 2 hour lunches some days but then have to work weekends other times. If you are paid hourly aside from a reasonable break you should find something to do.

If they pay me for the extra duties I’ll do them.

But I’m not going to do household chores not in my contract unless it’s a fantastic family. You know why? It will be expected. I’ve been around the block. I know how easy it is to be used and do the job of 3 people for the price of one. You spend the weekend doing your job. I do mine, by my contract. If there is time leftover, it’s mine. I’m not in your house to do what you don’t want to do without being compensated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think you can compare an hourly nanny position to a salaried office worker. I may take 2 hour lunches some days but then have to work weekends other times. If you are paid hourly aside from a reasonable break you should find something to do.

If they pay me for the extra duties I’ll do them.

But I’m not going to do household chores not in my contract unless it’s a fantastic family. You know why? It will be expected. I’ve been around the block. I know how easy it is to be used and do the job of 3 people for the price of one. You spend the weekend doing your job. I do mine, by my contract. If there is time leftover, it’s mine. I’m not in your house to do what you don’t want to do without being compensated.

Well said.