Nanny slacking on chores

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anytime a parent assigns chores to their Nanny, then their child will be short-changed one way or another when it comes to their quality and level of care.

ALWAYS.

I disagree strenuously.

I’ve always volunteered to do the kids’ clothes, because that way I can pull things that are stained, torn or outgrown as they are folded. Once the kids are 2-3, they can start helping, first with sorting out their socks and folding washcloths, later building up to a 5yo capable of sorting, loading and starting the (front load) washing machine. The older they get, the more the kids should do (if the nanny started teaching them young), so that by 1st-2nd grade, the nanny should only have to remind and supervise.

I get my charges in the kitchen, too. By 2-3, they can cut banana and strawberries with toddler knives. By 8, they can do everything except move full hot pans.


Whaaat??!

Am I reading this all correctly??
You are basically stating that a five-year old can operate a washing machine & that by 2ND grade can do their own laundry.....??!
And that at eight years old, a child can master the fine art of preparing/cooking a meal??

So glad that you are not my Nanny.
You need to learn age-appropriate activities + chores for the children that you watch.
Because they see me doing things from a young age, they want to do them, too. I only do child-related chores until the child is old enough to take on more, then I start a new chore about 3 times before they start helping, because observation is almost as important as the child trying for themself.

I think the PPs kids must be very young. My kids don't do their own laundry, but I know that several of their friends do and started in the 2nd grade. My 8 yo is not that interested in cooking things beyond scrambled eggs, but there's nothing she can't bake on her own. In the last month she's done cinnamon rolls, biscuits, brownies, rolls, all from scratch. The only assistance I offer is to take things out of the oven. I don't even stay nearby anymore just in case she needs me, because she never does. The nanny poster is right that kids can do a lot more than we give them credit for.

[Anonymous]

Just for safety issues, well that & liability issues as well.....

While I may let my own child bake w/supervision - as the caretaker of a young child, I just wouldn’t want to risk it.

As both a Mother as well as a Nanny, I can say firsthand that I do not always let my Nanny kids do the same things that I let my own children do.

I am sure others do the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just for safety issues, well that & liability issues as well.....

While I may let my own child bake w/supervision - as the caretaker of a young child, I just wouldn’t want to risk it.

As both a Mother as well as a Nanny, I can say firsthand that I do not always let my Nanny kids do the same things that I let my own children do.

I am sure others do the same.

If the kids slowly gain independence in the kitchen and with chores, they can be (almost) independent by 8yo. By 10-12 (depending solely on strength), they’re ready to cook elaborate meals and handle any routine household cleaning, ordering, etc. No, I wouldn’t ask a 10yo to fix my toilet; I would make sure the 10yo had their phone out to read directions, was capable of using the tools and did it with me.

[Anonymous]

Your nanny is not a cleaner. What are her "chores" in the job description/ contract and why does she have so many?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

I have a nanny who has been with us for about 5 months and she is really sweet and is like a part of our family. She is young and is very capable of doing things efficiently. Lately though I have been noticing that she has slowed down in her chores so there is less work tackled even when she has enough time to manage it. And she also has lately started to tweak things without asking. Like vacuum was 2-3 times a week and now she does it only once a week.
I hate to keep following up and reminding her only because I don’t have time to do that and I don’t want to nag her and ruin the overall dynamic.
I would like to gets some ideas on how to communicate such things without ruining relations as getting the message across. I also recently increased her salary so I feel more irritated about her not performing.
Please help!
Thank you

Nanny,

A nanny is responsible for taking care of my child, and ALSO cleaning the house when the child is sleeping. As a PARENT we make sure our nanny knows our expectations. Due to COVID, it is hard to discipline our Nanny, but we have no problem reminding them over and over again. Ultimately, when COVID is over, we are kicking her to the curb. There is no shortage of Nannies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anytime a parent assigns chores to their Nanny, then their child will be short-changed one way or another when it comes to their quality and level of care.

ALWAYS.

I disagree strenuously.

I’ve always volunteered to do the kids’ clothes, because that way I can pull things that are stained, torn or outgrown as they are folded. Once the kids are 2-3, they can start helping, first with sorting out their socks and folding washcloths, later building up to a 5yo capable of sorting, loading and starting the (front load) washing machine. The older they get, the more the kids should do (if the nanny started teaching them young), so that by 1st-2nd grade, the nanny should only have to remind and supervise.

I get my charges in the kitchen, too. By 2-3, they can cut banana and strawberries with toddler knives. By 8, they can do everything except move full hot pans.


Whaaat??!

Am I reading this all correctly??
You are basically stating that a five-year old can operate a washing machine & that by 2ND grade can do their own laundry.....??!
And that at eight years old, a child can master the fine art of preparing/cooking a meal??

So glad that you are not my Nanny.
You need to learn age-appropriate activities + chores for the children that you watch.
Because they see me doing things from a young age, they want to do them, too. I only do child-related chores until the child is old enough to take on more, then I start a new chore about 3 times before they start helping, because observation is almost as important as the child trying for themself.

I think the PPs kids must be very young. My kids don't do their own laundry, but I know that several of their friends do and started in the 2nd grade. My 8 yo is not that interested in cooking things beyond scrambled eggs, but there's nothing she can't bake on her own. In the last month she's done cinnamon rolls, biscuits, brownies, rolls, all from scratch. The only assistance I offer is to take things out of the oven. I don't even stay nearby anymore just in case she needs me, because she never does. The nanny poster is right that kids can do a lot more than we give them credit for.

This is the cutest and sweetest thing that I have read in ages. Thank you, my head was pounding from stress related to thinking/recovering from dealing with 2 very lazy and unruly charges, but this made me smile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

I have a nanny who has been with us for about 5 months and she is really sweet and is like a part of our family. She is young and is very capable of doing things efficiently. Lately though I have been noticing that she has slowed down in her chores so there is less work tackled even when she has enough time to manage it. And she also has lately started to tweak things without asking. Like vacuum was 2-3 times a week and now she does it only once a week.
I hate to keep following up and reminding her only because I don’t have time to do that and I don’t want to nag her and ruin the overall dynamic.
I would like to gets some ideas on how to communicate such things without ruining relations as getting the message across. I also recently increased her salary so I feel more irritated about her not performing.
Please help!
Thank you

Nanny,

A nanny is responsible for taking care of my child, and ALSO cleaning the house when the child is sleeping. As a PARENT we make sure our nanny knows our expectations. Due to COVID, it is hard to discipline our Nanny, but we have no problem reminding them over and over again. Ultimately, when COVID is over, we are kicking her to the curb. There is no shortage of Nannies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

I have a nanny who has been with us for about 5 months and she is really sweet and is like a part of our family. She is young and is very capable of doing things efficiently. Lately though I have been noticing that she has slowed down in her chores so there is less work tackled even when she has enough time to manage it. And she also has lately started to tweak things without asking. Like vacuum was 2-3 times a week and now she does it only once a week.
I hate to keep following up and reminding her only because I don’t have time to do that and I don’t want to nag her and ruin the overall dynamic.
I would like to gets some ideas on how to communicate such things without ruining relations as getting the message across. I also recently increased her salary so I feel more irritated about her not performing.
Please help!
Thank you

Nanny,

A nanny is responsible for taking care of my child, and ALSO cleaning the house when the child is sleeping. As a PARENT we make sure our nanny knows our expectations. Due to COVID, it is hard to discipline our Nanny, but we have no problem reminding them over and over again. Ultimately, when COVID is over, we are kicking her to the curb. There is no shortage of Nannies.

How exactly do you “discipline” your nanny? Stocks in the public square and beatings as needed?

And how does Covid affect your “discipline”? That makes no sense unless you are actually publicly punishing your nanny and only do that in the presence of people who are ill and refuse to wear a mask.

Return to your bridge troll, and try again when you are fully coherent.

[Anonymous]

So she is your personal weekly nanny/maid/housekeeper I
Hope with all your fussing about picking up after you and hubby
You’re paying her well her-time is not for free

[Anonymous]

Checklist.
But also, lower expectations and cut her some slack. No one can be focused 100% 365 days a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

I have a nanny who has been with us for about 5 months and she is really sweet and is like a part of our family. She is young and is very capable of doing things efficiently. Lately though I have been noticing that she has slowed down in her chores so there is less work tackled even when she has enough time to manage it. And she also has lately started to tweak things without asking. Like vacuum was 2-3 times a week and now she does it only once a week.
I hate to keep following up and reminding her only because I don’t have time to do that and I don’t want to nag her and ruin the overall dynamic.
I would like to gets some ideas on how to communicate such things without ruining relations as getting the message across. I also recently increased her salary so I feel more irritated about her not performing.
Please help!
Thank you

Nanny,

A nanny is responsible for taking care of my child, and ALSO cleaning the house when the child is sleeping. As a PARENT we make sure our nanny knows our expectations. Due to COVID, it is hard to discipline our Nanny, but we have no problem reminding them over and over again. Ultimately, when COVID is over, we are kicking her to the curb. There is no shortage of Nannies.

Is this outlined in her contract? A nanny is there to care for the children, not to clean your house.

Our nanny cleans up the toys/books/puzzles etc, straightens up the playroom, washes the kids' dishes/cups, and wipes down the kitchen counters and the table after she preps the meals and the kids eat. She's not my housekeeper so I don't expect her to do anything outside of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi all,

I have a nanny who has been with us for about 5 months and she is really sweet and is like a part of our family. She is young and is very capable of doing things efficiently. Lately though I have been noticing that she has slowed down in her chores so there is less work tackled even when she has enough time to manage it. And she also has lately started to tweak things without asking. Like vacuum was 2-3 times a week and now she does it only once a week.
I hate to keep following up and reminding her only because I don’t have time to do that and I don’t want to nag her and ruin the overall dynamic.
I would like to gets some ideas on how to communicate such things without ruining relations as getting the message across. I also recently increased her salary so I feel more irritated about her not performing.
Please help!
Thank you

Nanny,

A nanny is responsible for taking care of my child, and ALSO cleaning the house when the child is sleeping. As a PARENT we make sure our nanny knows our expectations. Due to COVID, it is hard to discipline our Nanny, but we have no problem reminding them over and over again. Ultimately, when COVID is over, we are kicking her to the curb. There is no shortage of Nannies.

Is this outlined in her contract? A nanny is there to care for the children, not to clean your house.

Our nanny cleans up the toys/books/puzzles etc, straightens up the playroom, washes the kids' dishes/cups, and wipes down the kitchen counters and the table after she preps the meals and the kids eat. She's not my housekeeper so I don't expect her to do anything outside of this.

Exactly! Please respond to this post, OP.

[Anonymous]

Any follow up, OP?

[Anonymous]

I’m sick and tired of parents thinking nannies are there personal weekly maids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m sick and tired of parents thinking nannies are there personal weekly maids

In my world, most parents don’t think this. Only the trolls on DCUM or really old people from the “The Help” era write this crap.