Parents coming home late
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Anonymous
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In a situation when you're given a time frame when parents are supposed to be home, how much time do you give them before you start calling them? Do you call or do you just fume inside?
(And let's not turn this into evil MB always late and never pays me because yes, it's a given we should be paid for additional time and our time should be respected. We're talking when for whatever reason the parents are late without letting us know in advance). |
Anonymous
| Don't you think your answer obviously depends on how badly you want (or need!) to get out of there? |
Anonymous
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For casual "babysitting" type gigs: If I don't get a "we are on our way home" text within 15-20 minutes of the time I'm supposed to be off, I text with an "do you have an ETA?". If I don't get a response by the time I am supposed to be off I am calling every 10 minutes until someone picks up.
For a nanny family: If there isn't an "I'm going to be late" text/call AT LEAST 5 minutes before the time I'm supposed to be off, I call/text. Then follow up with the every 10 minutes until someone responds. A bit harsh, maybe, but my time is worth just as much as anyone elses and I don't |
Anonymous
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PP, hit send too early.
...deal with tardiness. |
Anonymous
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Granted this has only happened twice (other times they call when they know they are going to be late) Both times I started to think about calling when they were 30 min late. One came in shortly after that apologizing profusely. Paid for an extra hour.
The other I called at 45 min and it went straight to voicemail. She came in an hour and a half later when I was half freaked out half pissed. Turns out she had a dead phone and a personal situation (which she told me and it made sense). the only place she had my number was in her phone. She paid me quite a bit extra and ended up getting a landline because she realized what could happen in an emergency. I've been pretty lucky with the families I've worked for. I think mostly because I babysit only as a side gig and either find families through friends who have sat/nannied for them or who I know before I begin sitting. |
Anonymous
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As a nanny, I would start calling my DB within ten minutes. He is never late and knows I have responsibilities at my own home. My employers know I have a tight schedule and respect it. So, if he were just 10 (maybe even 5) minutes late I would think something happened and call him.
I've been working for the same family for over a year - I have never been late and neither have they. |
Anonymous
And I bet you wonder why you find yourself unemployed so often. |
Anonymous
Yep, this is the key - mutual respect. The nanny has never been late so the employers have never been late (or the other way around). Everyone respects everyone else's time. Good for you, PP. |
Anonymous
| Once my mb and db didn't get home until 3 am on a Friday night. I had started at 7 am and usually get off by 6 but after work they decided to do dinner and a movie. They said they would be home around 10 pm. They showed up at 3 am. I never called or texted and they didn't either. I literally thought they were dead. It was totally out of character. Thankfully they were just out at a karaoke bar. But 5 hrs late is ridiculous. |
Anonymous
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I have never had a parent not text me to let me know they are running late, but if they were and didn't let me know, I would probably text them within twenty minutes because my first concern would be if they were okay.
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Anonymous
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I usually get a text if they're running late or even a message letting me know their ETA so I can order a taxi and not wait around for ages after they get back.
I don't think I've ever called anyone because mostly people are on time, and a couple of minutes once in a while with profuse apologies doesn't bother me. I try to make sure to tell them if I have somewhere to be right after work, and I think in 99% of cases my time is respected. Once I had an open ended gig for a dad who was going out with his mates while the wife was off visiting her home country and he said to feel free to sleep on the couch as soon as the kid was in bed, which I did. I often sat for them and usually they were home at 2-3am. That day I woke up at about 5am and he still wasn't there, so my first thought was he was dead and I was going to be the one to have to tell the mother. My second thought was that he was off with someone and I was going to have to decide if I tell the mother or not. And he didn't reply to my text asking if he was alive for about an hour, so I was starting to get properly worried when he kind of fell through the door and onto the couch, somewhere between drunk and hungover and really trying to act sober. It was quite hilarious. Then his daughter woke up and was like 'oh daddy, you're already dressed! You didn't have to do that, I can get on the school bus myself' which was just the most adorable thing. He paid me very generously. We're all good friends so it's become a bit of an inside joke with us, which is nice. But in the moment I was fairly worried. |
Anonymous
I've never actually been unemployed, but nice assumption. Interesting that because I expect employers to be respectful of my time and their commitments you assume I am a terrible employee. How would it work if the tables were turned? How much notice would you expect a nanny to give their employer if they were going to be late (though I am sure you would just fire a nanny for that offense)? In the rare instances that I am going to be late, I am aware of that fact and text as early as possible to let a family know. Why shouldn't this go both ways?? |
Anonymous
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As the parent, I would definitely let the nanny know if I'm running late. I'm generally 15 minutes early, so I don't call if I'll just simply be on time, but if I'll be more than 5 minutes late, I give a call.
For babysitters on date nights, I call and ask if it's alright for us to stay out a bit later if we decide we want an extra hour. Generally it's just extra cash for our date night babysitters, so they're happy to get paid more. |
Anonymous
I would have found a new job. No excuse for this. |
Anonymous
??? No, your time is actually not worth just as much as anyone else's. |