Snow days

[Anonymous]

For parents with a live out nanny, what is your policy on snow days? We have recently moved from having a live in nanny to having someone that lives out. DDs school was cancelled today--but both DH and I still had work. Nanny informed us at 10:30 am this morning that she would not be coming in. Yesterday was her first day back after a three week vacation--so needless to say, DH and I are a little frustrated. We are behind at work and needed help today. I understand coming late--but taking the whole day off seems a little much. Nanny doesn't have kids of her own. Am I being unreasonable? How do you deal with snow days?

[Anonymous]

Did you have to go into the office?

[Anonymous]

OP here--I had to take yet another vacation day as did DH. (I should mention that we have toddler age twins). They usually go to preschool in the morning and then nanny is with them in the afternoon.

[Anonymous]

Did everyone else report to your office? Was your office open today? The roads are nasty and nobody should be driving. Your nanny has no control over the weather. Why would you want her to risk her safety?

[Anonymous]

We often have our nanny spend the night when there is the threat of significant snow. But it is a challenge when the weather doesn't follow predictions (and we're lucky that she would prefer to spend the night rather than worry about driving in snow.)

Today however, I had to go to work and no one realized how bad the roads were until we were on them. Had I know the situation I would have stayed home and would have told the nanny to stay home also. It was unexpectedly bad and treacherous (at least in Montgomery County).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We often have our nanny spend the night when there is the threat of significant snow. But it is a challenge when the weather doesn't follow predictions (and we're lucky that she would prefer to spend the night rather than worry about driving in snow.)

Today however, I had to go to work and no one realized how bad the roads were until we were on them. Had I know the situation I would have stayed home and would have told the nanny to stay home also. It was unexpectedly bad and treacherous (at least in Montgomery County).

I'm assuming you pay her for staying the night, yes?

[Anonymous]

OP Here--Most people in my office went in. But interesting to hear that the roads were really bad....

[Anonymous]

Today was a tough one - my employer should have shut down so I could stay home, but they didn't, so my nanny came in too. But I thought it was crappy for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Most of us here don't know how to drive safely in the snow/ice. Period. Do what you want.

[Anonymous]

Snow days are frustrating for everyone. You need to come up with a policy that makes sense, either following the schools or OPM, or calling it in the morning based on local road conditions.

I had a problem last year when driving conditions were bad early in the morning, but literally no problem at all by 10am (nanny lived a 10 minute drive away, so same conditions), but she refused to come in late because she had made plans to spend the day with her sister at that point. She also, of course, expected to be paid for the full day. We had to sit down and talk about snow day policy at that point. This was a nanny who had missed a ridiculous amount of work for various health problems already, so I will admit my patience was thin with her. I probably would have written it off for someone else, though still come up with a snow policy.

[Anonymous]

I once ventured out to work on a snow day, and got rammed in the middle of Conn. Ave. Luckily I wasn't hurt, but my car was totaled.

Everyone later said it was stupid to go out.
Except the MB. She was mad I never made it in that day.

[Anonymous]

Did she atleast make an attempt to come in or didn't even bother? If latter then she does not have a good work ethic. Some things you can't easily change. If not one off and the pattern continues, I would start looking for a new nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We often have our nanny spend the night when there is the threat of significant snow. But it is a challenge when the weather doesn't follow predictions (and we're lucky that she would prefer to spend the night rather than worry about driving in snow.)

Today however, I had to go to work and no one realized how bad the roads were until we were on them. Had I know the situation I would have stayed home and would have told the nanny to stay home also. It was unexpectedly bad and treacherous (at least in Montgomery County).

I'm assuming you pay her for staying the night, yes?

Nope. She asks if she can stay because she'd prefer that to worrying about the drive. She doesn't work at all, has her own bedroom/tv etc... and often joins us for dinner (that I make).

It's her choice and she isn't working so no payment.

[Anonymous]

It's impossible to realistically have a blanket "policy," as no two situations are identical. Use your head to determine what's best for you and for the Nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's impossible to realistically have a blanket "policy," as no two situations are identical. Use your head to determine what's best for you and for the Nanny.

And of course you discuss it with her directly. We can't know all the specifics.