Do you always respond to texts from nanny family while off duty?
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Anonymous
| My nanny family always seems to find a reason to text me about something after I leave in the evening or before I arrive in the afternoon. I don't always have my phone on me and am busy doing other things during these times so sometimes I won't see a message until hours later or when is too late at night to reply. Should I feel badly about this? I don't think its my responsibility to be available every time they text, but I don't want to come across as rude or that I'm ignoring them. What do you think? |
Anonymous
| They will eventually look for a nanny who knows how to use her phone. Just depends how long you want this job? |
Anonymous
| Unless it's really very important, the family should not be texting during your off hours. They should wait until you're at work the next day. Are the reasons they're texting very important? |
Anonymous
So if I understand you correctly, nannies should NEVER even LOOK at their phones when their charges are around BUTTTT they need to be on call for you 24/7 because you are too lazy to look for Johnny's mittens or discern for yourself when the last time the diaper genie was emptied? Give me a effen break. OP, you should not feel bad for one second. If you are gracious enough to respond, that is lovely, if you aren't able to it shouldn't be a deal breaker of any kind. I am pretty up front with new families on my off hours phone policy which is that unless it is an emergency, I am not answering texts or calls between the time I leave their house until 30 minutes before I arrive the next morning. It's a slippery slope to weekend texts and late night calls asking if I can go over to the house and check on the kids because DH hasn't answered his phone for a few hours (yes this really happened). |
Anonymous
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Since you are not "on-the-clock" actually working during those hours you bosses are texting you, you are under no obligation to respond to their texts.
If it takes you a few hours or the next day, then that is fine. It's your life, your phone. You choose what you get to do w/it. If your bosses actually have complained about this to you, simply let them know you are not ignoring them or anything....You just do not carry your phone around like it's another limb on your body. These days, everyone is "supposed" to be instantly available anytime w/our cell phone culture. Personally, I sometimes wish it were the "good ol' days" again, where people simply left us phone messages at home that we weren't expected to return until much later. It's just too stressful to be expected to be reachable 24/7. |
Anonymous
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I don't respond right away - or sometimes at all. I just can't. I don't have my phone attached to my hand 24/7 and I simply don't check my phone often enough to get the message before it is too late to return the call or answer the question.
I never use my phone when I am working so there is no hypocrisy in my post. I mean - NEVER. My employers know this. |
Anonymous
| Wow. Just really. What a bunch of childish stupid posts. |
Anonymous
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My NF got lucky with me because they can reach me anytime. We often communicate after hours. I don't mind it at all. Luckily I don't hate my NF like the rest of you do, I appreciate the communication and planning we do.
I guess the best thing for everyone would just be finding the right type of family for you. If you are an older nanny why isn't very good with handling a cell phone then you might be better with an old fashioned family. But then if you are a younger more current nanny you could work with a younger family that does things differently. |
Anonymous
Probably true. We have an older nanny who never uses her cell phone when she is caring for my child. For us, that alone is worth the very, very few times we have needed to call her on her off hours to ask a question. We are also (we being nanny, DH and I) very organized and keep a log of DS's activities, meals, diaper changes, etc and always have ten minutes to go over his day at the end of Nanny's day. |
Anonymous
DH is only 28 and LOATHES cell phones and the need for constant and immediate connection. He carries (when he remembers) and inexpensive flip-phone for emergencies only. I am sure there are nannies out there who simply are not addicted to their phones (like I am). Age isn't a factor - nor is "old fashioned" a good description of someone who needs solitude and independence. I actually think that DH is quite avant-garde in his approach. |
Anonymous
My sister is like this. She is only 23 and an artist and needs her privacy and quiet. She refuses to own a cell phone. |
Anonymous
I would KILL for your nanny, PP. I'd get over not being able to reach her on weekends if our nanny would get off her damn phone when she is working. |
Anonymous
| With the exception of true emergencies, there is no reason to have to have an immediate response from your nanny on her off-hours. As parents and employers, you just need to be organized and exchange information at the beginning and end of every day. Needing to get an immediate response from your nanny frequently is the sign of a bad employer in my book. I would resent it from my boss and I'm sure my nanny would resent it from us. |
Anonymous
Wow, for someone so "young, current, and not old fashioned", you are as full of judgments and biases as *some* 80 year olds I've known (not all 80 year olds, of course). I'd be concerned about you teaching my children how to type-cast people based on age (and who knows what else). And by the way, the "rest" of the nannies here don't all hate their employers. Perhaps you should work on opening your mind while you're reading posts as well. |
Anonymous
This. If you are doing your job right as an employer - you don't need immediate weekend responses. It is the sign of a disorganized or lazy employer. |