How long of a break does your nanny take when DC is napping? RSS feed

Anonymous
DC is 1.5 and takes a two hour nap (usually) in the afternoons. Our nanny does his laundry, makes a few things for him from scratch, straights up the play area, bathroom and his room but then must have about an hour or more free. Her hours are between eight and ten hours a day.

What length of break is appropriate?

TIA
Anonymous
I get solid 3 hours. Working 10 hours a day. I dont do laundry and my charges (19 months old) HELP me to clean the play room.

Are you saying she has too much free time or you are worry she is nit getting enough time to rest?
Anonymous
same here. 3 hour naps and I don't do any laundry or cleaning (other the cleaning up the playroom and small things like that). I work 7AM - 6:45PM so those 3 hours are my only break and honestly, the very thing that keeps me sane. I love my job but the break is much needed after being on my feet and running around all day!
Anonymous
To the above PPs - do your employers know you take three hour breaks?
Anonymous
Nearly everyone I know in other professions get a full hour for lunch (within an 8 hour day). The fact that your nanny cannot leave means that she is still working. A full hour is what I feel is most appropriate in any work situation but a nanny should take more time since she cannot leave.

I honestly don't know what our nanny does when the kids are napping - whatever she wants, I suppose, and I am fine with it.
Anonymous
MB here. I have no idea how long her break is during DS' 2 hr nap. I imagine she takes most of the 2 hrs to herself since her household duties are minimal (pick up toys, put whatever dishes you used in dishwasher, soak DS' clothes if he gets a big stain) but I've never asked.
Anonymous
Hopefully she is resting and relaxing for the entire length of DC's nap. He is exhausting and I need our nanny to be 100% on when he is awake. There are two of us to deal with DC in the evenings and at night. During the day, the nanny is alone and that kid is active!

Anonymous
I don't really know or much care. I hired my nanny so that I can get to work on time and feel comfortable that my children are being loved on and cared for. I pay her enough so that she is able to afford what she needs without getting a second job or be out looking for a different job. I don't pay $x/hr and expect to get $x/hr of work done. Sometimes she has breaks. Sometimes she is doing work that is worth $2x/hr. As long as she is happy, arriving on time, the kids are happy, and my house isn't completely trashed, I am okay.

The only way it would annoy me is if I knew that she was having them take longer naps than they needed during the day, and I was dealing with the consequences at night.
Anonymous
What's your worry, OP?
Anonymous
I don't think about how much break time she's getting. I think about what tasks are getting done - play room straightened up, kids laundry done, baby food made, dishes & bottles from the day loaded up into the dishwasher. It's easiest to get these things done while the child naps, and I recommend it, but it also can be done while the baby is awake (I have to do chores all weekend while at least one of the children is awake) - as long as it gets done, I don't really ask whether it was during nap time or another time.

My employer doesn't check up on how I spend my break time and I appreciate that. I'm sure your nanny would too.
Anonymous
Our nanny doesn't take as much of a break as I think she should.

I want her to rest, put her feet up, read a magazine, nap, etc... She works her tail off with and around my kids' needs. If the house is in order when I get home at the end of the day, if the kids are happy, if laundry gets done once or twice a week, then she can spend whatever quiet time is available doing whatever she chooses.

It's penny wise and pound foolish OP to worry about getting the maximum amount of work possible out of every day.
Anonymous
I rarely get breaks...2 infants who despise napping. Every once in a while I'll get a 2 hour break and I really appreciate that.
Anonymous
Think of it as a lunch and two coffee breaks rolled together.

What would you prefer her to do with the rest of the time, and was it discussed at hiring?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:To the above PPs - do your employers know you take three hour breaks?


NP here.
I also had super long breaks in my previous job and yes, my employer knew. She was working from home.
Anonymous
If all of the tasks are completed for the day, what is it exactly that you expect your nanny to do during nap time?
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