Preschool and keeping a full time nanny

[Anonymous]

We have a fantastic nanny and I want to keep her for as long as possible. How do other employers handle the 2.5 hours when the child is in a new preschool? Nanny will walk him to preschool at 9AM and pick him up at 11:30AM. Of course I will continue to pay her for those 2 hours but what can she do in that time? She does DC's grocery shopping with him and laundry while he is napping as well as his food prep. She isn't a housekeeper - and made that clear during the interview process - so I would not be comfortable asking her to do any housework.

Please - no crap (as another poster here recently asked). I love and respect our nanny and will not fire her. It is not about salary or her benefits. She is happy working for us and DC loves her dearly.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Why does she have to do anything? You are paid for downtime so why shouldn't she be paid the same?

[Anonymous]

We decided to skip preschool until our child is 4 and then only do a couple days a week. I figured our nanny could drop-off and pick-up and perhaps run a few errands. We have gotten there yet but not too concerned as if we did not have a nanny, we would still need drop-off/pick-up and aftercare!

[Anonymous]

I wuld just encourage her to do he grocery shopping then, and you could also ask that she undertake some more involved projects with DC, which she could prep during that time--art projects, science experiments, cooking together, sensory bins, etc. you could also ask that she run child-related errands, like buying new summer clothes/shoes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wuld just encourage her to do he grocery shopping then, and you could also ask that she undertake some more involved projects with DC, which she could prep during that time--art projects, science experiments, cooking together, sensory bins, etc. you could also ask that she run child-related errands, like buying new summer clothes/shoes.

+1 Your DC may likely drop nap soon so grocery shopping, cooking, laundry etc can be done during those hours

[Anonymous]

Before my daughter started pre-school, we discussed options with our nanny. She isn't a house cleaner - and had made that clear when we interviewed her - so we never asked. We did ask about local errands, using our car and she said that she was happy to help. At least twice a week, she will go to to post office, the library, Goodwill, or go grocery shopping for us. It is a huge help on busy weeks for us - and the rest of the time is hers to do with as she pleases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Before my daughter started pre-school, we discussed options with our nanny. She isn't a house cleaner - and had made that clear when we interviewed her - so we never asked. We did ask about local errands, using our car and she said that she was happy to help. At least twice a week, she will go to to post office, the library, Goodwill, or go grocery shopping for us. It is a huge help on busy weeks for us - and the rest of the time is hers to do with as she pleases.

Nanny here I would agree to this.

[Anonymous]

Really, there's barely any time to do anything in that short preschool window. By the time you've dropped the child off and gotten back home, it's almost time to turn around again. Sometimes (very, very rarely) our nanny will run a quick errand, like drop off our dry cleaning, while my son is at school. Often she is free to do what she wants in that time. There have been a lot of days when my son's been sick and needed to stay out anyway. No sense in trying to fill up her very limited extra time.

[Anonymous]

Even though your nanny stated up-front that she is not a housecleaner (good for her), would she be okay doing certain "light" housekeeping tasks for you?

I am a nanny who doesn't do any cleaning as well, but for a position such as this, I wouldn't mind doing some light cleaning for you. I.e., making sure the garbage/recycling gets to the curb on trash day, loading/unloading dishwasher, emptying the diaper genie, light sweeping, changing child's bed linens, etc.

And if there are any pets in the home, perhaps walking the dog or playing chase w/a feather w/your kitty.

[Anonymous]

I usually do the grocery shopping, laundry, dishes, pet chores, other random errands (post office, etc.), light housekeeping, gardening. Although that can add up and seem like a lot, every week is different and sometimes I have only one task then am free to use the rest of the time how I please. I like it because it breaks up my week a little, feels like a break for me, and I can get my own errands done (at the same spots) at the same time. Talk to your nanny and see what she expects during that time and ask her if she would mind helping out a little bit more with minor things. Hope this helps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even though your nanny stated up-front that she is not a housecleaner (good for her), would she be okay doing certain "light" housekeeping tasks for you?

I am a nanny who doesn't do any cleaning as well, but for a position such as this, I wouldn't mind doing some light cleaning for you. I.e., making sure the garbage/recycling gets to the curb on trash day, loading/unloading dishwasher, emptying the diaper genie, light sweeping, changing child's bed linens, etc.

And if there are any pets in the home, perhaps walking the dog or playing chase w/a feather w/your kitty.

Emptying the diaper genie and changing the child's bed linens are standard nanny duties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does she have to do anything? You are paid for downtime so why shouldn't she be paid the same?

Exactly. Unless you're on commission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does she have to do anything? You are paid for downtime so why shouldn't she be paid the same?

Exactly. Unless you're on commission.

Hourly employees, like nannies, are rarely paid for their downtime. In any position I have held that is hourly, I have been required to clock out for my break. I'm not saying OP should fill her nanny's time with pointless tasks, but she definitely is not obligated to pay her for time she is not working. It would benefit them both to collaboratively come up with a potential list of tasks to be completed during the 2 hours DC will be in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does she have to do anything? You are paid for downtime so why shouldn't she be paid the same?

Exactly. Unless you're on commission.

Hourly employees, like nannies, are rarely paid for their downtime. In any position I have held that is hourly, I have been required to clock out for my break. I'm not saying OP should fill her nanny's time with pointless tasks, but she definitely is not obligated to pay her for time she is not working. It would benefit them both to collaboratively come up with a potential list of tasks to be completed during the 2 hours DC will be in school.

And if she didn't pay the nanny the nanny could take a class during that time. So when dc gets sick or there's a random holiday she is stuck without childcare.

[Anonymous]

OP here and thanks for the suggestions. Our nanny always emptied the diaper genie when DS was still in diapers and has always done his laundry. She always cleans his room and bathroom. She could do her grocery shopping for the food she prepares for him when he is in school even though she says she enjoys taking him.

I'll talk to her about it.

Thanks!