Asking nanny to report on how time is used

[Anonymous]

Our nanny has about three hours each day at our home with no children there. Even if you include unusual traffic and some break time, it's a minimum of 2.5 hrs each day. After several months of seeing no visible difference in what is accomplished in our home, I've asked her to begin keeping track, just for a couple of weeks, how she is using that time so I can better plan for when my kids are all in full time school (which will be another couple of years).

Fair request or unfair? She immediately responded that she'd done five loads of laundry during that time (query how one actually manages to get five loads though a washer and dryer during the time period, but whatever) and was immediately defensive. The thing is: I know from my kids that her usual M.O. is to do laundry in the afternoon during our child's nap. When she makes meals, she prepares them at the end of the day, not during the kid-free time. I am seriously wondering what she's doing with that time and would like to hear from her how she uses it.

So was I wrong to ask her to keep notes for a couple of weeks?

[Anonymous]

Why are you trying to weasel additional work out of her?

What was your original agreement? Don't sit on your ass?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are you trying to weasel additional work out of her?

What was your original agreement? Don't sit on your ass?

Original agreement included household-related tasks, including dusting and vacuuming main level, and she is doing neither of those. Also errands. Early on it seemed she just didn't think any light housekeeping was "needed" because our house wasn't a complete pigsty. Then it progressed to how busy she (thinks) she is with other tasks. But from what I'm seeing, unless I specifically give her a task on which to spend her time (e.g, please run this specific errand), it seems she's doing...I don't know what. Early on I was finding receipts in the car from stores she'd stop at while the kids were in school (for her own errands, not stores where we shop).

Nice assumptions you make, though. Why would wanting to know how she spends paid time constitute weaseling work out of her? She is being paid to work during those hours. If she's not working, I don't particularly want to pay her for it!

[Anonymous]

If she's paid during that time, I don't think your request is out of line at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you trying to weasel additional work out of her?

What was your original agreement? Don't sit on your ass?

Original agreement included household-related tasks, including dusting and vacuuming main level, and she is doing neither of those. Also errands. Early on it seemed she just didn't think any light housekeeping was "needed" because our house wasn't a complete pigsty. Then it progressed to how busy she (thinks) she is with other tasks. But from what I'm seeing, unless I specifically give her a task on which to spend her time (e.g, please run this specific errand), it seems she's doing...I don't know what. Early on I was finding receipts in the car from stores she'd stop at while the kids were in school (for her own errands, not stores where we shop).

Nice assumptions you make, though. Why would wanting to know how she spends paid time constitute weaseling work out of her? She is being paid to work during those hours. If she's not working, I don't particularly want to pay her for it!

Given the parameters from when you hired her, it's reasonable to ask her to account for what she does so that you will know how to budget time for household tasks when the kids are in full day school. However, asking a nanny to dust and vacuum is usually saved for full day school, and the nanny transitions to nanny/housekeeper. Laundry and food prep during that time is quite reasonable, as are errands. It sounds like you may need to rethink pay (on call pay for those hours, not working pay?) or get a new nanny who will do what you expect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you trying to weasel additional work out of her?

What was your original agreement? Don't sit on your ass?

Original agreement included household-related tasks, including dusting and vacuuming main level, and she is doing neither of those. Also errands. Early on it seemed she just didn't think any light housekeeping was "needed" because our house wasn't a complete pigsty. Then it progressed to how busy she (thinks) she is with other tasks. But from what I'm seeing, unless I specifically give her a task on which to spend her time (e.g, please run this specific errand), it seems she's doing...I don't know what. Early on I was finding receipts in the car from stores she'd stop at while the kids were in school (for her own errands, not stores where we shop).

Nice assumptions you make, though. Why would wanting to know how she spends paid time constitute weaseling work out of her? She is being paid to work during those hours. If she's not working, I don't particularly want to pay her for it!

Did you tell her you wanted a housekeeper? Then don't call her your nanny. She knows, and so should you, that nannies don't do your dusting.

You need to apologize to her and admit you really want a housekeeper who can do also babysitting.

[Anonymous]

I hope she quits. You are a witch.

[Anonymous]

Yes it's reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hope she quits. You are a witch.

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

My law firm still has some paper time sheets split up by tenths of hours if you want me to send them to you.

Listen. Don't ask her what she's doing with her time. That's a stupid question. Leave her a list of things you expect her to have accomplished then confront her if they aren't completed. If she doesn't like the nanny/housekeeper split role she can quit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My law firm still has some paper time sheets split up by tenths of hours if you want me to send them to you.

Listen. Don't ask her what she's doing with her time. That's a stupid question. Leave her a list of things you expect her to have accomplished then confront her if they aren't completed. If she doesn't like the nanny/housekeeper split role she can quit.

Then you ought to know that op just might have to fire her and pay unemployment.

The nanny IS doing the cooking and laundry. Op is mad that the nanny is efficient, so wants to load on more housekeeping work. So dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you trying to weasel additional work out of her?

What was your original agreement? Don't sit on your ass?

Original agreement included household-related tasks, including dusting and vacuuming main level, and she is doing neither of those. Also errands. Early on it seemed she just didn't think any light housekeeping was "needed" because our house wasn't a complete pigsty. Then it progressed to how busy she (thinks) she is with other tasks. But from what I'm seeing, unless I specifically give her a task on which to spend her time (e.g, please run this specific errand), it seems she's doing...I don't know what. Early on I was finding receipts in the car from stores she'd stop at while the kids were in school (for her own errands, not stores where we shop).

Nice assumptions you make, though. Why would wanting to know how she spends paid time constitute weaseling work out of her? She is being paid to work during those hours. If she's not working, I don't particularly want to pay her for it!

Did you tell her you wanted a housekeeper? Then don't call her your nanny. She knows, and so should you, that nannies don't do your dusting.

You need to apologize to her and admit you really want a housekeeper who can do also babysitting.

No, the nanny needs to apologize for signing a contract she isn't honoring. Who held a gun to her head?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you trying to weasel additional work out of her?

What was your original agreement? Don't sit on your ass?

Original agreement included household-related tasks, including dusting and vacuuming main level, and she is doing neither of those. Also errands. Early on it seemed she just didn't think any light housekeeping was "needed" because our house wasn't a complete pigsty. Then it progressed to how busy she (thinks) she is with other tasks. But from what I'm seeing, unless I specifically give her a task on which to spend her time (e.g, please run this specific errand), it seems she's doing...I don't know what. Early on I was finding receipts in the car from stores she'd stop at while the kids were in school (for her own errands, not stores where we shop).

Nice assumptions you make, though. Why would wanting to know how she spends paid time constitute weaseling work out of her? She is being paid to work during those hours. If she's not working, I don't particularly want to pay her for it!

Did you tell her you wanted a housekeeper? Then don't call her your nanny. She knows, and so should you, that nannies don't do your dusting.

You need to apologize to her and admit you really want a housekeeper who can do also babysitting.

No, the nanny needs to apologize for signing a contract she isn't honoring. Who held a gun to her head?

What contract?

[Anonymous]

Sorry OP you have a lazy nanny so you need to closely manage if you want to get things done. Asking to report time imo is pretty useless she will either do half ass job or invent as you already found out. Assign her tasks by day of week and see if things improve.

[Anonymous]

Nannies aren't housekeepers. It's that simple.