Lateness
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Anonymous
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If a nanny you just hired has been late twice in the second week and is always at least 1-2 minutes after the agreed upon starting time would you start looking for a replacement? Also shows up and has breakfast for the first 15-20 minutes while baby is sitting in swing awake. Otherwise seems good with the babies (interactive, taking them out, etc). Is getting paid a flat rate for the week but is not working the full hours (i.e. gets to leave early everyday).
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Anonymous
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Have the conversation about expectations now. If you let it go another week or two, it will be even more awkward. I might say something about how while the babies are small, breakfast time in one thing, but that it's not going to be cool to take her first 20 minutes to ignore the kiddos and eat once they're mobile.
It also sounds like you're there for a while when she gets there. Maybe it appears you want the baby in the swing? Also, how old is the baby? With little tiny ones, there are a lot of hours to fill and not that much you can do with them. If there's something in particular you don't like about the swing, like b/c of flat head syndrome, or you want it reserved for "when necessary," let her know that. |
Anonymous
| OP here....thanks for your thoughts. Baby is 4 months so yah there isn't a ton to do. I work from home and he is usually napping in the swing in the morning when she gets here but wakes up right around when she is here. I am usually still downstairs organizing myself to start working (e.g. getting my bottles for pumping/a glass of water/etc). The breakfast thing doesn't bother me as much as the lateness. Its kind of like your showing up late and then your eating breakfast?? Thats what irritates me more. But yah I agree - having the conversation now is super important. I HATE confrontation so I have been trying to avoid it. |
Anonymous
| Definitely talk to her. "We really need to be able to count on you being here and ready to begin working at 8 sharp." |
Anonymous
| She hasn't been working long enough for unemployment or severance. I'd take the time today to start looking and tell her next week your needs have changed you'll watch baby and send her on her way and have new nanny start. |
Anonymous
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1-2 minutes late.. and you work from home?
Unclench. There may be a meeting one day or anything and at the last minute you will need her to stay late. Yikes! |
Anonymous
| Op here - no she was late 10 minutes and 30 minutes two days this week (with somewhat explanations for each). Other days it was the 1-2 minutes. I wouldn't care about those if it weren't for the actual days where she was really late. |
Anonymous
| 1-2 minutes? Calm down |
Anonymous
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1-2 minutes? Her clock likely isn't synched with yours. As an MB, I think you really need to calm down. this level of nitpicking will only lead to issues. If 1-2 minutes is throwing off your schedule, you scheduled her start time way to close to when you need to leave. DS' nanny is scheduled for 30 min before I need to be out the door. That way if there is traffic, a rough start to the day, or whatever, we have wiggle room.
As for the eating her breakfast, again, this is something I think you really need to let go if she's otherwise interactive with the baby. |
Anonymous
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To me, the breakfast issue depends on when the start time is. If start time is before 7, allowing the nanny to drink a morning smoothie while starting the day is reasonable. If it's 7 or later, there's no excuse for not taking the time to take 5 minutes at home to eat. Either way, sitting down to eat breakfast just as the baby is waking up and taking 20 minutes to finish is ridiculous. She knew when the start time was when she was hired, if she wanted to eat breakfast at work every morning, she should have asked if it would be a problem while interviewing.
As to the lateness, that's different. Unless there were unforeseeable circumstances AND she had planned ahead but was still late, twice in the same week of work is unacceptable, and it doesn't matter if it's the second or 152nd. Combining that with never being ready to work on time and eating breakfast after starting... You need a new nanny, OP. A professional nanny will be ready to go on time everyday, at most she will drink a smoothie while starting the day with the baby, and she will make sure that she has extra time built in to her commute so that rush hour traffic doesn't make her late most of the time. |
Anonymous
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I would talk to her about her start time and punctuality. Try to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she's miscalculated traffic and drive time, but definitely talk with her.
Personally, I don't like to eat too early and always have breakfast at work, but I do that a around the kids' schedule. You can certainly mention to her that you want baby changed, fed, and played with when he wakes and could she please have her breakfast around his schedule. |
Anonymous
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If 1-2 minutes is throwing you that off schedule you need a chill pill. My cellphone is 1-2 minutes faster than my nanny family's clocks. Does that mean I expect my MB home the second my phone says 4:30? Absolutely not.
As for her eating breakfast when she arrives, that's an issue that can and should be addressed if you expect her to walk into work and begin immediately. A simple "Nanny, I understand it's an early morning, but I would prefer if you have breakfast before arriving so you can start right away with Baby." |
Anonymous
| I think it will get more annoying and is very slippery slope. I would say something. |
Anonymous
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I have to agree w/all the PPs who said that 1-2min. late isn't too important. It is ridiculous to even NOTICE when someone is that late. Do you set a timer??! Sit staring at your digital every 20 seconds????
If it has only been two weeks thus far & your nanny has already been late 2x (10 min.-30min.), then that is just irresponsible of her and a clear sign that she is not taking her job as seriously as she should. I would issue her her walking papers stat. Re: Eating breakfast once she arrives, that is also a huge no-no. She should eat breakfast prior to coming in to work in my opinion. *Hope this helps. 
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Anonymous
1-2 minutes?oh my gosh..... |