Where to draw the line regarding laundry

[Anonymous]

In my contract it says I must do all laundry related to the children. In all of my other nanny jobs this meant children's clothing only, but my nanny family has taken this to also include all children's linens, including their bedding, bathroom towels, and kitchen linens.

I am fine with washing the children's sheets and towels, that isn't the issue. The issue is the kids use the same white bath and hand towels as the adults in the bathrooms, and the entire family uses identical cloth napkins at every meal, plus they use cloth towels instead of paper towels, so I am washing ALL of the households bath towels and also washing all kitchen towels (6 cloth napkins per day, plus the cloth paper towels and the regular dish towels).

I don't want to complain, it's just that washing the children's bedding and children's bathroom towels was already more than I've done in past positions, when I only did the children's clothes. And then to add on top of that having to do the parents bathroom towels and all of the households kitchen napkins and towels, it adds up to 2 extra loads of laundry every week. I have been doing it without complaint for a while, but we are renegotiating our contract soon and I was wondering if this is considered normal, or if it's something I should ask to be compensated for.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Ask! Job creep.

[Anonymous]

I would only do the actual kid laundry and if they mention the other stuff say you can't tell which is which and you're not comfortable going through laundry that may be used by adults when eating or cleaning themselves. I mean that's pretty disgusting.

That's one option. The other is to ask that the kids have separate hampers and put their towels in the specified hamper. As for cloth napkins, that's stupid and I wouldn't do those either way.

This reminds me of how one mb tricked me with a job creep. I agreed in my contract to handle all kid dishes and empty the dishwasher when the baby napped. The only thing is I would come in Monday and they hadn't washed a single bottle sippy cup or plastic plate since Friday! And mb would leave the kitchen a disaster on the side of the sink that I used for bottle washing so I would have to go through their dirty dishes just to do my job. I regret never saying anything.

[Anonymous]

If you like them suck it up. If not, draw the line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you like them suck it up. If not, draw the line.

I agree.

I would be washing sheets, bath towels and kitchen towels all in one load, if it's that bad (if the washer is big enough). Buy some gloves to use while doing laundry.

[Anonymous]

Talk to your employers. This is really not okay. The kids should have separate towels from the adults at the very least. I have always done my charges bed linens and towels but she has always had her own towels!

[Anonymous]

I absolutely include all kids bedding and towels in what I consider laundry for the kids.

I scrupulously avoid having the nanny do any of my or my husband's laundry.

If our nanny balked at tossing in the handtowels from the kitchen or common bathrooms occasionally I'd be pretty displeased.

Pick your battles OP. Is this a hill to die on or is it petty in the bigger picture? Only you can answer that.

[Anonymous]

What about cooking? The family that I worked for had me cooked their entire weeks of food as well as their laundry ( I'm not comfortable washing/folding their underwears). I just got tired of reminding them it's ok sometimes, but not every week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely include all kids bedding and towels in what I consider laundry for the kids.

I scrupulously avoid having the nanny do any of my or my husband's laundry.

If our nanny balked at tossing in the handtowels from the kitchen or common bathrooms occasionally I'd be pretty displeased.

Pick your battles OP. Is this a hill to die on or is it petty in the bigger picture? Only you can answer that.

You're a shitty employer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely include all kids bedding and towels in what I consider laundry for the kids.

I scrupulously avoid having the nanny do any of my or my husband's laundry.

If our nanny balked at tossing in the handtowels from the kitchen or common bathrooms occasionally I'd be pretty displeased.

Pick your battles OP. Is this a hill to die on or is it petty in the bigger picture? Only you can answer that.

You're a shitty employer

Oh yes, I'm awful. I expect mutual flexibility and respect, a grown up attitude towards household maintenance, and a commitment to working together as a team.

You won't ever work for me because people who work for me don't quit.

Cuz I'm a sh($%y employer. Yep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely include all kids bedding and towels in what I consider laundry for the kids.

I scrupulously avoid having the nanny do any of my or my husband's laundry.

If our nanny balked at tossing in the handtowels from the kitchen or common bathrooms occasionally I'd be pretty displeased.

Pick your battles OP. Is this a hill to die on or is it petty in the bigger picture? Only you can answer that.

You are one lazy woman. Nannies do children's laundry not dirty communal towels. Gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely include all kids bedding and towels in what I consider laundry for the kids.

I scrupulously avoid having the nanny do any of my or my husband's laundry.

If our nanny balked at tossing in the handtowels from the kitchen or common bathrooms occasionally I'd be pretty displeased.

Pick your battles OP. Is this a hill to die on or is it petty in the bigger picture? Only you can answer that.

You're a shitty employer

Oh yes, I'm awful. I expect mutual flexibility and respect, a grown up attitude towards household maintenance, and a commitment to working together as a team.

You won't ever work for me because people who work for me don't quit.

Cuz I'm a sh($%y employer. Yep.

Well, you're definitely a shitty person.

[Anonymous]

I always handle all kids' linens and clothing. I of course throw in kitchen towels periodically as well because I am also in the kitchen making messes. What is the issue with the extra towels? Is it the squick factor that somebody dried their body with it? Could you ask that MB and DB wash it? I often will rotate laundry for the adults since they aren't there all day to do it. It is the time crunch? Would you be willing to throw it in the washer and rotate to the dryer if they took on folding it all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely include all kids bedding and towels in what I consider laundry for the kids.

I scrupulously avoid having the nanny do any of my or my husband's laundry.

If our nanny balked at tossing in the handtowels from the kitchen or common bathrooms occasionally I'd be pretty displeased.

Pick your battles OP. Is this a hill to die on or is it petty in the bigger picture? Only you can answer that.

You're a shitty employer

Why is she a shitty employer. I assume her nanny uses the kitchen and bathroom as much as the pp. Why should she throw a fit over washing some of the handtowels?

[Anonymous]

Using cloth towels in the kitchen or bathroom to dry hands is gross and disgusting, many people drying hands on same towel! Use paper towels and wash your own bath towels.