Penny Wise but Pound Foolish

[Anonymous]

PSA to parents. If your nanny is great and you want to keep her through the continuing disaster that is this pandemic, now is not the time to pinch pennies.

I have 4 and 5yo nanny kids. I jumped in to replace the hours they were in school in the spring with enrichment and education. I do all their shopping, cooking, laundry and take them outside every day, even during this godawful weather. They are both reading already thanks to our homeschooling this spring. The kids are honestly thriving and the parents haven’t missed a beat at work.

They have decided to go on a vacation in a few weeks and meet their extended family at a beach house. They will be there with 3 grandparents and a childless aunt and uncle, all of whom are usually excited and happy to lend a hand. Like a fool, I didn’t include a travel stipulation in the contract because they swore they could never imagine going on a family vacation but needing child care.

So now they are telling me that I need to either go with them or stay home unpaid. I am completely fried from working 60 hours a week with no breaks since March and the last thing I want is to spend a week (including my weekend) with their family. I was already considering looking for something less stressful but now I am seriously job hunting and they will likely find themselves without childcare this fall all because they don’t buy my interpretation of guaranteed hours.

[Anonymous]

You go girl! The AOC of nanny-hood.

[Anonymous]

There has never been a better time to find a new nanny position. I am getting three inquiries a day. Choose a couple with a newborn.

PS. If travel not in your contract but guaranteed hours are, what they are demanding is against the law. Your place of business is their home. If they aren’t in their home, they are on the hook for paying you. If you did not agree to traveling with the Family, they cannot force you to.

[Anonymous]

You were the fool. Before working these hours you should have amended your contract. As for the vacation, that would make me quit on the spot because they will not keep social distance. I would count up the extra hours, present them with a bill. If they don't pay then I would take legal action.

[Anonymous]

Never, ever work extra hours without being paid. Ever.

[Anonymous]

OP in all seriousness what would they do if you didn't show up tomorrow? Cuz honey this might be one of those times.......

[Anonymous]

Find another position now and quit. Your employers aren’t good people.

[Anonymous]

I am surprised how much you do besides take care of the kids. Teaching, shopping, laundry, taking care of them. Honestly it is lots of work. I hope they are paying you pretty well. Anyways you should start looking a new position with younger babies which willrequirere less work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised how much you do besides take care of the kids. Teaching, shopping, laundry, taking care of them. Honestly it is lots of work. I hope they are paying you pretty well. Anyways you should start looking a new position with younger babies which willrequirere less work.

Huh? all those things are about taking care of kids. I hope you don't have your own kids as there is a lot more than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You were the fool. Before working these hours you should have amended your contract. As for the vacation, that would make me quit on the spot because they will not keep social distance. I would count up the extra hours, present them with a bill. If they don't pay then I would take legal action.

OP hasn't gone on vacation with them yet. What are you talking about with the first part?
You're so quick to be mean that your post doesn't make sense. Take a pause, friend. <3

[Anonymous]

That's nuts. They are spending time with a bunch of family and none of them could pitch in to help?! Find a new job, op and don't look back, even when they beg you (because that will happen) to stick around and offer to pay during the week they're away.

I always include guaranteed hours in my contract and examples (e.g. during the family's vacation, sick days etc). You sound like an awesome nanny and I hope you find a new gig and soon!

[Anonymous]

Why were you working 60 hours a week? Our nanny used to work over 40 hours a week and that's because we had our 40 hour work week PLUS our commutes. Now we have no commute and the hours dropped.

[Anonymous]

Nannying is childcare. Housekeeping is cleaning/laundrey. Shopping is a chore for mom and dad to do. These are all separate jobs that need to be compensated. What next, mowing the lawn??

[Anonymous]

^I agree w/the above.

Nanny duties should include caring for a child or children only.

Not working as a cook, laundress, housekeeper or personal assistant.

[Anonymous]

Wow. Go find another family with smaller kids and no housework/grocery shopping. We have a nanny now who is our former preschool teacher (we had a different nanny when my oldest was a baby). I don't even ask her to do kids laundry since there is a 1 year old and a 4 year old and she's with them all day, teaching, playing, feeding (reheats what I make) and outside time.