Lunch break

[Anonymous]

What is standard/reasonable amount of time for lunch break? Typically when baby is napping, if my partner or I are working from home that day, the nanny will step out, and I'm wondering how long is standard for a nanny to be away and if I should suggest/ask that she come back after a specific amount o time.

[Anonymous]

I have never heard that before. Nannies always take a break for lunch when they are able to do it with no specific time. Even when a baby is sleeping or kids are awake. I'm a nanny and in all my positions; I have never asked to leave the house to eat outside and come back. For a nanny a typical thing it's to bring her lunch and eat at work. I have never heard or know any of my nanny friends who does that. Even when parents are working from home.

My employers usually just get off from their set office at the house, make a quick sandwich, take it to the office or just get off to get a quick bite at the kitchen and go back to work. So if I want to feel more comfortable eatting my lunch, I just wait when kitchen is free and have take my lunch and have my nice break.

Why would you ask your nanny to leave the house and eat outside? I mean, that would be nice too. But no all nannies are rich to be buying food at a restaurant every single day.

[Anonymous]

I have offered our food and to stock what she likes and try to buy stuff to my best guess that she might eat. But I guess I figured she likes the fresh air (or hates our food or is too uncomfortable to give us a list). I hope she’s not doing it because she thinks she has to! I think she’s mostly grabbing a sandwich or something at a deli? Our other nanny always ate our stuff (and I never really noticed how long her break was bc she’s always there).

[Anonymous]

I’ve always brought my lunch or ate what my nanny family has. My boss always has coffee and fruit for me. My favorite. I eat when baby naps or with the baby. I’ve never left

[Anonymous]

It you’re home she probably thinks she can be gone for the entire nap? She might feel weird being in the house with you there while the baby is napping.

[Anonymous]

She must feel comfortable if you are all the time there; open space or kitchen and see her eat. So I guess even if you offer to grab something from fridge it's really uncomfortable for her; even prepare sometimes for herself. It's no the same when a nanny has 1 or 2 parents watching her all the time and does have even 30 min of privacy to relax and eat eat her lunch. Even watching what she is eating or what brought from her home.

Of course, everyone loves fresh air, but she wouldn't want to feel the pressure to leave the house only bcs parents wants to have their own privacy too for lunch and ask her to leave and come back. Poor girl.

[Anonymous]

what happens if the baby wakes up while nanny still out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what happens if the baby wakes up while nanny still out?

We will get the baby up sometimes, and/or call her to ask her to come back.

(In response to the others, we have never asked her to leave. But it does make some sense what people are saying that maybe she wants to give us or get privacy for herself as it’s a small apartment.)

[Anonymous]

So exactly how long is the nanny out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what happens if the baby wakes up while nanny still out?

We will get the baby up sometimes, and/or call her to ask her to come back.

(In response to the others, we have never asked her to leave. But it does make some sense what people are saying that maybe she wants to give us or get privacy for herself as it’s a small apartment.)

That’s ridiculous. She is a paid nanny, not your mom helping out. If she’s not willing to figure it out without ever taking time off that requires bothering you, plan a half hour legally mandated break. Anything more, sorries.

Frankly fire her asap and find someone else. The crazy nannies on this forum are going to put their whole profession out of business.

[Anonymous]

So, you mean this Nanny should be fired, just bcs she wouldn't like to take this time off out of the house? What if she doesn't feel like leaving the house and prefer bring her lunch and use the dinner table or counter to eat it? Fire her only because maybe she is too shy to ask this family give her some privacy at least of 20 min to have her lunch alone? And fired her because you meant she refuses to give these parents some privacy for lunch?

You saying "fire her asap" tells what kind of human you are. So sorry for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what happens if the baby wakes up while nanny still out?

We will get the baby up sometimes, and/or call her to ask her to come back.

(In response to the others, we have never asked her to leave. But it does make some sense what people are saying that maybe she wants to give us or get privacy for herself as it’s a small apartment.)

If you call her 15 min after she left, maybe she is still ordering her deli sandwich that you think she would get or she might still on her way. Or she must be having the second bite and then throw it into the trash; since would not be able to finish it because you wanted her to come back when baby is awaking. Needless to say how long she needs to walk to get her sandwich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what happens if the baby wakes up while nanny still out?

We will get the baby up sometimes, and/or call her to ask her to come back.

(In response to the others, we have never asked her to leave. But it does make some sense what people are saying that maybe she wants to give us or get privacy for herself as it’s a small apartment.)

That’s ridiculous. She is a paid nanny, not your mom helping out. If she’s not willing to figure it out without ever taking time off that requires bothering you, plan a half hour legally mandated break. Anything more, sorries.

Frankly fire her asap and find someone else. The crazy nannies on this forum are going to put their whole profession out of business.

Yeahhhh, good luck with this approach. Experienced nannies in this market still have the upper hand over entitled parents.

[Anonymous]

You are lucky to have found a Nanny willing to work in a small apt with parents wfh. I would suggest that you ask her to stay close when baby is happy as he’s been waking up, but if she’d like to go for a walk with baby when he wakes up to do that…. I’m
Guessing she feels weird sitting on your coach while you’re home and baby is asleep. Make it clear she is free to peruse her phone, watch TV or read a book with no judgement from you during that time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, you mean this Nanny should be fired, just bcs she wouldn't like to take this time off out of the house? What if she doesn't feel like leaving the house and prefer bring her lunch and use the dinner table or counter to eat it? Fire her only because maybe she is too shy to ask this family give her some privacy at least of 20 min to have her lunch alone? And fired her because you meant she refuses to give these parents some privacy for lunch?

You saying "fire her asap" tells what kind of human you are. So sorry for you.

No, I just work in the real world and not being at your desk because you feel weird about eating somewhere would have been unacceptable. She knew the setup of the apartment when she took the job. If she can’t deal with it they need to get rid of her before their employers get rid of them.