Napping Nanny

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:00:07 here. I definitely agree the nanny relationship is not like other professional relationships and we also definitely want our nanny to be comfortable in our home in many ways. But my view is that there have to be some professional lines. To the MBs to try to treat their nannies like family, would you also encourage your nanny to have friends over to your house to hang out? Not a playdate, just a bunch of her friends. How about on a Saturday night when you are out of town? Borrow your expensive jewelry?

That's neither here nor there though. Mostly, I can't figure out why any adult would be encouraged to nap for two hours during the day every day or why I would have to specify that it is not acceptable to do that on the job. If your nanny is sick or had a tough night or something, well we all have days like that and I don't think it's a big deal. But if my nanny was napping every day for two hours, I'd encourage her to go to the doctor and figure out why she can't make it through the day without a nap. Part of being a professional is showing up to your job well rested and ready to be on. If the baby has a tough day and refuses to nap, and your nanny doesn't get her nap, does that mean she's phoning it in for the rest of the day?

I don't think anyone is talking about nannies taking a 2 hour nap every day, are they? I think everyone agrees with your "once in a while" standard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My MB's would rather me be "unprofessional" and get that quick recharge so I can be the best that I can be in the afternoon for the rest of the day, than not take a quick power nap and still feel a lower energy for the rest of the day and not be performing at my full potential. I only do it when I really need to, but if that means I am not professional, so that I can be my best later on, then so be it. I am not doing it for myself, I don't mind being more tired, I am doing it for my charge so they get the best me possible.

It is this kind of manipulative response that magnifies exactly why people think nannies are over entitled for what they are paid and what they are worth. Everyone could use ample downtime (Especially to the tune of a 2-3 hour nap their charge might take) to be at their best the rest of the day. If it's in service of your charge, well, that's all the more important because a nanny who hasn't enjoyed enough downtime cannot possibly expect the best care. The best care, according to you, requires indulging your deep need for your unprofessional energy raising power nap.

Crazy.

Of course you aren't doing for yourself. Except that you absolutely are.

I think doing something like this once every few months for about 30 minutes in the afternoon is totally acceptable if you employer has said it was ok. Mine has actually TOLD me to do that when she saw that I was not feeling the greatest. She told me to take as long as needed, but I find that 30-45 minutes tops is usually all that is necessary. Again, I wouldn't ever be the one to suggest doing this, I would never assume that it was ok and to nap for 2-3 hours at a time.

Get over yourself, I doubt that you are super nanny every single day even when you are sick. I know many people that get ample downtime at work, and many while actually working are still getting "rest" if they are sitting in one spot. I am not asking for any of that, I am doing what my MB has said to be an available option as she knows that her 2 yr old is a major drain of energy and working 10 hours a day is a LONG day with her. She tells me that she frequently needs to take a nap on the weekends when her DD does, so she is actually amazed that I don't need to more often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

All those nannies saying they should be paid $25/hour for how hard their job is and that nannies aren't taken seriously as a profession? If you really want to be in that elite group of nanny that is hired by people with personal chefs and paying their nannies $25/hour, you're not going to be asking about having a friend tag along and whether you can take naps during work hours. All that stuff is simply NOT professional. It may be fine with your MB; or possibly, she's agreeing because she feels awkward saying no and mentally thanking her lucky stars she's only paying you an average rate for all the ways in which you're adding little stresses to her life.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

All those nannies saying they should be paid $25/hour for how hard their job is and that nannies aren't taken seriously as a profession? If you really want to be in that elite group of nanny that is hired by people with personal chefs and paying their nannies $25/hour, you're not going to be asking about having a friend tag along and whether you can take naps during work hours. All that stuff is simply NOT professional. It may be fine with your MB; or possibly, she's agreeing because she feels awkward saying no and mentally thanking her lucky stars she's only paying you an average rate for all the ways in which you're adding little stresses to her life.

+1000

True. They want it both ways.

[Anonymous]

Any person can go sleep in their car on their break. Some go home and rest if they have an hour. Some take a nap in the office. Big deal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:clearly you haven't spent too many full days with your baby..otherwise you would know how one needs that nap

Well that's BS. I'm a SAHM of a 7 month old and I don't nap at all. That said, I think you are being silly OP. Although I don't blame you for asking

Well good for you. I have only read about those babies sleeping 7-7. Mine slept 10-6.30 or 7 and the rest was napping. So if I wanted at least an hour of me time after his bedtime I did not get enough sleep. And it was more like 2 hours after his bedtime.

[Anonymous]

I nap every single day during my charge's (baby) morning nap. He naps 830ish-1030ish and I nap from 9-10. Some days I nap during his afternoon nap as well. I don't really care what anyone else thinks about it, but without at least one nap a day (@an hour, even on weekends), I can't function. I was in a major car accident followed by a minor one 13 days later several years ago and as such I don't sleep well- waking often, stiff, in pain, etc. A power nap during te day is how I'm able to overcome bad nights sleeping.
I know napping nannies is a hot button on here, but I wanted to toss in my two cents.
Oh, and before anyone assumes, I am able to keep up with my charge and my "housework" as I call it just fine. Aside from sleeping issues I'm a very active person/nanny

[Anonymous]

There are many things that can disrupt a persons sleep even if they attempt to go to bed and get at least 8 hours of rest. I have sleep apnea, so sometimes I sleep pretty good, sometimes I think I have slept through the whole night but have awoken so many times with my sleep apnea, that I didn't get any real sleep at all. I also suffer from insomnia, or waking up after having been asleep and not being able to get back to sleep.

So as someone dealing with a child all day long, I know that sometimes I do have to take a nap to recharge. There is nothing wrong with that. I will not have another MB or a nanny tell me that I should learn to go to bed at a decent hour so I can get a full nights sleep.

Yes, I am typing this at almost 3am, it was a night that I spent laying in bed wide awake for 2 hours after taking some melatonin and drinking some herbal sleepy tea. Still can't get to sleep. Hoping that doing something for a bit and then trying again will let me have some success with it in a little while.

[Anonymous]

I napped all the time when my charge did during my last months at that job as I was pregnant and drop dead exhausted all the time. Not saying it was right, but it was the only way I could survive those months.

[Anonymous]

Yeah as if professional workers in offices aren't playing on facebook, gossiping at a co-worker's cubicles, and doing other sorts of time wasting things on the clock even though they get an hour off for lunch every day...I've worked in enough offices to know that this is very typical and they get to sit most of the day. Nannies do have these luxuries, so it is comparing apples and oranges to say it just like any other job.

[Anonymous]

Just about to take a nap! Ill reply after I wake up!