Nanny venting on lice situation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here..I started getting annoyed because it wasn t just the infested children I had to deal with stripping beds..doing 3 loads of laundry..bagging stuff animals...while children screamed and misbehave..bathed and then shampoo hair..Trying to settle them while I painstakingly comb out nits..
What do you think happened when the parent came home..NOTHING...all that was left to do I told them was vacuum..I came in th e next day and it was not done...

I do get aggravated when I hear nannies say they do all those things to make mb's/db life better because they work and come home and care for their kids..Those of us who have families also go to work and work longer hours because we're on the job before they leave for work and after they're home..We also have husbands and children to care for after we enter our door..Some of don't go home a nd put our feet up like our work is done..

After I left their home where they had nothing left really to do to espouse their house I had the task of going home and doing t he same to mine. That night I finished my cleaning at a almost 12...
Do you want to guest what my employers were doing at that time..Sleeping..She said they were asleep about 9

Any guesses why I'm passed...

It sounds like you have trouble managing the children you care for, even under ordinary circumstances. It also sounds like you had a bad day, with more on your plate than usual. EVERYONE, regardless of job type, has had days like that. We deal with it, and we deal with being extra tired and feeling extra put upon once in a while.

If a full time nanny job with all the inherent stresses of working with kids is too much for you in view of your family obligations, you need to find part-time work or a new career. The fact that you're tired and had to clean your own house after work does not warrant your bosses taking time off to delouse their own kids. Yes, if they found out early enough to buy the supplies and do the initial shampoo the night before, they should have done that. But no, they should not have taken time off from work to spare you the exposure or extra hassle of dealing with lice when they employ you specifically to nanny--not just babysit--their kids. And yes, when it comes to lice, caring for the children means bagging up the stuffed animals and couch cushions in addition to combing out nits.

Funny how some of the nannies on here insist they are primary caregivers yet balk at any aspect of childcare that goes beyond simply "watching" the children. This is a perfect example of something that separates the true nannies from the babysitters.

[Anonymous]

This is neither here nor there, but I remember being told in my camp counselor days that blowdrying one's hair is a good way to prevent lice. Supposedly the high heat kills the bugs. Maybe the pediatrician on this thread can weigh in on that as a strategy for preventing spread to the adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To 19:01- I guess you didn't read the OP's entire posts-she was left to do everything including the delousing of more than one child's head as well as disinfecting the house and all that that entails. I'm glad you had such a positive experience with lice but as a nanny and preschool teacher mine have not been as encouraging. The worst was several years back when one child who's parents had done everything recommended kept getting reinfected because another child's parents continued to send their child to school without properly addressing the situation. Being a nanny is a job and of course that comes with responsibilities but those responsibilities do not go to the ends of the Earth. Choosing to be a parent is much different-those responsibilities go far beyond and there is only so much you can outsource and throw money at. Again, OP's employers
were incredibly selfish and disrespectful in how they handled this situation.

7:01 again.

I do think that asking the nanny to do all that was overkill. But only because, personally, for a first case, I think the bagging and vacuuming is overkill. But, I still think it was reasonable t ask the OP to wash the sheets and shampoo the hair (again, assuming they had no knowledge the night before) I mainly responded initially because of all the hyperbole about this "extremely infectious illness" and concerns about spouses missing work, comparing it to Strep, etc etc.

These parents may be awful in general. I don't really know. And that may be coloring this nanny's impression of this task as well. But, given the facts we have, I think her few reasonable complaints are lost in a sea of hyperbole and unreasonableness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here..I started getting annoyed because it wasn t just the infested children I had to deal with stripping beds..doing 3 loads of laundry..bagging stuff animals...while children screamed and misbehave..bathed and then shampoo hair..Trying to settle them while I painstakingly comb out nits..
What do you think happened when the parent came home..NOTHING...all that was left to do I told them was vacuum..I came in th e next day and it was not done...

I do get aggravated when I hear nannies say they do all those things to make mb's/db life better because they work and come home and care for their kids..Those of us who have families also go to work and work longer hours because we're on the job before they leave for work and after they're home..We also have husbands and children to care for after we enter our door..Some of don't go home a nd put our feet up like our work is done..

After I left their home where they had nothing left really to do to espouse their house I had the task of going home and doing t he same to mine. That night I finished my cleaning at a almost 12...
Do you want to guest what my employers were doing at that time..Sleeping..She said they were asleep about 9

Any guesses why I'm passed...

It sounds like you have trouble managing the children you care for, even under ordinary circumstances. It also sounds like you had a bad day, with more on your plate than usual. EVERYONE, regardless of job type, has had days like that. We deal with it, and we deal with being extra tired and feeling extra put upon once in a while.

If a full time nanny job with all the inherent stresses of working with kids is too much for you in view of your family obligations, you need to find part-time work or a new career. The fact that you're tired and had to clean your own house after work does not warrant your bosses taking time off to delouse their own kids. Yes, if they found out early enough to buy the supplies and do the initial shampoo the night before, they should have done that. But no, they should not have taken time off from work to spare you the exposure or extra hassle of dealing with lice when they employ you specifically to nanny--not just babysit--their kids. And yes, when it comes to lice, caring for the children means bagging up the stuffed animals and couch cushions in addition to combing out nits.

Funny how some of the nannies on here insist they are primary caregivers yet balk at any aspect of childcare that goes beyond simply "watching" the children. This is a perfect example of something that separates the true nannies from the babysitters.

+1. I think OP needs to find a new family, or a new line of work. It sounds like this family is too much for her to handle to begin with.

[Anonymous]

The reason this family is too much for the nanny to handle is because they have no regard for anyone but themselves. Nannies are adults and they can decide for themselves if they wish to expose their family to lice (unless lice control and duty is expressly in detail in the contract). When nannies declare they are primary caregivers, they are told they are not. Time to for some MBs to put their money where their mouths are.

[Anonymous]

By the way, a true nanny is not someone who will be shit on for $15 an hour. The real focus in this particular discussion should be what a true parent is.

[Anonymous]

Nanny here, going thru it now. I'm doing the brunt of laundry, but all adults (me & both parents) are nit picking. It sucks, but you might as well pull together and help get rid of the little buggers! I wish when it's finally over they throw a hundred dollar thank you my way, but they won't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nanny here, going thru it now. I'm doing the brunt of laundry, but all adults (me & both parents) are nit picking. It sucks, but you might as well pull together and help get rid of the little buggers! I wish when it's finally over they throw a hundred dollar thank you my way, but they won't.

Glad you all are handling it as a team. Wish OP's family had done the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason this family is too much for the nanny to handle is because they have no regard for anyone but themselves. Nannies are adults and they can decide for themselves if they wish to expose their family to lice (unless lice control and duty is expressly in detail in the contract). When nannies declare they are primary caregivers, they are told they are not. Time to for some MBs to put their money where their mouths are.

Ha, ha! Excellent post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason this family is too much for the nanny to handle is because they have no regard for anyone but themselves. Nannies are adults and they can decide for themselves if they wish to expose their family to lice (unless lice control and duty is expressly in detail in the contract). When nannies declare they are primary caregivers, they are told they are not. Time to for some MBs to put their money where their mouths are.

We only have the nanny's story to go on here, but her present job is not a good fit for her. Yes, the parents should have been more supportive, but when you read her posts, she is overwhelmed by this job. It isn't the right job for her. She can complain all she wants, but until she addresses the issue, nothing will change.

[Anonymous]

Some of the "nannies" that post here are annoying. Lice isn't an illness, it's just a pain the butt to get rid off. Even if it was an illness, parents hire nannies so that they have childcare coverage when their child is sick. I'll never understand the nannies who say they don't work with sick children. That is part of the job.

And OP- no offense, but it doesn't sound like you are as good of a nanny that you think you are. If you can't control the children while you are on duty, something is wrong (unless they have special needs). I care for toddler triplets who are extremely busy and I can still manage to get meals cooked/prepared, laundry done, sheets changed twice a week, toys sanitized, etc… I do at least 1 if not 2 loads of laundry per day, so your whining about 3 loads of laundry is annoying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of the "nannies" that post here are annoying. Lice isn't an illness, it's just a pain the butt to get rid off. Even if it was an illness, parents hire nannies so that they have childcare coverage when their child is sick. I'll never understand the nannies who say they don't work with sick children. That is part of the job.

And OP- no offense, but it doesn't sound like you are as good of a nanny that you think you are. If you can't control the children while you are on duty, something is wrong (unless they have special needs). I care for toddler triplets who are extremely busy and I can still manage to get meals cooked/prepared, laundry done, sheets changed twice a week, toys sanitized, etc… I do at least 1 if not 2 loads of laundry per day, so your whining about 3 loads of laundry is annoying.

Please describe a bit what the parents are like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lice isn't an illness. It's not highly contagious. It's annoying and takes some work to eradicate. But let's stop with the hyperbole.

By the time your average kid is diagnosed, they have had the lice for two weeks. So the odds of your catching it in the period of time between being diagnosed and using the shampoo to kill live lice is pretty much zero. The AAP doesnt even recommend sending kids home from school.

I'm a pediatrician. I've diagnosed lice. My 15 year old had lice twice in elementary school. My husband and I never caught lice. We did the shampooing and combing, but our younger daughters nanny didn't get lice either.

/if/ the parents knew the night before, they should have at least done the initial shampoo. (The OP still hasn't clarified the timeline) but, seriously, this is not bubonic plague or even strep throat. It's a minor annoyance.

What OP's family did is disgraceful and I wouldn't blame her if she quit on the spot. I'm also having a hard time believing you are a pediatrician. So let me ask you this-if you stand by your original statement, am I correct in assuming you would have no problem with another parent showing up at your house for a playdate with their child's head full of lice without telling you first. Can I also assume that you would have no problem with another parent sending their child to school with your child with full knowledge that they have lice? Please answer with explanation.

Im not sure why you doubt I'm a pediatrician, since my views are pretty much exactly those of the most recent AAP policy statement, found here:
(except for the fact that this paper estimates the average child has had lice for a full month before diagnosis)

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/126/2/392.full?sid=e0db2bd1-55fd-4e64-af14-61cb3ba42684

I said in my first post, I'd expect the parents to do a shampoo treatment the first afternoon after diagnosis. I'd have no problem having a child over for a playdate or back to school after a shampoo treatment. I'd have no problem with a child remaining at school. I might cut a playdate short if I dissevered live lice on either child, but only because girls playing one on one are more likely to touch their heads together. I'd have zero concern about the child transmitting lice to me, however, or infecting my house.

When we discovered lice, we only did the two shampoos, nit combing, and washing the sheets and pillowcases. Bagging and vacuuming all the stuffed animals and furniture is usually overkill, but I could see doing in for a recurrent case.

So, yes, I stand by what I said. If the parents were just informed that afternoon about the lice, it seems entirely appropriate to ask the nanny to wash the sheets and do a shampoo after school. If the parents knew the night before, it wasn't reasonable to wait a whole day for the initial treatment. And considering staying out of work because of a case of lice is over the top, as is doing any sort of treatment or cleaning in your house if you yourself don't have any signs of lice.

Wow....I would be so pissed if you had my kids over within a week or so and not being told. It may not be an illness but it dies easily spread and who wants to deal with it if they do not have to. As a parent, I would stay home when possible and give my nanny the day off if she did not want to help deal with it. Same for colds. It does not help us if she gets sick after we get sick. I have also worked as a babysitter/nanny. No way would I deal with lice. I have long curly hair that I am not risking. Any other time, I happily cooked, cleaned and did many things not asked of me because I knew iit would get me another call again.

You are exposed to everything under the sun and that is the professional risk you take. Not everyone is ok with that. Today I am sick. My husband took off to care for me and our kids. I will scrub the house down and wash all bedding before she returns. Better for us to miss two days or work than her missing a week and being sick. You may not have that luxury to take off but many of us do. We care for our nanny who goes above and beyond .... A little consideration goes a long way.

[Anonymous]

OP here..I started getting annoyed because it wasn t just the infested children I had to deal with stripping beds..doing 3 loads of laundry..bagging stuff animals...while children screamed and misbehave..bathed and then shampoo hair..Trying to settle them while I painstakingly comb out nits..
What do you think happened when the parent came home..NOTHING...all that was left to do I told them was vacuum..I came in th e next day and it was not done...

I do get aggravated when I hear nannies say they do all those things to make mb's/db life better because they work and come home and care for their kids..Those of us who have families also go to work and work longer hours because we're on the job before they leave for work and after they're home..We also have husbands and children to care for after we enter our door..Some of don't go home a nd put our feet up like our work is done..

After I left their home where they had nothing left really to do to espouse their house I had the task of going home and doing t he same to mine. That night I finished my cleaning at a almost 12...
Do you want to guest what my employers were doing at that time..Sleeping..She said they were asleep about 9

Any guesses why I'm passed...

And this is where I call troll. Or stupid.

You work part time and apparently don't want to do childcare. You whine and whine about nothing and have nothing but resentment for your employers.

Please. Get a new job that doesn't require childcare. You are tiresome.

[Anonymous]

OP answering as many questions as possible..
1..The parents on the whole are Great and I do like them. Db is better than mb... I do extra chores like clean refrigerator when youngest is sleeping..Take garbage out if db forgets and kitchen doesn't smell too good..wash their sheets cleaners leave in laundry room after I do my charges laundry..Twice I shoveled snow in the driveway because db was away to help mb..I combined playing in the snow and shoveling with the kids..I always clean up whatever mess is left from mornings rush off.

2..I take offense at people questioning how experienced I am at my job..You would be amazed at the change in the oldest since I started there....At 2 she was like the adult and what she wanted goes..She demanded and the parents thought it was easier to just give in..I changed her into someone who now ask politely ..Now what I can't seem to fix is the fighting and running around..The parents while on board for tantrums and rude behavior do not follow through on time out for fighting because "siblings always fight"..I hate this part of the job when you know differently but have to stand back allow certain crap parents with no clue wants..With the running around the parents smile..I grind my teeth and look at the clock because even though they hardly run around for me they do so as soon as I leave the room...
WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST ..YOU CAN'T GIVE TIME OUT OR ANY FORM OF DISCIPLINE FOR THINGS PARENTS ALLOW...it's not fair to the children
I can give warnings or separate them but what does that accomplish when par e n t s walk through the door and undo every DAMN thing you do,
My dba once said to my daughter it's so cute when my charge throws a tantrum (she was 2) ...I thought let's see how he will like it when she's 16 and slamming doors and yelling...well it happened sooner..8 months later he could not stand it..
All I was asking for was the opportunity to decide whether I wanted this huge undertaking of delousing kids and home thrown at me..I don't get paid if I don't work...I was docked 1 hour PAY because of medical app.
After that day I realize I will do my job to the best of my ability but I don't owe this family squat...and delousing is alot to take on even for a family who's better than mine...Just like the extras I do I want the opportunity to decide what I chores I want to take on..
(Look at my previous post about job discription nowhere does it say and whatever else comes up)