Red flag? Overthinking? Interviewed nanny. Refused to follow house rules.

[Anonymous]

OP, I know this is an old post but so much of this could be avoided if you just let potential employee know this was a no-show household before she showed up.

You put her in a shitty situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My roommate is a Nanny to a sweet baby boy. Things she was asked at the interview and six months later, still working for the same family.

No shoes, no perfume,long hair must be tied up,bring a set of clothes to change once at work, change of socks, and please use gentle voice when talking to baby. I hear so many stories about this family and she's stuck at their house for nine hours with dear grandma and baby.

stuck at their house by choice, or no?

[Anonymous]

Stuck in the house with all family around? So sorry for her.

[Anonymous]

Stuck in the house with all family around? So sorry for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My roommate is a Nanny to a sweet baby boy. Things she was asked at the interview and six months later, still working for the same family.

No shoes, no perfume,long hair must be tied up,bring a set of clothes to change once at work, change of socks, and please use gentle voice when talking to baby. I hear so many stories about this family and she's stuck at their house for nine hours with dear grandma and baby.

stuck at their house by choice, or no?

Good news. My roommate finally gave the family two weeks notice. She worked two days this week because the family was traveling and they cut her pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had an interview with a nanny who is perfect on paper. Lots of experience, great references, a degree in education etc. We’re in the process of hiring her but wanted her to meet the kids.

We invited her to the house to meet the kids and to confirm a start date. We have a no-shoes rule in our home. I feel like most households have the same rule, especially with COVID.

She (politely, I’ll admit) refused to remove her shoes. It felt strange to have a potential employee refuse to follow our house rules the first time she visited our home. I was a bit shaken and I guess she could tell so she said she didn’t feel comfortable being barefoot (she was wearing flats without socks) but in the future she would wear socks. Maybe she didn’t have a pedicure but we’re not the type to judge (I haven’t had a pedicure in years). I just felt like it was a little disrespectful. It told me her personal comfort was more important to her than our values & personal safe & health.

DH thinks I’m overthinking it but I’m a big believer in trusting my gut. I’d never ever refuse a future employers request. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done something I don’t like when I first start a job. It shows your flexible and value your coworkers and employers comfort not just your own.

I’m also pregnant so could all be hormones but I’m still so bothered and seriously considering continuing the search.

I know this is an old post but relevant for any interview.
Please let people know if you are a no shoe household before coming so they can wear socks or brinbg indoor shoes with them.
I always remove my shoes whether asked or not, as this is what we do in our home BUT, I would never expect anyone to go barefoot and as much as the OP expects shoeless, I expect you to provide covers for my barefeet.
I have seen the word control written here? Employers don't have a right to control anyone, they have a right to have rules that are clear and known, so there is an agreement to follow......or not.
More and more, I see nannies having to be subservient to be acceptable to employers. This will never work and is not the basis for a good long term relationship.
Nannies are people who are in your home that you didn't fall in love with, you don't live like that with your husband and he would not tolerate it (or wife) and nannies won't either.
Go barefoot in a home I don't know.....HELL NO!

[Anonymous]

If the house rules are no shoes in the house, everyone should be following them - parents, kids and the nanny.

It would be a control issue if only the nanny is required to take off her shoes but no one else is.

Just like there are dress codes in certain jobs (uniforms, suits, etc.), this is just one of the possible expectations as the job of the nanny.

[Anonymous]

We are a no shoe household so we always have slippers to offer to guests. Lots of households are no shoe households.

[Anonymous]

I can't imagine asking others to take their shoes off without offering a fresh pair of socks or slippers. We have dozens of them ready to offer those who come to our shoe-less home.