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OP, if you are paying $15/hour now, and not getting the service you desire, you have 2 choices:
1) Pay more per hour, do more thorough screening, have a detailed job description and hire a more competent nanny, rather than a sitter. Then, empower your sitter to enforce the rules YOU and your DH set down. No homework done? No screen time. Not cleaning their rooms? Loss of a different goodie that your kids love.
2) keep hiring sitters for $15/hour or less, and keep complaining about what a poor job they do, and how you can't come home and relax for a few minutes without having to chase your kids around forcing them to do their chores.
1) Pay more per hour, do more thorough screening, have a detailed job description and hire a more competent nanny, rather than a sitter. Then, empower your sitter to enforce the rules YOU and your DH set down. No homework done? No screen time. Not cleaning their rooms? Loss of a different goodie that your kids love.
2) keep hiring sitters for $15/hour or less, and keep complaining about what a poor job they do, and how you can't come home and relax for a few minutes without having to chase your kids around forcing them to do their chores.
My employers offer me 15 days PTO. They expect that I, a fairly intelligent person, will know that it would be wise to "save up" some of my PTO to use as sick leave. If I choose not to act intelligently and plan ahead, that's on me.
If the issue is solely the money, then you need to talk to your nanny and explain that it would be very helpful if she were willing to look for temporary work while you are on leave, and that any temp work she finds is something you will work YOUR needs around.
IOW, if your nanny is willing to find a temp job, but that job is from 10 - 2 each day, you accept that, and schedule her hours with you around that work. And don't expect nanny to willingly work weekends, BTW.
If the issue is money AND your belief that you won't really need her help while you are on leave, you may want to consider if your picture of your needs is completely realistic. Many times after the birth of a second child, MB's have nanny work FT through their maternity leave simply to help them while they learn to balance the needs of 2 children.
IOW, if your nanny is willing to find a temp job, but that job is from 10 - 2 each day, you accept that, and schedule her hours with you around that work. And don't expect nanny to willingly work weekends, BTW.
If the issue is money AND your belief that you won't really need her help while you are on leave, you may want to consider if your picture of your needs is completely realistic. Many times after the birth of a second child, MB's have nanny work FT through their maternity leave simply to help them while they learn to balance the needs of 2 children.
Tell her that each non-emergency text you receive while you are off the clock will begin costing her $10 effective as of right now. Explain to her that the charge will be in effect whether you respond or not, and you will give her a bill each morning when you arrive at work so she can pay you for her texts before she leaves for work.
Or just block her after you leave work until 30 minutes before you are due to arrive the next day.
Or just block her after you leave work until 30 minutes before you are due to arrive the next day.
Is the organizing and tidying you are doing part of your contracted responsibilities? If so, perhaps something along the lines if, "MB, I have been doing my best to keep XYZ tidy. Is that something you want me to continue to do, even when it takes time away from the kids playing and learning times with me?"
If it's not your responsibility, don't do it any more. Or, if the kids are old enough to help, have them assist you in redoing their areas after the tornado goes through.
If it's not your responsibility, don't do it any more. Or, if the kids are old enough to help, have them assist you in redoing their areas after the tornado goes through.
Family #1 needs to care for their own child, or hire a "sick child" nanny to care for the kid until the child is healthy enough for nanny care again.
PP, the poster was looking for a babysitter or a faux family daycare. People who babysit or provide daycare out of their homes are not nannies. They are...babysitters and family daycare providers.
Apples and oranges, for real.
Apples and oranges, for real.
OP, what you may want to look for is a "Nanny Manager" who can provide both care for your children when needed and who can capably offer household management services (laundry, errands, grocery shopping, being around for repairmen, whatever else you, as a single parent need a "spouse" to manage) while the kids are in school.
If you have the space to house a nanny manager, make the position live in, and give her her "on call" schedule as far in advance as possible. Yes, you will need to pay her to be available during those hours, but if you are already paying a reasonable hourly rate and have chosen to guarantee her 30 - 40 hours a week (Paid even when not needed), she isn't likely to demand OT or even straight time for the on-call work. She might be willing to take half-time pay to just be available.
It's not impossible, it can be done, you just need to find the right person to do the jobs you need done. And it doesn't have to cost you six figures, either!
If you have the space to house a nanny manager, make the position live in, and give her her "on call" schedule as far in advance as possible. Yes, you will need to pay her to be available during those hours, but if you are already paying a reasonable hourly rate and have chosen to guarantee her 30 - 40 hours a week (Paid even when not needed), she isn't likely to demand OT or even straight time for the on-call work. She might be willing to take half-time pay to just be available.
It's not impossible, it can be done, you just need to find the right person to do the jobs you need done. And it doesn't have to cost you six figures, either!
Tell the parents, as impartially as possible, the facts of what you have observed. Ask them to leave you out of any discussion with their nanny, and just say they were contacted by someone who knows their child and observed some troubling events.
Do NOT discuss this with the nanny in question. If she's really inclined to emotional abuse, she will blame the child for getting nanny "in trouble" and will make the child's life worse.
And if this nanny is hooked into the local nanny network, you need to be prepared to be blackballed.
Do NOT discuss this with the nanny in question. If she's really inclined to emotional abuse, she will blame the child for getting nanny "in trouble" and will make the child's life worse.
And if this nanny is hooked into the local nanny network, you need to be prepared to be blackballed.
Work with your children during the adjustment so that the new nanny isn't constantly hearing little voices telling her she's doing things "wrong" because that's not how previous nanny did it.
Have your kids come to you with their issues or concerns, and encourage them to accept that some things will be different and that's OK.
Have your kids come to you with their issues or concerns, and encourage them to accept that some things will be different and that's OK.
The test isn't time worked each week, the test is, does the employer MANAGE the person, does the employer provide all the tools needed to do the job, can the employee make her own schedule and set her own hours?
I'd consider doing half the raise when baby is born and the other half when you return to work, IF you will be getting enough paid leave to afford that.
If not, you can let nanny know a raise is coming when you return to work, and you can let her off a little early when possible while you are on maternity leave as a little bit of a bonus.
As far as $$ or %, it varies really widely, but I'd think $2/hour minimum is reasonable if you can afford it.
If not, you can let nanny know a raise is coming when you return to work, and you can let her off a little early when possible while you are on maternity leave as a little bit of a bonus.
As far as $$ or %, it varies really widely, but I'd think $2/hour minimum is reasonable if you can afford it.
Yeah, $20/hour **as a starting rate** is insane for a NWOC, and I am an advocate of that practice if the NF and the nanny can work out the details.
OP, are you saying above that your max budget is 35 hours x $15? If so, have you accounted for your share of nanny taxes and other costs, which generally add 10% to the nanny's gross wage?
I think if your max is $525/week gross, you may have some trouble finding someone with much nanny experience, unless your hours allow nanny to get a second nanny job. Just food for thought! You might, however, be able to find a daycare worker who wants to test out the nanny world.
OP, are you saying above that your max budget is 35 hours x $15? If so, have you accounted for your share of nanny taxes and other costs, which generally add 10% to the nanny's gross wage?
I think if your max is $525/week gross, you may have some trouble finding someone with much nanny experience, unless your hours allow nanny to get a second nanny job. Just food for thought! You might, however, be able to find a daycare worker who wants to test out the nanny world.
Really? A tax free food stipend? Taking the food issue from the mundane to the utterly ridiculous isn't helping anyone.
Make it clear to all candidates you interview that you reserve the right to use a nanny cam at any time for any reason. If candidates are not willing to accept that, they can tell you thanks for interviewing them, and good luck with your search.
Then, once you hire someone, make sure the nanny cam clause, as stated above, is in the contract that you both sign. After that, cam as you wish, when and where you wish. Make sure to follow any local/state recording laws.
Then, once you hire someone, make sure the nanny cam clause, as stated above, is in the contract that you both sign. After that, cam as you wish, when and where you wish. Make sure to follow any local/state recording laws.
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