Reply to Tedious things your emploer complains about!`

Forum Index » General Discussion

Reply to "Tedious things your emploer complains about!`"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]In my many years of nannying I have been taken advantage of by nice, well meaning that I had a good relationship with.  It happens!  We pay out of pocket too much! In a job with little protection it can make us bitter and suspicious, hence very detailed contracts that include sick days, vacation days, gas coverage, guaranteed hours and pay, overtime pay, taxed pay, raises, reimbursement for child related expenses groceries, shopping, & dry-cleaning (receipts provided).  It's a lot for us to keep track of.   
  I'd say my pet peeves are when parents do not leave cash or a card to cover whatever it is they want me to pick up for them.  Being asked to do laundry and cLeaning then being told how to do it, I've been doing both professionally and personally or twenty years, if your that particular do it yourself.  Parents scheduling something everyday for children, it's too much.  Leaving me Sunday dinner dishes and three loads of laundry for Monday morning.  Asking me to worK all day and do a date night, but not ordering us a pizza for dinner.  There's lots of annoying things they do, but the worst is they don't realize how much I do for them.[/quote]

As an MB, I agree with a few of your irritations, but would offer the following for consideration:

1.  Paying out of pocket for things for the kids - just don't, or do, but bring receipts to the parents at the end of the day asking for reimbursement.  This is something that parents should be clear on upfront though.  For example, I've asked our nanny to bring along packed lunches or snacks when they go on activities rather than buying snacks while out.  If she then chooses not to or forgets, once in a while, I'm fine.  But if she was bringing me receipts every day of things she'd purchased for the kids without my asking for it, I would be irritated.  Make sure you are on the same page as the parents in terms of what they will reimburse you for, and if they have said they don't want you buying the kids stuff, don't.

2.  Being told how to do laundry - I get that you've been doing laundry for a long time, but surely you recognize that everyone has different preferences for how it should be done?  Different machines, different allergies, different clothes?  I've noticed this even between the ways my husband does laundry and my mom and myself.  Your MB is probably just making it clear how SHE wants the task done because she knows what works for her.  No need to take offense, just listen, note anything special, and move on.

3.  Scheduling something every day - is it possible they think they're helping you?  Sometimes I've scheduled things for the kids just so I know my nanny has something to do with them.  If you feel it's too much for the kids, talk to your employers.  If you feel it's too much for YOU, maybe it's not the right job match for you.

4.  Parents leaving dishes and laundry from the weekend - Not ok, and I've never done this to my nanny.  That said, I have found that it works both ways.  Wow, if I had a tough weekend and happened to leave some extra dishes and my nanny did them for me - I would be thrilled.  And I'd be more than happy to be fine if she left some mess a few times herself.  It's great when it works both ways.

5.  Working on a date night and not ordering a pizza - is there a reason you don't consider making dinner for the kids part of your duties?  My last sitter would do this - she would, without fail, even when she'd been sitting for us for along time always ask what we were getting for them for dinner before we left.  It was fine, but it meant that it was one more thing that *I* had to organize every time I went out.  Our next sitter makes plans for what she's going to feed the kids.  She'll come in and say "I was thinking about making spaghetti for the dinner, that ok?" or whatever we happened to have in the cupboard.  Awesome to have a sitter that takes that initiative.  [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics