18:46 again. Sorry if I conveyed some sort of attitude, I didn't mean to! I just felt your response was more judgmental than helpful. And I put in my personal opinion that as a nanny, I have never expected that a family would keep me on if they didn't need me or felt it was a financial stretch to keep me. To me it's the same as any other job that always has the possibility of a lay off when it's convenient for the employer. I would love it, of course, if my employer did everything possible to keep me on, but I wouldn't expect it.

Anyways, that's all I meant, sorry if I came off the wrong way.

And good luck, OP!

Why do you have a nanny when you obviously can't afford the LUXURY of one?

If you do lay her off, are you going to give her a severance (you should!)? It makes more sense for you to skimp on dinners out, and exotic vacations and keep your nanny for the probable short shut down. Your unemployment tax will go up, and your next nanny will cost you more.

But again...can you really afford the service of a nanny? It really sounds like you can't. It's okay. You don't have to play the game of keeping up with your wealthy neighbors. Trade in your nanny and your leased Lexus for something within your means.

What a ridiculously stupid response. Are you trolling? Do you even know what a shutdown is?

Obviously, OP can afford her nanny. If the government shuts down, OP and her spouse are effectively laid off until Congress gets its act together. She won't get any "severance" or any emergency funds. She won't need a nanny because she can't work. Everyone suffers the effects of this, including the nanny. This isn't OP's fault. OP clearly doesn't want to be in this situation. This is Congress's fault. Specifically, the Tea Party Republicans.

The best thing OP can do is warn her nanny and let the nanny decide if she can wait out the period of unemployment. If she can, she will. If not, she will move on.

PP- maybe a nanny would most work for OP's situation, but does it mean they can afford one. Employing a HUMAN, you should allow for these types of situations. If you cannot, you can't afford a nanny!

The best situation for my current diet is that I need a private chef and personal trainer- that would work best for me. Guess what PP, I can't afford that so I will stick to going to Golds Gym and ordering from Chipotle (hold the guacamole and sour cream)- BECAUSE that's what I can afford! Even if I loose my job for a few months, I am a responsible adult and have saved 8 months of expenses.

I'm kind of sick of hearing of these idiot parents who believe it is their inalienable right to have a nanny. There are other cheaper options out there. If you can't afford that- don't freakin have kids!!! You can't afford them.

Nanny care is a luxury. Obviously OP can't handle the luxury expense. PP, get over yourself!

Anonymous wrote:Why do you have a nanny when you obviously can't afford the LUXURY of one?

If you do lay her off, are you going to give her a severance (you should!)? It makes more sense for you to skimp on dinners out, and exotic vacations and keep your nanny for the probable short shut down. Your unemployment tax will go up, and your next nanny will cost you more.

But again...can you really afford the service of a nanny? It really sounds like you can't. It's okay. You don't have to play the game of keeping up with your wealthy neighbors. Trade in your nanny and your leased Lexus for something within your means.

That's offensive and not helpful at all. Maybe they aren't uber wealthy, but employing a nanny worked for their family better than daycare and obviously they can afford to pay her in their current situation. Can you only employ a nanny if you can pay them with or without a steady income? Because if so, the market for nannies wouldn't be so great! I'm a nanny and I view my job security only as strong as the jobs of MB and DB. If they were to be laid off I would be worried for my own financial stability, but I would understand that they would need to let me go.

OP, I would just be honest with her if you think that there is a strong likelihood that you will need to let her go. Explain to her that you would love to hire her back when you're employed again but understand that she may have to look for a replacement job and offer to give her a good reference. If you can do severance pay that would be wonderful.

Why do you have a nanny when you obviously can't afford the LUXURY of one?

If you do lay her off, are you going to give her a severance (you should!)? It makes more sense for you to skimp on dinners out, and exotic vacations and keep your nanny for the probable short shut down. Your unemployment tax will go up, and your next nanny will cost you more.

But again...can you really afford the service of a nanny? It really sounds like you can't. It's okay. You don't have to play the game of keeping up with your wealthy neighbors. Trade in your nanny and your leased Lexus for something within your means.

Anonymous wrote:
Maybe one of the parents can remain as primary caregiver?

Can/will you or your spouse make this real sacrifice, OP? If so, let the nanny go. If not, find another way to cut expenses.

It's a government shutdown. If it happens, the parents will not be able to work if they are not essential. Even if they are essential, they will not be paid until the shutdown is over. They will not need childcare and should let the nanny go.

Do you not understand what a shutdown is?

Anonymous wrote:Maybe one of the parents can remain as primary caregiver?

Can/will you or your spouse make this real sacrifice, OP? If so, let the nanny go. If not, find another way to cut expenses.

Anonymous wrote:You have no choice, if there's no money coming in she doesn't have a job either. Tell her ASAP.

I take that back. The strike may not even happen and if it does it could only last only a short while. Keep her on, even if you're at home with her. I would give it a time limit, if you're not back at work within x amount of time, then you can't afford to keep paying the nanny and need to let her go.

Maybe one of the parents can remain as primary caregiver?

You have no choice, if there's no money coming in she doesn't have a job either. Tell her ASAP.

Anonymous wrote:Both DH and I are federal employees, who won't be paid or need child care during the shutdown. We have some limited savings, but obviously this s not a good situation for us. How should we approach this with our nanny? What are other people doing?

Whats a shutdown?

Tell her today, OP. She needs to plan accordingly.

You might not have any other choice but to lay her off. You can explain it could be temporary and you'd like to hire her back when it's over, but you should be prepared for her to seek new work.

A shutdown is a serious thing and you need to look after your family and savings. If you don't need and can't pay for your nanny, let her go.

Can you or your husband look for some temp work to keep the nanny on? Or I'd guess she'd need to seek other employment.

Both DH and I are federal employees, who won't be paid or need child care during the shutdown. We have some limited savings, but obviously this s not a good situation for us. How should we approach this with our nanny? What are other people doing?