Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP are you saying you would like to add to her job duties? Or that you feel these are her job duties? If you would like to expand on her duties then I would just let her know you need additional support and offer her a pay increase you feel is appropriate for those tasks. If you feel those tasks were part of your agreement AND you can point to them in the contract then talk to her about why they are not being done.

Finally, look at you overall compensation package. I know my MB pays me above average at $20. Consequently, I feel I should perform above average. Otherwise, she could pay someone $15 for the bare minimum of leaving the house as is. I don't do their laundry all the time or wash their dishes all the time or make any other household duty solely my job. I do however wash the coffee pot out and program it for the next morning, vacuum a couple times per week, wash small dishes left near the sink, write their grocery list and offer to run to the store once a week, throw in the laundry a couple times a month, etc. They don't need to pay me more to do that stuff because I am well paid. If they suggested making their household chore a major responsibility of mine then I would take issue with that.

I disagree, PP. I'm paid $20 an hour and I feel strongly that my added responsibilities and performing "above average" all involve childcare. My MB recently mentioned that she's like the baby to learn sign language - not a part of our contract - but I immediately purchased books and DVD's on baby sign language (paid out of my pocket) that I will master and teach the baby. Any free time that I have from my child-related chores, I use to engage and teach my charge. You move from three naps to one, from solitary playing to needing other children's company (playdates), from shaking a bottle of formula to making baby-food, etc.

Aside form the children's things - I leave the house as I found it. I wouldn't do general housework regardless of what the raise would be.

I disagree as well - I do my job 110% regardless of what I am being paid - and my job is the care, teaching and well-being of the children. If I was making $40 an hour, I wouldn't do general housework. Nanny jobs expand, shrink and change depending on the ages of the kids - but at no age does it involve washing the parents dishes or doing their laundry.

There are many ways to earn money as a domestic worker. Some nannies have advanced training in health and wellness, some are vegan gourmet chefs, others are nanny/housekeepers. No one has to do any particular chore but their duties should be agreed on up front. Perhaps PP does not have the skills you have and chooses to earn her pay in a different way. Perhaps her family has different needs, also. However, again, no one should be asked to do chores they did not sign up for when they were hired.

Which is what we are discussing here. OP, if it wasn't in your agreement from the start, I'm not sure why you're upset. If you'd like her to do these things for you, you need to come to the table with your request and an appropriate increase in competition. If what you really want is free housework, this nanny has made clear that she isn't that kind of nanny. My suggestion would be to appreciate that you have nanny that is actually good with your kids and doing her job, and learn to put your own dishes away.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP are you saying you would like to add to her job duties? Or that you feel these are her job duties? If you would like to expand on her duties then I would just let her know you need additional support and offer her a pay increase you feel is appropriate for those tasks. If you feel those tasks were part of your agreement AND you can point to them in the contract then talk to her about why they are not being done.

Finally, look at you overall compensation package. I know my MB pays me above average at $20. Consequently, I feel I should perform above average. Otherwise, she could pay someone $15 for the bare minimum of leaving the house as is. I don't do their laundry all the time or wash their dishes all the time or make any other household duty solely my job. I do however wash the coffee pot out and program it for the next morning, vacuum a couple times per week, wash small dishes left near the sink, write their grocery list and offer to run to the store once a week, throw in the laundry a couple times a month, etc. They don't need to pay me more to do that stuff because I am well paid. If they suggested making their household chore a major responsibility of mine then I would take issue with that.

I disagree, PP. I'm paid $20 an hour and I feel strongly that my added responsibilities and performing "above average" all involve childcare. My MB recently mentioned that she's like the baby to learn sign language - not a part of our contract - but I immediately purchased books and DVD's on baby sign language (paid out of my pocket) that I will master and teach the baby. Any free time that I have from my child-related chores, I use to engage and teach my charge. You move from three naps to one, from solitary playing to needing other children's company (playdates), from shaking a bottle of formula to making baby-food, etc.

Aside form the children's things - I leave the house as I found it. I wouldn't do general housework regardless of what the raise would be.

I disagree as well - I do my job 110% regardless of what I am being paid - and my job is the care, teaching and well-being of the children. If I was making $40 an hour, I wouldn't do general housework. Nanny jobs expand, shrink and change depending on the ages of the kids - but at no age does it involve washing the parents dishes or doing their laundry.

There are many ways to earn money as a domestic worker. Some nannies have advanced training in health and wellness, some are vegan gourmet chefs, others are nanny/housekeepers. No one has to do any particular chore but their duties should be agreed on up front. Perhaps PP does not have the skills you have and chooses to earn her pay in a different way. Perhaps her family has different needs, also. However, again, no one should be asked to do chores they did not sign up for when they were hired.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP are you saying you would like to add to her job duties? Or that you feel these are her job duties? If you would like to expand on her duties then I would just let her know you need additional support and offer her a pay increase you feel is appropriate for those tasks. If you feel those tasks were part of your agreement AND you can point to them in the contract then talk to her about why they are not being done.

Finally, look at you overall compensation package. I know my MB pays me above average at $20. Consequently, I feel I should perform above average. Otherwise, she could pay someone $15 for the bare minimum of leaving the house as is. I don't do their laundry all the time or wash their dishes all the time or make any other household duty solely my job. I do however wash the coffee pot out and program it for the next morning, vacuum a couple times per week, wash small dishes left near the sink, write their grocery list and offer to run to the store once a week, throw in the laundry a couple times a month, etc. They don't need to pay me more to do that stuff because I am well paid. If they suggested making their household chore a major responsibility of mine then I would take issue with that.

I disagree, PP. I'm paid $20 an hour and I feel strongly that my added responsibilities and performing "above average" all involve childcare. My MB recently mentioned that she's like the baby to learn sign language - not a part of our contract - but I immediately purchased books and DVD's on baby sign language (paid out of my pocket) that I will master and teach the baby. Any free time that I have from my child-related chores, I use to engage and teach my charge. You move from three naps to one, from solitary playing to needing other children's company (playdates), from shaking a bottle of formula to making baby-food, etc.

Aside form the children's things - I leave the house as I found it. I wouldn't do general housework regardless of what the raise would be.

I disagree as well - I do my job 110% regardless of what I am being paid - and my job is the care, teaching and well-being of the children. If I was making $40 an hour, I wouldn't do general housework. Nanny jobs expand, shrink and change depending on the ages of the kids - but at no age does it involve washing the parents dishes or doing their laundry.

Anonymous wrote:If it's so easy to move a coffee cup from the table to the dishwasher (and I agree, it is), ask yourself this: why can't you put your own coffee cup in the dishwasher when you're finished with it?

I can tell you why she won't move it. It's because things start out small; a coffee cup here, a dirty plate there, and then one Monday morning she's going to walk in the house to a full, dirty dishwasher and a sink full of weekend's dishes. And while you say you won't do that.....how does she really know?

100% agree with this! You shouldn't feel bugged at all. You should feel lucky that your nanny is doing HER job, and doing it well!

Anonymous wrote:OP are you saying you would like to add to her job duties? Or that you feel these are her job duties? If you would like to expand on her duties then I would just let her know you need additional support and offer her a pay increase you feel is appropriate for those tasks. If you feel those tasks were part of your agreement AND you can point to them in the contract then talk to her about why they are not being done.

Finally, look at you overall compensation package. I know my MB pays me above average at $20. Consequently, I feel I should perform above average. Otherwise, she could pay someone $15 for the bare minimum of leaving the house as is. I don't do their laundry all the time or wash their dishes all the time or make any other household duty solely my job. I do however wash the coffee pot out and program it for the next morning, vacuum a couple times per week, wash small dishes left near the sink, write their grocery list and offer to run to the store once a week, throw in the laundry a couple times a month, etc. They don't need to pay me more to do that stuff because I am well paid. If they suggested making their household chore a major responsibility of mine then I would take issue with that.

I disagree, PP. I'm paid $20 an hour and I feel strongly that my added responsibilities and performing "above average" all involve childcare. My MB recently mentioned that she's like the baby to learn sign language - not a part of our contract - but I immediately purchased books and DVD's on baby sign language (paid out of my pocket) that I will master and teach the baby. Any free time that I have from my child-related chores, I use to engage and teach my charge. You move from three naps to one, from solitary playing to needing other children's company (playdates), from shaking a bottle of formula to making baby-food, etc.

Aside form the children's things - I leave the house as I found it. I wouldn't do general housework regardless of what the raise would be.

OP are you saying you would like to add to her job duties? Or that you feel these are her job duties? If you would like to expand on her duties then I would just let her know you need additional support and offer her a pay increase you feel is appropriate for those tasks. If you feel those tasks were part of your agreement AND you can point to them in the contract then talk to her about why they are not being done.

Finally, look at you overall compensation package. I know my MB pays me above average at $20. Consequently, I feel I should perform above average. Otherwise, she could pay someone $15 for the bare minimum of leaving the house as is. I don't do their laundry all the time or wash their dishes all the time or make any other household duty solely my job. I do however wash the coffee pot out and program it for the next morning, vacuum a couple times per week, wash small dishes left near the sink, write their grocery list and offer to run to the store once a week, throw in the laundry a couple times a month, etc. They don't need to pay me more to do that stuff because I am well paid. If they suggested making their household chore a major responsibility of mine then I would take issue with that.

so you're bugged she is not going out of her way to add things to her workload that are completely unrelated to the tasks you hired her to do?

She is too busy chopping vegetables and blending all your homemade baby food.

Agree with others. You can feel whatever you like, but yes I think you're being silly. If the coffee cup not being in the sink bugs you, whose fault is that really? Maybe the person who left it out? If her job is to do baby laundry, why would she do yours if she doesn't want to? As someone who has been down the just trying to be helpful road, she sounds great at her job AND smart enough to avoid the job creep. Appreciate her for doing her job excellently, don't resent her for not doing what is not hers to do.

Search for "job creep" - while you are probably one of the good MBs, too many nannies have done such chores to be nice and it ended up growing into a permanent job responsibility. One coffee cup becomes clearing all breakfast dishes, washing one load of laundry becomes washing all the parents laundry, ironing it and putting it away.

MB here.

Yes, I think you are wrong to be bugged. She is a great nanny doing exactly the job you hired her for, and very well. Be thankful.

If it's so easy to move a coffee cup from the table to the dishwasher (and I agree, it is), ask yourself this: why can't you put your own coffee cup in the dishwasher when you're finished with it?

I can tell you why she won't move it. It's because things start out small; a coffee cup here, a dirty plate there, and then one Monday morning she's going to walk in the house to a full, dirty dishwasher and a sink full of weekend's dishes. And while you say you won't do that.....how does she really know?

I think so. I am a nanny and was hired for all childcare duties, nothing more. I'm not a housekeeper and I would be unhappy (and likely leave) if my family asked me to start house duties. I certainly would never do the family's laundry -- no offense to the nannies that are housekeepers as well, but I do not need to be looking at my bosses' underwear!

I don't think it's wrong to "feel" anything. I feel bugged that my nanny is 20 years older than me and is a size two with an ass you could crack walnuts on.

Your nanny is doing a great job at her job - and you are lucky - don't go looking for trouble.

I feel very fortunate that my daughter has a great nanny. She is well-educated, knows a great deal about childhood development, is kind, loving and funny with the baby, is never late and is kind of amazing about thinking up solutions to problems/issues we have encountered over the last year. She never seems to be in a bad mood and our child loves her. She does all child-related duties - including shopping for ingredients to make homemade baby food and all kitchen clean up, baby's laundry and ironing, cleaning up baby's room and playroom, leaving the house exactly as she found it.

And I mean, she leaves the house exactly as she found it. If I leave a coffee cup on the table that is where it is when I come home. I think she would step over any article of clothing DH or I may have dropped before she'd pick it up (never actually happened but you get the picture). Any time we leave a few dishes in the sink, she puts them to the side and washes only the baby's dishes, pot and pans, bottles, etc. She hand washes everything, dries and puts the dishes away and has never opened our dishwasher. For herself, she brings her own lunch and never even uses a drinking glass in our house.

While we agreed that her only duties were to be child-related, it sometimes bugs me that she won't move my used coffee cup from the table to the sink or stick in a load of laundry for DH and I that is sitting in the basket next to the washer when she is done with the baby's laundry.

Please know that I have no intention of firing her and do thank my lucky stars that we found her. But am I wrong to feel bugged?