Anonymous
07/01/2014 09:41
Subject: Re:How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
OP you are close to the right argument but not there yet. You demand down time when an employer has abused you by asking for more housekeeping then is reasonable in a day. That is not the case here. As another PP said, you need to be proactive about managing you day. That may mean moving the first nap indoors. You can explain that napping in the same place every time is important for sleep training, which is true. You can also explain why some tasks that you have been doing as a favor are no longer possible. If they want those things to continue you suggest expanding your hours. But please do not approach them with any demands at the point. They have not earned that treatment.
A more experienced nanny would have handled the situation differently. With time you learn to balance your charges needs with your own so there is no either/or proposition. Your charge needs time outdoors but sleeping is not the developmental task that she should be practicing outside. You also need time outdoors. Resting is not the work task you should be doing outside.
I am a nanny.
A more experienced nanny would have handled the situation differently. With time you learn to balance your charges needs with your own so there is no either/or proposition. Your charge needs time outdoors but sleeping is not the developmental task that she should be practicing outside. You also need time outdoors. Resting is not the work task you should be doing outside.
I am a nanny.
Anonymous
07/01/2014 09:38
Subject: How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
In a nanny job, you don't need to "ask" anyone if you can sit down for "downtime" to eat or rest your feet, in a 10 hour day. You yourself learn when to (responsibly) best incorporate what you need.
Anonymous
07/01/2014 09:31
Subject: How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
Anonymous wrote:MB here. I certainly can't speak for your employers, but I would never want my nanny feeling like this, and I never want her working on her off hours. We actually have had conversations about this very issue so that she knows we do not expect, or want, her working on her off time, or spending any of her own money, etc...
I also do not want our nanny getting burned out. I want her to be happy in her work, and with our family for years.
You need to talk to your employers. You need to prioritize yourself (some time to eat, some time to rest/recharge) ahead of all of the add on tasks of childcare. You need to learn to juggle things so that you make huge batches of purees once or twice
a week - not every day. You do laundry once or twice a week - not every day. Etc... Learn how to carve some time back into the schedule for breathing room, and be candid with the parents about what you're doing and why.
Also - a child young enough to be eating purees should be napping twice a day - so something seems a little off there.
Do you know any other nannies? Can you try to network with some nannies in the neighborhood? The work of juggling all the childcare tasks takes a while to figure out (for parents and nannies). Maybe if you had some peers to chat with they would be able to share some tips on how to schedule the day and juggle the workload so you feel you have more room to breathe.
OP here and thank you. I am sure my employers don't want me to feel this way either. My charge takes his morning nap in the stroller during our first walk of the day. My employers live in an apartment and we both feel that fresh air is important.
My question is how much downtime should I require? I am healthy and young and in all of my other jobs I was given a full hour for lunch in an eight hour day. I honestly don't even know what to ask for/demand since I've never had it with this job. When my charge was an infant he had horrible reflux and I had to wear him/hold him for all naps so I've never had any downtime in this job. But when I was holding him while he slept at least I was sitting down!
Anonymous
07/01/2014 09:12
Subject: How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
MB here. I certainly can't speak for your employers, but I would never want my nanny feeling like this, and I never want her working on her off hours. We actually have had conversations about this very issue so that she knows we do not expect, or want, her working on her off time, or spending any of her own money, etc...
I also do not want our nanny getting burned out. I want her to be happy in her work, and with our family for years.
You need to talk to your employers. You need to prioritize yourself (some time to eat, some time to rest/recharge) ahead of all of the add on tasks of childcare. You need to learn to juggle things so that you make huge batches of purees once or twice
a week - not every day. You do laundry once or twice a week - not every day. Etc... Learn how to carve some time back into the schedule for breathing room, and be candid with the parents about what you're doing and why.
Also - a child young enough to be eating purees should be napping twice a day - so something seems a little off there.
Do you know any other nannies? Can you try to network with some nannies in the neighborhood? The work of juggling all the childcare tasks takes a while to figure out (for parents and nannies). Maybe if you had some peers to chat with they would be able to share some tips on how to schedule the day and juggle the workload so you feel you have more room to breathe.
I also do not want our nanny getting burned out. I want her to be happy in her work, and with our family for years.
You need to talk to your employers. You need to prioritize yourself (some time to eat, some time to rest/recharge) ahead of all of the add on tasks of childcare. You need to learn to juggle things so that you make huge batches of purees once or twice
a week - not every day. You do laundry once or twice a week - not every day. Etc... Learn how to carve some time back into the schedule for breathing room, and be candid with the parents about what you're doing and why.
Also - a child young enough to be eating purees should be napping twice a day - so something seems a little off there.
Do you know any other nannies? Can you try to network with some nannies in the neighborhood? The work of juggling all the childcare tasks takes a while to figure out (for parents and nannies). Maybe if you had some peers to chat with they would be able to share some tips on how to schedule the day and juggle the workload so you feel you have more room to breathe.
Anonymous
07/01/2014 08:59
Subject: How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
OP, you must determine your own needs and what's reasonable.
I'd start with sitting down to eat your lunch while the child is napping. That's a basic.
I'd start with sitting down to eat your lunch while the child is napping. That's a basic.
Anonymous
07/01/2014 08:53
Subject: Re:How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
OP again and thank you for your responses. So what is the average "downtime" I should expect/demand in a ten hour day? 30 minutes?
And yes, since they have never mentioned it and clearly cannot help but notice it, I assume my employers are fine with me working off the clock. That part isn't even the biggest deal for me - for me it is the constant work without any break.
And yes, since they have never mentioned it and clearly cannot help but notice it, I assume my employers are fine with me working off the clock. That part isn't even the biggest deal for me - for me it is the constant work without any break.
Anonymous
07/01/2014 08:28
Subject: Re:How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
I mostly agree with what others have said. I also think you need to decide for yourself where the boundary is and that should be non negotiable. I think you are setting a bad precedent if you make things like working off hours a matter of negotiation or discussion. If you are near your one year anniversary, it's an appropriate time to justify a pay increase. Although, again, you probably don't want to premise your yearly raise on you doing things that are not your job. Better to give 110% to what is actually your job and have that be the basis of your review.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Anonymous
07/01/2014 08:26
Subject: How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
They are ok with you working off the clock?
Anonymous
07/01/2014 08:25
Subject: How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
+1 to the PP's suggesting you sit down with them. Also, as your charge gets older your duties and responsibilities will change. I always suggest adding an addendum to your working agreement that clearly outlines any new responsibilities and states what responsibilities are no longer needed. If you don't have a working agreement then sit down with your employers and create one- they ensure everyone is on the same page with expectations.
Anonymous
07/01/2014 08:20
Subject: How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
Anonymous wrote:So stop. Sit down with the parents and be honest. I mean, this is all on you to fix since you caused the problem. Sit down and talk to them. Say at the time, you thought you could do all these additional tasks but now you are feeling burnt out and are working on things during your off time. Have a list of all the things you decided to do on your own. Have the parents pick out half of them that they'd like for you to continue.
I know this is your first nanny job, but it drives me crazy how so many nannies on here can't problem solve and stand up for themselves
This is good advice. They are first time parents so presumably you are also their first nanny. They may not realize how you are feeling so the only way it will get better is if you tell them politely how you are feeling.
Anonymous
07/01/2014 08:12
Subject: How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
So stop. Sit down with the parents and be honest. I mean, this is all on you to fix since you caused the problem. Sit down and talk to them. Say at the time, you thought you could do all these additional tasks but now you are feeling burnt out and are working on things during your off time. Have a list of all the things you decided to do on your own. Have the parents pick out half of them that they'd like for you to continue.
I know this is your first nanny job, but it drives me crazy how so many nannies on here can't problem solve and stand up for themselves
I know this is your first nanny job, but it drives me crazy how so many nannies on here can't problem solve and stand up for themselves
Anonymous
07/01/2014 08:07
Subject: How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
Anonymous wrote:You should, at minimum, have 30 uninterrupted minutes to eat your lunch. You should NEVER work off the clock.
Are you a live-in?
Does your charge nap?
No, I'm not a live-in and my charge does nap at home once a day for about 1.5 - which is when I make his purees/clean up afterwards and do my other chores. By the time I am nearly done he is awake.
And yes, I am really sorry I started this off the clock stuff.
Anonymous
07/01/2014 07:45
Subject: How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
You should, at minimum, have 30 uninterrupted minutes to eat your lunch. You should NEVER work off the clock.
Are you a live-in?
Does your charge nap?
Are you a live-in?
Does your charge nap?
Anonymous
07/01/2014 07:36
Subject: How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
Healthy boundaries are part of being a successful nanny.
Every good nanny must determine what's right for herself,
as no two jobs are identical.
Every good nanny must determine what's right for herself,
as no two jobs are identical.
Anonymous
07/01/2014 07:24
Subject: How much down-time do you nannies get during the average day?
This is my first full-time nanny job and I'm working with first time parents. I have initiated addition tasks and responsibilities in my job which have now expanded to take up every moment of each work day and about thirty minutes of my off hours/unpaid day. All my additional tasks are child related and, as my charge has gotten older, were things I felt should be my responsibility.
I have no down time at all in my ten hour day now. I eat lunch standing up while doing tasks. I'm paid in the middle range but ever if I were paid top-dollar my point is that I am getting burned out after only a year on the job.
My question: is this just the nature of the job? Do any of you nannies get downtime during the day to just sit and relax?
Thanks in advance.
PS This is NOT an employer bash - I took on these tasks on my own.
I have no down time at all in my ten hour day now. I eat lunch standing up while doing tasks. I'm paid in the middle range but ever if I were paid top-dollar my point is that I am getting burned out after only a year on the job.
My question: is this just the nature of the job? Do any of you nannies get downtime during the day to just sit and relax?
Thanks in advance.
PS This is NOT an employer bash - I took on these tasks on my own.