Anonymous wrote:I assumed she meant that they should have consulted with her about whether the change of location would mean a change of rate for her.
OP, you need to quit. If you love your charge as you say, then you know he deserves better than a grumpy, burned-out nanny. Move on to something that is a better fit.
I agree with this. The only way you should consider staying is if you set aside time to have a discussion with MB and go over these issues. Tell her the added commute means more expense and hassle and time for you to get to work, and needs to be reflected in your pay. Tell her that you find it frustrating when time sensitive decisions and actions are put off until the last minute. For the case of the class you mentioned, as an example, you could say that maybe going forward you can be the one to make some of those decisions (is she waffling about which class time to take, for example?), and actually do what is necessary to register DS (fill out an application she is obviously too busy to deal with, etc). You can also bring up the issue of the schedule, and tell her it is very stressful for you not to know your hours further in advance, and that you will require your schedule 4 weeks in advance going forward.
But honestly, that will be a difficult discussion to have. Although she might agree to increase your wages, and maybe give you more authority regarding some decisions, I can't see her suddenly changing all her ways just like that (especially with regard to decision making on things like potty training, play dates, etc, and the schedule issue as well). I've known MBs who delayed making decisions like that that they never intended to make at all (example: I started with a small infant, at the interview family said at this point they were limiting our outings to anywhere within walking distance, with the stroller, but we could reevaluate later. I have a safe, reliable car, clean driving record, etc. but even after the child turned 1, and then 2, MB kept saying she "wasn't ready" to let me drive her child in my car, or even take public transportation).
Regarding the schedule, I've worked with two families with a variable schedule. Both assured me they would let me know the schedule well in advance, but both times that didn't really end up happening. I couldn't schedule things for myself after work at all. I'd sometimes asked about specific days (getting off by 6 on said day) and pretty much every time they would say 2-3 weeks in advance, yes, you'll be off by x time that day, only to tell me the day before said day "we need you late tomorrow" (because they had forgotten I'd asked to be off by a certain time that day). Most of the time I just said okay, but the few times I reminded them I'd already confirmed with them weeks ago to get off by a certain time that day and that now I had plans I couldn't break, they would act like I was making their life so difficult and take it out on me in other passive aggressive ways.
It might just be time to move on, unless you want to keep dealing with MBs ways.