Anonymous wrote:I have two kids- one in elementary school and one in 1/2 day preschool. Our nanny is guaranteed 40 hours a week, but frequently only works 35. She is responsible for driving the kids to their respective schools and picking them up, as well as driving them to their respective activities. She is responsible for packing lunches, and giving them a simple breakfast.
She does a good job with the kids, takes them places, treats them kindly etc.
She does a terrible job at cleaning up- including after herself. She is not very self-aware- she frequently comments that she is a very organized neat person. I routinely have to bring coke cans and fast food bags in from the car that she has left.
When I get home I frequently have to wash the breakfast dishes, wipe down the tables before I can start making dinner.
We have had several conversations about this- it will get better for a week, then goes downhill again.
One of her duties is to help the kids clean their rooms/ take care of their stuff. Frankly, she is not doing this at all.
I'm trying to decide what is reasonable- I want to be flexible, and understand that sometimes dishes don't get done bc you are rushing out the door. I would certainly rather her take the kids to the playground than make sure the playroom is picked up. However- my kids are not toddlers, they are frequently playing by themselves. They are allowed to watch 30 minutes of television a day- I have noticed that she will sit and watch with them- instead of using that time to do the breakfast dishes, etc. WHen she does clean up, after I have made an issue of it, she will frequently just pile all the toys in a corner so the floor is clean, rather than organizing them.

She is great with the kids, and I had hoped that we could add on additional household duties next year when both kids are in school b/c our childcare hours will go down again. However- I am concerned that this will just be an exercise in frustration for me, paying for something I am really not getting at all.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what is reasonable? How to encourage better performance? I have not been terribly specific- and I would like the kids to be taking more responsibility for picking up after themselves, but they need constant reminders to do so, which they are not getting.

I think you owe it to her to be very specific. Even write it down. It is totally reasonable to expect the kitchen to be cleaned up, the car mucked out, and that she supervise the children cleaning up their messes and their rooms. Let her know that her continued employment in 2017 is depended on her taking great care of your children, and doing this routine housework.

You may need to replace her, I agree.
She may prefer working with kids and not having household responsibilities. Her choice, she would need another job.

But at a minimum in fairness I think your job as an employer is to be specific on responsibilities.

My 2 cents worth.

*sweeped

It doesn't appear that keeping house is part of your Nanny's forte.
And that is a-okay.

However common sense dictates that anyone who watches children should ALWAYS clean up after the children (& themselves!) after each day.

Dishes should be washed, toys should be picked up + any crumbs should be wiped from the counters or swerved off the floor before the parents return.

If your Nanny does not automatically do these things now, then I highly doubt she will be very good later on w/add'l duties assigned to her.

I say as soon as you find a more competent person, then let this one go.
After all, you have addressed this issue w/her yet she refuses to comply.

Anonymous wrote:I have two kids- one in elementary school and one in 1/2 day preschool. Our nanny is guaranteed 40 hours a week, but frequently only works 35. She is responsible for driving the kids to their respective schools and picking them up, as well as driving them to their respective activities. She is responsible for packing lunches, and giving them a simple breakfast.
She does a good job with the kids, takes them places, treats them kindly etc.
She does a terrible job at cleaning up- including after herself. She is not very self-aware- she frequently comments that she is a very organized neat person. I routinely have to bring coke cans and fast food bags in from the car that she has left.
When I get home I frequently have to wash the breakfast dishes, wipe down the tables before I can start making dinner.
We have had several conversations about this- it will get better for a week, then goes downhill again.
One of her duties is to help the kids clean their rooms/ take care of their stuff. Frankly, she is not doing this at all.
I'm trying to decide what is reasonable- I want to be flexible, and understand that sometimes dishes don't get done bc you are rushing out the door. I would certainly rather her take the kids to the playground than make sure the playroom is picked up. However- my kids are not toddlers, they are frequently playing by themselves. They are allowed to watch 30 minutes of television a day- I have noticed that she will sit and watch with them- instead of using that time to do the breakfast dishes, etc. WHen she does clean up, after I have made an issue of it, she will frequently just pile all the toys in a corner so the floor is clean, rather than organizing them.

She is great with the kids, and I had hoped that we could add on additional household duties next year when both kids are in school b/c our childcare hours will go down again. However- I am concerned that this will just be an exercise in frustration for me, paying for something I am really not getting at all.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what is reasonable? How to encourage better performance? I have not been terribly specific- and I would like the kids to be taking more responsibility for picking up after themselves, but they need constant reminders to do so, which they are not getting.

I know this isn't the point of your post, OP, but this drives me crazy. I don't expect the imaginext guys to be grouped according to set, but why would you put legos in the doll house, or the dress up clothes? These clearly don't go together and just make more of a mess for me later...not to mention makes it impossible for the kids to play with their toys.

Nanny here and I agree that you need to plan on replacing her. I would do it at the end of the school year so that your kids can bond with the replacement during fun summer activities before the daily grind starts in the fall. Look for someone to fill a nanny/household manager role.

Anonymous wrote:I would hire someone else, to be honest. A clean and orderly home is very important to me, so I found someone who naturally cleans as they go.

You can find someone who is great with kids and ALSO organized.

You will probably keep trying to make this work, at least until the end of this year, but this is going to be your solution. Your needs have changed, and she is no longer a good fit for your family. You need someone more geared to older kids, who is willing and interested in being a household assistant/housekeeper/household manager/what have you as well.

There is nothing wrong with a nanny who loves to play with little children and isn't a good housekeeper. But your play needs are decreasing, and that makes the lack of housekeeping more of a problem. It is time to part ways. She will be happier with young children again, too.

I would hire someone else, to be honest. A clean and orderly home is very important to me, so I found someone who naturally cleans as they go.

You can find someone who is great with kids and ALSO organized.

Tell her exactly what you need her to do and when she should do it. It sounds like she is inexperienced or not a self-starter. Write out a schedule for her if you have to. As a nanny, my job entails anything and everything related to my charges which certainly includes all clean up from play and meals. I also take care of laundry, closet and drawer organization, toy organization and cleaning, ordering all supplies and grocery shopping for the child.

I have two kids- one in elementary school and one in 1/2 day preschool. Our nanny is guaranteed 40 hours a week, but frequently only works 35. She is responsible for driving the kids to their respective schools and picking them up, as well as driving them to their respective activities. She is responsible for packing lunches, and giving them a simple breakfast.
She does a good job with the kids, takes them places, treats them kindly etc.
She does a terrible job at cleaning up- including after herself. She is not very self-aware- she frequently comments that she is a very organized neat person. I routinely have to bring coke cans and fast food bags in from the car that she has left.
When I get home I frequently have to wash the breakfast dishes, wipe down the tables before I can start making dinner.
We have had several conversations about this- it will get better for a week, then goes downhill again.
One of her duties is to help the kids clean their rooms/ take care of their stuff. Frankly, she is not doing this at all.
I'm trying to decide what is reasonable- I want to be flexible, and understand that sometimes dishes don't get done bc you are rushing out the door. I would certainly rather her take the kids to the playground than make sure the playroom is picked up. However- my kids are not toddlers, they are frequently playing by themselves. They are allowed to watch 30 minutes of television a day- I have noticed that she will sit and watch with them- instead of using that time to do the breakfast dishes, etc. WHen she does clean up, after I have made an issue of it, she will frequently just pile all the toys in a corner so the floor is clean, rather than organizing them.

She is great with the kids, and I had hoped that we could add on additional household duties next year when both kids are in school b/c our childcare hours will go down again. However- I am concerned that this will just be an exercise in frustration for me, paying for something I am really not getting at all.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what is reasonable? How to encourage better performance? I have not been terribly specific- and I would like the kids to be taking more responsibility for picking up after themselves, but they need constant reminders to do so, which they are not getting.