Can you imagine how many people would have been i convenienced by her staying home? It took me 6mos to get to see my dermotologist. These folks prob took time off work, some probably found child care for their kids and generally arrangwd their loves around an appt that prob took months to get. If I were the patient whose doc was cancelled because their kid had a bug that their nanny refused to deal with, I'd be beyond pissed. I'm a nanny fwiw. Sick kids come with the territory and i've gotten my shar eof bugs from kids.

Anonymous wrote:PP here - also if a nanny doesn't have paid sick days, that doesn't make it the parents fault. You should negotiate it into your contract or find a different job if it is important to you! You NEVER have to take a job that doesn't meet your needs.

Agreed. Not the employers fault. But you get what you pay for. You don't pay nanny to get sick, don't expect her to risk illness caring for your kids. Simple. Oh the reason you hire a nanny is for these situations? Then you should acknowledge that she might get sick, and be prepared to cover and pay for it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wash your hands often.

Take vitamin C.

I'm sorry you don't like it, but this is your chosen job. If you don't want to care for a sick child, find a different profession.

I agree. That's why people hire nannies instead of placing their child in preschool/nursery/daycare.

MB is a Dr. How mad would you be if your Dr. Canceled her appointment with you not because of an emergency..but because her kid had a bug.

I'd say that is what comes with the territory of having children, probably?

Listen, if you're an MB or a nanny who believes it is okay to ask your nanny/to go in as the nanny to work when the child(ren) has a GI bug/fever, that's fine. I don't - nor do my employers, past or present, as well as any agency I've ever worked with. But if you have a job like the above and need someone who will come in during those types of illnesses, that's fine - just hire someone who's okay with it. And I'll make sure only to work with parents who agree with my boundaries as well.

All of these threads dissolve into "sides" and right vs. wrong - it isn't so simple. We're all allowed to have boundaries we set for ourselves at work or in our personal lives, they important thing here is just to make sure your employers/employees are in agreement with your expectations and can meet your needs. If they aren't, it isn't the right fit and that's all - no one is right or wrong or just or unjust, it's just different.

Anonymous wrote:Wash your hands often.

Take vitamin C.

I'm sorry you don't like it, but this is your chosen job. If you don't want to care for a sick child, find a different profession.

I agree. That's why people hire nannies instead of placing their child in preschool/nursery/daycare.

MB is a Dr. How mad would you be if your Dr. Canceled her appointment with you not because of an emergency..but because her kid had a bug.

Nanny here- I'm on 15:59's side (IF the nanny has PTO). No one WANTS to clean vomit and diarrhea off a sad, teary child, but that is an advantage of having a nanny over daycare, and part of the reason why we are paid more. If you can't deal, find a new profession, or you're one of those super lucky people who find employers who can take off whenever they would like. I think it's nice if parents try to take off whenever possible when DC is sick, but sometimes they just can't.

I will say there are some exceptions where I think it's pretty cut and dry, they need to stay home with their kids. When I first started nannying, I got to work on a Monday (it was an after-school job) and found out both kids had swine flu and had been in the hospital all weekend. They had just come home that day and were still very sick. I was pretty mad that I wasn't even given any warning. I did not have PTO, I ended up sick, and they gave me a lot of grief over the time I missed. IMO, that should never have happened.

PP here - also if a nanny doesn't have paid sick days, that doesn't make it the parents fault. You should negotiate it into your contract or find a different job if it is important to you! You NEVER have to take a job that doesn't meet your needs.

OP - I am sorry you didn't get a break after a long week. That sucks. I hope you are able to avoid this virus.

I have to express some surprise with the nannies who are saying they refuse to go to work when the kids are sick (fever over 100 or GI problems) though. I know it sucks but unfortunately, that is part of the job. If parents had to take time off every time their kids are sick, that defeats one of the major advantages of having a nanny over using daycare. Parents who opt for nannies also tend to have inflexible or demanding job situations and therefore need flexible childcare. I would lose my job if I took time off every time DC was sick (which means my nanny would lose hers). I do agree that sick kids want their parents and I try to work from home when DC is ill but I still need our nanny there to care for him when I need to take calls, etc. If she refused to come in every time he was sick, I would have to replace her. Unfortunately, it's just part of the job.

FWIW, our nanny does have paid sick leave (and although her contract gives her limited days, as a practical matter, if she got sick from DC and needed additional days off, we wouldn't expect her to take them unpaid). However, despite the number of times he has been ill, she has yet to catch something serious from him.

Anonymous wrote:Wash your hands often.

Take vitamin C.

I'm sorry you don't like it, but this is your chosen job. If you don't want to care for a sick child, find a different profession.

I'm a nanny not a nurse or doctor or my charge's parent. I don't do diarrhea vomit or contagious illnesses. I sure as hell wouldn't do it having no paid sick days like another PP.

Wash your hands often.

Take vitamin C.

I'm sorry you don't like it, but this is your chosen job. If you don't want to care for a sick child, find a different profession.

I am a nanny...I put myself and my needs first so I always am well rested..at what point did it become unacceptable to say no?? When she called you I would have said no I can't come in..it's indicative that she told you rather than ask you..that's a big problem. Look for a new job!! One with a contract and PTO...
I dont think you can do anything about the hotel
An one more thing..I bet MB has PTO!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My bosses have me come to work when their children are sick and don't even have the decency to tell me until I walk in the door. Next thing you know, I'm sick and have no sick days. Frustrating...

If its something beyond a cold and contagious, I would say "Oh LO has _______? Since I dont have any paid sick days, I hope you understand why I can't risk getting sick. Is there anything I can pick up for you before I head home?"

Out of curiosity, seriously not meant to be rude, would you ACTUALLY say that?

Young nanny here, finding myself the doormat in a lot of situations. Is that actually something you can say? I know it's okay to stand up for yourself, but exactly how forward can you be? Not trying to hijack the thread, but since you said it...

I'm the PP who said I don't have any sick days. Personally, I wouldn't speak to my bosses like that. I've been nannying for many years and would never want to disrespect the people who employ me. If a child has a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, etc I personally believe a parent should be home with their child and not exposing their nanny to the germs. A cold is another issue but even that sucks to be honest.

Yeah and the fact that you don't want to be "disrespectful" is why you have no sick days yet they expect you to care for sick kids. Yes they employ you, and you don't have to be rude, but you should stand up for yourself. You're allowed to say what you are and are not comfortable with, and when you feel they have disrespected you.

That's a good question. I have been trying to find the right words before having a discussion with my bosses. Before I took my current position, I told them at the interview that if a child has a fever above 101, vomiting and/or diarrhea that I believe a parent should be home with their child. Months later at the job, which I love by the way- I don't know how to approach this with them. I know I need to say something. You have any suggestions?

I'm "young nanny," 13:41 was not me! Thanks so much for your advice! I didn't really know much about nannying before I got into it (I was approached by a family friend for full-time babysitting, and it kind of went from there) and now I'm realizing that nannying and babysitting are different. I'm apparently nannying and I need to get contracts in the future lol. Thanks, seriously didn't mean to thread-hijack!

Well, what exactly would you say?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My bosses have me come to work when their children are sick and don't even have the decency to tell me until I walk in the door. Next thing you know, I'm sick and have no sick days. Frustrating...

If its something beyond a cold and contagious, I would say "Oh LO has _______? Since I dont have any paid sick days, I hope you understand why I can't risk getting sick. Is there anything I can pick up for you before I head home?"

Out of curiosity, seriously not meant to be rude, would you ACTUALLY say that?

Young nanny here, finding myself the doormat in a lot of situations. Is that actually something you can say? I know it's okay to stand up for yourself, but exactly how forward can you be? Not trying to hijack the thread, but since you said it...

I'm the PP who said I don't have any sick days. Personally, I wouldn't speak to my bosses like that. I've been nannying for many years and would never want to disrespect the people who employ me. If a child has a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, etc I personally believe a parent should be home with their child and not exposing their nanny to the germs. A cold is another issue but even that sucks to be honest.