Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don't have an extra car for the nanny to drive so I would never hire a nanny who wouldn't drive the children in her own car. We do, however, reimburse IRS rates for mileage AND we got an extra set of car seats for the nannies car.

That's great. As it should be. One more thing - to all who has nanny use her own car - please get her a car wash, including internal car cleaning, at a car wash place every 3-6 months (depending on how dirty your kids are, and how much they are in the car). Even if she keeps the kids from doing much in the car, it still gets much more dirty with kids, and it is hard to keep them from having food/drink when they are in the car a lot (and when kids are young). I used to use my car, had car seats to stay in my car, reimbursed appropriately, but realized every 3 months I spent *hours* cleaning/detailing my car just to keep it how it would be if I didn't use it for the kids. Seems like the fair thing would have been for them to pick up the tab for a car wash place to do that for me, since I wouldn't need to be doing it if it were just me using the car.

It's very easy to keep kids from having food and drink in the car. If you don't give it to them you avoid some of the mess. I very rarely allow kids to eat in the car. They are allowed to have water to drink. On the rare occasions I allow a snack in the car (usually only if we are driving home and I need to keep the kids awake and we'll be in the car for at least 45 minutes) I try to make sure it is as non-messy as possible. A quick dustbuster job takes care of the rare and random crumbs, dirt, sand, etc...

Never once have I spent hours detailing my car b/c of a mess the kids made. The kids know they have to clean the back of the front seats with a rag if they put their feet up (and they've been doing that since they were 2). The kids are also responsible for cleaning up any snacks they mights have dropped on the rare occasions they eat in the car. They also remove their personal items from the car upon arriving home. Sand gets dumped out of shoes before the kids get in the car. Mud is scraped off in the grass before the enter the car. Messes are easily contained and dealt with if you go about it the right way.

Anonymous wrote:We don't have an extra car for the nanny to drive so I would never hire a nanny who wouldn't drive the children in her own car. We do, however, reimburse IRS rates for mileage AND we got an extra set of car seats for the nannies car.

That's great. As it should be. One more thing - to all who has nanny use her own car - please get her a car wash, including internal car cleaning, at a car wash place every 3-6 months (depending on how dirty your kids are, and how much they are in the car). Even if she keeps the kids from doing much in the car, it still gets much more dirty with kids, and it is hard to keep them from having food/drink when they are in the car a lot (and when kids are young). I used to use my car, had car seats to stay in my car, reimbursed appropriately, but realized every 3 months I spent *hours* cleaning/detailing my car just to keep it how it would be if I didn't use it for the kids. Seems like the fair thing would have been for them to pick up the tab for a car wash place to do that for me, since I wouldn't need to be doing it if it were just me using the car.

How much extra are you paid for using your car? Cheapskates should provide car and car seats.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I'm just slow or whatever but I've always had a nanny car provided so my question off this post - what do those who have car seats installed (1, 2, plus) in their own car do during off hours, weekends and so on? Do you just not ever use your back seat or third row ? I don't think I would ever do that. I mean what a waste of your car and personal time.

I have one installed in my car at all times for DC. I leave it in 24/7 unless I have to load things in my SUV. It doesn't bother me or my friends. Although they laugh at me for having one since I'm only 20.

OP here. Thanks to everyone for replying! Glad I seem to be correct in this situation. To clarify a few things...

The family has asked me to use my car, and are going to reimburse me at the federal rate for gas/wear & tear. I have no problem with this.

Parents can't be the one to install the car seats, because when I arrive to work they are already at work for the day and the kids in preschool. They want me to drive to their house, pick up the car seats, then drive to pick up the kids. So it's all on me to do it and make sure they are properly installed and in a timely manner.

They do have a set of booster seats for parent A's car to drop off at preschool in the morning because it's such a short distance they are okay with using boosters. Problem is parent B comes home first to relieve me, so they would be without car seats until parent A arrives home which can be late.

I brought this all up to the parents and they were going to discuss. Will see if they say anything about it today.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I'm just slow or whatever but I've always had a nanny car provided so my question off this post - what do those who have car seats installed (1, 2, plus) in their own car do during off hours, weekends and so on? Do you just not ever use your back seat or third row ? I don't think I would ever do that. I mean what a waste of your car and personal time.

I take the seats out whenever I need to use the backseat. It's actually pretty rare that I need full use of my backseat. I don't drive loads of people around during my personal time so having the seats installed in my car isn't an inconvenience. Removing the seats half a dozen times each year doesn't bother me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

At three, they should be in a harnessed booster seat.

Um, no. The longer kids are in car seats that fit them the better. Mine is rated to seventy pounds. We will be on car seats for some time to come.

But I also provide car seats to anyone who potentially would drive him around.

Wow, if you were my nanny, I would terminate you for using inappropriate seats. I would not allow my child in anyone else's seats and clearly you don't keep up with the recommended rules. A three year old does fit in a harnessed seat. My three year old fits well in several of his as well as convertible seats RF. We RF till 3 1/2 or 4. We provide seats and are happy to remove them when needed. We don't ask to borrow them as everyone has a seat who needs one from the nanny to grandparents to us. We also have a spare for others use.

My nanny family has a second set of Carseats for their DCs and I keep one in my car at all times for the baby DC as he is still RF. I had to completely dismantle the seat and clean it out as it was disgusting. When I help put ODC in MBs car for school in the morning his seat is extremely loose, chest belts are loose and twisted and it's nasty dirty. MB just says it's not a big deal and don't mess with it but I hate putting ODC into a car seat I am well aware isn't installed properly

Anonymous wrote:What a freaking hassle! I'm an MB. I can't stand worrying about moving seats in and out of cars. We bought our nanny a set for her car, put them in, took them to be checked, and they stay in her car all the time.

I totally agree about asking your employers to move the seats every day and you'll have a set next week!

Or, you could simply go get your own - if you think you'll be a nanny for other families then you'd probably get use out of them. Maybe you saying you'd be doing that would shame the employers into paying for them.

Buying your own doesn't shame the parents, it just teaches them that if they dont want to spend the money you will. I brought carseats and a stroller not once have families offered to reimburse me. They sure did ask to borrow them tho. The nanny needs to tell them to buy a second seat and be done with it.

What a freaking hassle! I'm an MB. I can't stand worrying about moving seats in and out of cars. We bought our nanny a set for her car, put them in, took them to be checked, and they stay in her car all the time.

I totally agree about asking your employers to move the seats every day and you'll have a set next week!

Or, you could simply go get your own - if you think you'll be a nanny for other families then you'd probably get use out of them. Maybe you saying you'd be doing that would shame the employers into paying for them.

Anonymous wrote:We don't have an extra car for the nanny to drive so I would never hire a nanny who wouldn't drive the children in her own car. We do, however, reimburse IRS rates for mileage AND we got an extra set of car seats for the nannies car.

We also don't have an "extra" car, nor could we afford one for the nanny. I didn't realize so many Nanny's wouldn't drive their own car. We would provide second seats and reimburse mileage. If she didn't want to leave them in the car all weekend, I would be happy to reinstall them for her on Monday morning, but I think moving them in and out every day is too risky.

They should absolutely buy a second set. Taking them in and out is unsafe and not practical. I will not start a job unless a car is provided or car seats are installed in my car on the first day.

We don't have an extra car for the nanny to drive so I would never hire a nanny who wouldn't drive the children in her own car. We do, however, reimburse IRS rates for mileage AND we got an extra set of car seats for the nannies car.

I don't use my car for for them,"NEVER"

Anonymous wrote:

At three, they should be in a harnessed booster seat.

Um, no. The longer kids are in car seats that fit them the better. Mine is rated to seventy pounds. We will be on car seats for some time to come.

But I also provide car seats to anyone who potentially would drive him around.