Anonymous wrote:PP Here (the one who was asked to steam clan the floors) - and my employers requested that she take two walks a day and know that she always falls asleep in the stroller for at least 30 minutes of our usual hour and a half hour walks. They live in an apartment with no yard (obviously) and want her to get fresh air. We are in Southern California.

NP here.

Personally, for me, I'd interpret child related chores to include anything in the realm of household upkeep that is needed solely because a child is there. (So, all kid laundry and bedding, any additional sanitizing, cleaning child items, etc) I'd consider leaving the house as you found it a bare minimum that should go without saying. And, I'd also agree that leaving these chores for the nanny when common sense would say you should not put it off for a day (e.g., day old bottles in the sink, clothes with excrement, etc) is just nasty. And, that cleaning things the child uses, like floors, that would have to be cleaned regardless falls outside the realm of child related duties.

All that being said, I know that there's no objective truth to my standards, so I think you have to address exactly what you mean in negiotiations.

Personally, with what you expressed, I'd approach it from the standpoint, that the time just doesn't exist to get this all done within the parameters of what the parents want done for their child. If they are at all reasonable, they will understand. Then, I'd sit down and approach an outline of duties that can normally be accomplished, within the time frame of your day, providing the level of childcare they expect, and leaving you with reasonable downtime.

Anonymous wrote:1:46 again. The parents should have cleaned the poopy bjorn, because that is the kind of acute mess that should be dealt with right away by whomever is handling the kids at that time. Vacuuming the floors that the kid will crawl on is fair game, IMO, but steam cleaning sounds over the top unless they have a machine that is no more difficult to use than an ordinary vacuum.

That said, I see no reason why you can't have the baby take some naps at home so you can complete child-related chores. That just seems like basic time management to me. In fact, do the parents even know that the baby does all her napping on walks? I would not be okay with that in part because I would want the baby to sleep on her back in her own bed and in part because I would want her awake during outside time.

PP Here (the one who was asked to steam clan the floors) - and my employers requested that she take two walks a day and know that she always falls asleep in the stroller for at least 30 minutes of our usual hour and a half hour walks. They live in an apartment with no yard (obviously) and want her to get fresh air. We are in Southern California.

Anonymous wrote:When asked in the interview whether I am able to do childcare related tasks I would say: "I will always leave your house as I found it." That covers truly childcare related tasks such as the kids lunch dishes, the area around the high chair, etc.

In contracts I use the term childcare related and not child related because there is a difference. The difference is in the work you are being asked to do, OP.

That explains everything just perfectly.

And that is how it should be.

If the family wants a laundress, then let them hire one.

If they want a chambermaid, let them hire one as well. Same for a personal chef.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, to be blunt here your first mistake is thinking that as a nanny it is okay to do the baby's weekend laundry as well as wash her used bottles from over the weekend as well. Once you started being okay with doing all of that, you basically sealed the deal.

Doing the baby's laundry is not a given as a nanny, it is a perk for the family, but it is not something that you should just be expected to do. I have nannied for numerous families of infants and toddlers and many of them have not requested that I wash their laundry, yet I am still considered a professional nanny in my field.

Also, while I do believe that it is common sense as a nanny to wash whatever bottles you use during your shift with the baby, you are not responsible to wash any bottles used when you were not there. For you to do so and be okay with it as you stated was also an oversight on your part as well and also was another nail in your coffin so to speak.

Now the family is assuming that you are willing to do anything for them that they want because you have demonstrated to them that you are able and willing to do things that are not typical nanny duties.

It is obvious that this job is pretty much not going to last much longer.

In your next position, remember that being a nanny is providing childcare for a child. Keeping the play areas tidy and washing up any dishes/bottles used during YOUR stay ONLY is the only cleaning up that should be expected. Any laundry or add'l cleaning duties should not be expected, they should be negotiated separately as these are extra perks for the family.

Good luck.

Prior poster is exhibiting very wishful thinking. The job she describes is about what most employers expect from a fourteen year old babysitter.

The notion that you only need to clean up baby messes made on your watch wouldn't fly with most MBs and DBs who work the kind of jobs that are necessary to justify the kind of pay you nannies want to earn. IMO, asking you to clean the carseat or other baby gear is a fair request, unless it needs cleaning due to a vomiting episode or something similar that the parents should have addressed as soon as it happened. Leaving all the Sunday bottles sounds unfair to me, but leaving one or two bottles from Sunday night bedtime or wakeups would be reasonable. A good nanny is basically the parent's assistant for all things child-related, not just a provider of custodial care who cleans up after herself.

Another very subjective statement.

Maybe you let yourself get taken advantage of PP, but I choose to stick up for myself.

Guess a sucker is truly born every minute.

1:46 again. The parents should have cleaned the poopy bjorn, because that is the kind of acute mess that should be dealt with right away by whomever is handling the kids at that time. Vacuuming the floors that the kid will crawl on is fair game, IMO, but steam cleaning sounds over the top unless they have a machine that is no more difficult to use than an ordinary vacuum.

That said, I see no reason why you can't have the baby take some naps at home so you can complete child-related chores. That just seems like basic time management to me. In fact, do the parents even know that the baby does all her napping on walks? I would not be okay with that in part because I would want the baby to sleep on her back in her own bed and in part because I would want her awake during outside time.

Anonymous wrote:OP, to be blunt here your first mistake is thinking that as a nanny it is okay to do the baby's weekend laundry as well as wash her used bottles from over the weekend as well. Once you started being okay with doing all of that, you basically sealed the deal.

Doing the baby's laundry is not a given as a nanny, it is a perk for the family, but it is not something that you should just be expected to do. I have nannied for numerous families of infants and toddlers and many of them have not requested that I wash their laundry, yet I am still considered a professional nanny in my field.

Also, while I do believe that it is common sense as a nanny to wash whatever bottles you use during your shift with the baby, you are not responsible to wash any bottles used when you were not there. For you to do so and be okay with it as you stated was also an oversight on your part as well and also was another nail in your coffin so to speak.

Now the family is assuming that you are willing to do anything for them that they want because you have demonstrated to them that you are able and willing to do things that are not typical nanny duties.

It is obvious that this job is pretty much not going to last much longer.

In your next position, remember that being a nanny is providing childcare for a child. Keeping the play areas tidy and washing up any dishes/bottles used during YOUR stay ONLY is the only cleaning up that should be expected. Any laundry or add'l cleaning duties should not be expected, they should be negotiated separately as these are extra perks for the family.

Good luck.

Prior poster is exhibiting very wishful thinking. The job she describes is about what most employers expect from a fourteen year old babysitter.

The notion that you only need to clean up baby messes made on your watch wouldn't fly with most MBs and DBs who work the kind of jobs that are necessary to justify the kind of pay you nannies want to earn. IMO, asking you to clean the carseat or other baby gear is a fair request, unless it needs cleaning due to a vomiting episode or something similar that the parents should have addressed as soon as it happened. Leaving all the Sunday bottles sounds unfair to me, but leaving one or two bottles from Sunday night bedtime or wakeups would be reasonable. A good nanny is basically the parent's assistant for all things child-related, not just a provider of custodial care who cleans up after herself.

When asked in the interview whether I am able to do childcare related tasks I would say: "I will always leave your house as I found it." That covers truly childcare related tasks such as the kids lunch dishes, the area around the high chair, etc.

In contracts I use the term childcare related and not child related because there is a difference. The difference is in the work you are being asked to do, OP.

Anonymous wrote:
No, OP, your employers are taking advantage of you - you should not be asked to clean items like a car seat and Bjorn that you don't use. And the fact that they left fecal matter on the carrier for your to clean is vile and disrespectful!!!

And to PP - I thought the "Dear" poster was funny. You have to combat the hatefulness of the "just do you job and shut up" posters.


Actually it's not funny nor helpful, we have enough snark on this board.



Please - it is your opinion that the post was not funny. It is my opinion that it was funny. What is not helpful is thinking that any one person is right while all others are wrong.

There are at least two people on this thread who thought her post was unhelpful and unfunny. Remember, you aren't talking to one person who disagrees with you on an anonymous board.

The term "child-related duties" is a very gray area that is for sure.

I have seen some nannies say that doing a child's laundry is most definitely a child-related duty and is par for the course and any nanny who refuses to do this is lazy and unprofessional, etc.

I have also seen other nannies who say their primary duty is caring for the child and that any other duty aside from primary childcare is negotiable.

I say everything is relative.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, OP, your employers are taking advantage of you - you should not be asked to clean items like a car seat and Bjorn that you don't use. And the fact that they left fecal matter on the carrier for your to clean is vile and disrespectful!!!

And to PP - I thought the "Dear" poster was funny. You have to combat the hatefulness of the "just do you job and shut up" posters.

Actually it's not funny nor helpful, we have enough snark on this board.

Please - it is your opinion that the post was not funny. It is my opinion that it was funny. What is not helpful is thinking that any one person is right while all others are wrong.

Anonymous wrote:No, OP, your employers are taking advantage of you - you should not be asked to clean items like a car seat and Bjorn that you don't use. And the fact that they left fecal matter on the carrier for your to clean is vile and disrespectful!!!

And to PP - I thought the "Dear" poster was funny. You have to combat the hatefulness of the "just do you job and shut up" posters.

Actually it's not funny nor helpful, we have enough snark on this board.

No, OP, your employers are taking advantage of you - you should not be asked to clean items like a car seat and Bjorn that you don't use. And the fact that they left fecal matter on the carrier for your to clean is vile and disrespectful!!!

And to PP - I thought the "Dear" poster was funny. You have to combat the hatefulness of the "just do you job and shut up" posters.

NP and MB here.

OP, it is not right for them to ask you to clean anything, even child related, that was dirtied when you were not on duty. You need to sit them down and tell them that. You contract covers the hours you are working and the mess that comes with those hours only. Good luck to you. Job creep is a terrible thing and I hope they recognize it and stop taking advantage of you immediately.

(And to the poster who keeps acidly referring to the PP she is arguing with as Dear and tries to add a clever little zinger after every post...you aren't helping this board become a more civil and helpful place. It's tiresome to read and you really aren't clever so it makes you sound as tiresome as the person you are arguing with, which is a sad thing because in this situation, you are totally in the right.)

The child's items that are used by others when you are not working is NOT part of your child-related duties. Talk to the MB and get it straightened out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it is your job, it's your job. Why are you complaining here? Do it happily or quit.

She is asking if it is her job, Dear. She is not complaining.

If reading comprehension is difficult for you, I'm sure you can find tutoring assistance to help you so you stop embarrassing yourself.

Her job is to do what the parents ask. If she signed a contract then that governs things, but otherwise we can't tell her what her job is. Everyone keeps thinking nannying is some absolutely defined job. You are being paid by a family to help them out, mainly with childcare. Some families are great and keep it just focused on childcare, other parents try to get a little more help for their money. That's fine, if the nanny doesn't mind and doesn't quit then she keeps getting money and the families get more things done. Otherwise if it is a problem for this nanny, she should do as I said, and quit.

Hopefully that helps you understand the concept.

You still do not comprehend her post, Dear. She is ASKING if this is an accepted part of her job. When one says "child related tasks" what exactly is the accepted definition?

And no one's job - ever, in any field - is to do what the employer asks. Ever.

Hope that helps you, Dear. If not, have someone read the OP's initial post to you. Sometimes hearing the written word read aloud helps people like you.

The accepted part of her job is doing the things the family asks. That could be washing their car, vacuuming the house, scrubbing the floors, staying overnight with the kids, etc. Do you have to do them? No, but if they decide to let you go you will know why. She signed on to do basic childcare for a probably basic rate, and maybe the parents need more of a housekeeper now, or they just don't feel like she is earning her keep, either way she better do a better job or look for a new one.

NP here and you are wrong PP. A nanny's job is far more defined than "what every the family asks". Further, there is a lot of room for adults between "do as you are told" and "or quit". The OP asked a specific question regarding what is generally accepted to be part of child-related tasks. You gave your opinion - now let others give theirs.


TO OP: I would say that cleaning the child's items that are soiled when you are not working and that you never use when you are working is beyond the scope of your child-related responsibilities. I would speak to the parents about it.

+1 Ignore the people who tell you that your job is to do as you are told or quit. We are adults - nannies and parents - and points can be discussed and negotiated.