7 am isn't early, My last position had a 6 am start with kids, so I started at 5.45 am to have breakfast ready on the table. OP needs to move the nanny's start from 7.30 to 7. It's not a big deal for most adults, but this nanny seems to feel it is. She can either do it or find a new position.

If OP just wanted to go to the gym, I would feel differently. But even in that situation, the job would change and the nanny has to change with the job or find something else.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I need a reality check please, am I asking for too much?

I had some changes at work and my schedule now requires me to be at work s little bit earlier. I spoke to my nanny about this and asked if she could start at 7am as opposed to 7:30am. Her response was a "NO" right away with a reason being it is too early for her and she cannot get up so early. We had her for about two years and have been super flexible, gave her time off whenever she needed it and salary advances to name a few. I am very frustrated, what do we do in this situation?

What's it worth to you to have her come in that early? Make an offer she can't refuse.

Here is the offer I would make, OP - Come in one half hour earlier or you are fired.

MB here. I would talk with her again and be candid, but fact driven in the discussion.

"Jane, I need to discuss the schedule with you again. I am sorry that a 7 am start is not possible for you. As I said, my job has changed and I now need coverage for 7am-x time. I understand this isn't the job you accepted but I didn't want to assume this meant you would be leaving us without having a very direct conversation. If you do need to look for something else we will be happy to give you a wonderful reference. We can talk about whether you want to stay on the job w/ the revised hours for some period of time while you look for another position, or whether we should just give you two weeks notice (or whatever you have in your contract.) "

You need to be direct. It sucks to have to find a new nanny but it also sucks to try to work around an unhappy nanny. So bite the bullet if need be.

Good luck!

I can't believe all these people saying 7am is an unusual start time! A lot of nannies start even earlier. We have to be at work at 8am.

OP, you need to talk to her again, and like a PP said, tell her your needs have changed, you love her, but you need someone who can start at 7. And no, you do not have to pay a premium for that. You find someone who wants your job that starts at 7.

It sounds to me like she's getting tired of the early-morning routine period, and may take this opportunity to have a conversation with herself about whether or not she wants a job that starts early in the morning at all.

Anonymous wrote:I need a reality check please, am I asking for too much?

I had some changes at work and my schedule now requires me to be at work s little bit earlier. I spoke to my nanny about this and asked if she could start at 7am as opposed to 7:30am. Her response was a "NO" right away with a reason being it is too early for her and she cannot get up so early. We had her for about two years and have been super flexible, gave her time off whenever she needed it and salary advances to name a few. I am very frustrated, what do we do in this situation?

What's it worth to you to have her come in that early? Make an offer she can't refuse.

Anonymous wrote:She accepted position with a start time that is acceptable and convenient to her personal life. Maybe she has other things that she must do and coming in earlier means she is inconvenienced. OP, et AL, would have a fit if nanny suddenly told you--not asked-- but told you that she had to come in earlier. Fire her so she can find a Job working for someone who does not look upon her as a slave to kowtow to your every whim.

Youve clearly never had a real job before, have you? Note that OP's boss is now requiring her to be at work earlier. Does she throw a fit, say no, and quit? No, she does the job.

OP is your nanny very young? I can't imagine a mature adult making a big deal out of this.

Let's say now she gets up at 6 am to be at work at 7:30. She would potentially have to get up at 5:30 or earlier to be there at 7. She doesn't want to, I don't blame her

She accepted position with a start time that is acceptable and convenient to her personal life. Maybe she has other things that she must do and coming in earlier means she is inconvenienced. OP, et AL, would have a fit if nanny suddenly told you--not asked-- but told you that she had to come in earlier. Fire her so she can find a Job working for someone who does not look upon her as a slave to kowtow to your every whim.

My old employers sprang this on me like a week before the switch. I was younger and should have said no. Traffic patterns were different and i needed to give myself a lot of time. It sucked

I am a nanny. Fire her if she cannot make this simple accommodation. Nanny's like this give us all a bad name.

Do not ask her again, OP. It is one half hour earlier or find another job. End of discussion. No pay increase and no promises. Then, if she does make the change and has a good attitude about it, I would reward her with a generous bonus.

Maybe she feels taken advantage of and this is the last straw?

It's very simple.

You need an employee to start at 7 am.
She can not (or will not) come in to work at 7 am.

So you need to find a new nanny and she needs to find a new job.

I don't see what the question is.

7 am is not that early.

Many jobs that support other people working (people who work at coffee shops, train operators/bus drivers, etc.) need to start work hours before the typical work day. Your nanny also has a job that "supports someone else working" (you and your spouse.) An early start time is expected.

OP, I'm a morning person, so for me this would be fine, although an inconvenience. However, for my husband, it would be REALLY difficult, and i doubt he could start working at 7am productively. He is truly a night owl and does his best work then. So I think it depends on the person, but it all comes down to the fact that it's ultimately her choice when to start work and your choice whether to continue with her if she can't come in at 7am.

I would be miffed if my Nanny used the excuse that just a half hour earlier was "too early."

And I strongly disagree that Nannies who are asked to start work at 7AM should be compensated more due to the unusually "early" hour.
This makes zero sense to me.
7AM is not an unusually early start time.

I am a Nanny & not a morning person whatsoever.
I start my job at 7AM and it sure isn't easy.
Sleeping in an extra half-hour would be heavenly. Zzzzz.......

But I NEED my job so I go along w/it.

And my boss needs me there at that hour.

If I decided that sleep meant more to me, than I would totally understand if my boss let me go since I wouldn't be able to meet her needs.

OP, let her know that your needs have changed & that you need someone who can be at your home at 7 vs. 7:30AM.

Let her know that if she is still unwilling to come in earlier, that unfortunately you will need to find someone else who can better suit your needs.

Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:This is a major inconvenience and you pay extra. You have a nanny whom you trust, who had taken excellent care of your child for to years and a nanny who loves, and I loved, by your child. Stop being obtuse and find a way to work with her.

First of all we have been nothing but nice and respectful with her. This is due to changes in my work schedule, not because I want to inconvenience her...