Anonymous
Post 04/13/2015 13:59     Subject: Do you always respond to texts from nanny family while off duty?
I'm a "boss" (hate that term) and I text/email our nanny off hours because I have questions or will forget to bring something up since I have like 2 minutes between start of day and out the door.

I do not, however, care if she responds right away or anything unless it's about emergency care situations (like my son is sick, or my employer is a delayed opening). But I have so much on my plate, I seriously can't remember everything and would rather not leave her a list of notes every morning since she jumps right in to her job.

I'd hope if it bothered her, she'd let me know and I'd shift to just leaving her a bunch of notes.
Anonymous
Post 04/13/2015 12:25     Subject: Do you always respond to texts from nanny family while off duty?
Anonymous wrote:My nanny family always seems to find a reason to text me about something after I leave in the evening or before I arrive in the afternoon. I don't always have my phone on me and am busy doing other things during these times so sometimes I won't see a message until hours later or when is too late at night to reply. Should I feel badly about this? I don't think its my responsibility to be available every time they text, but I don't want to come across as rude or that I'm ignoring them. What do you think?


Im always happy to reply to my boss on my days off or during the weekend.And she always understand if I dont respond right way.....
Not a big deal at all.
Anonymous
Post 04/13/2015 07:30     Subject: Do you always respond to texts from nanny family while off duty?
I communicate with my NF by text after hours. Half of it is not even work related, just casual banter because I am friends with both MB and DB. It's really not a big deal.
Anonymous
Post 04/13/2015 00:53     Subject: Do you always respond to texts from nanny family while off duty?
You nannies are nuts. I've been with the same family for 9 years and I always respond when I get a message, when I see it. I actually like my job and my employers, unlike most of you on here.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2015 18:34     Subject: Do you always respond to texts from nanny family while off duty?
I don't see what the big deal is. My employer texts me in my off hours and I respond when I can. Why would I ignore the texts? Just to 'show' them not to contact me when not working? Come on.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2015 15:45     Subject: Do you always respond to texts from nanny family while off duty?
I've never had bosses who abused texting me in my off hours - every couple of weeks isn't a problem for me. I do a lot of babysitting in the evenings, so those texts I try to answer asap (I'm not on my phone constantly so something it gets too late) lest the job gets offered to another sitter.

I do enjoy it when parents text me cute or funny stuff the kids did while I was off during the weekend or on holiday. But I've never had obnoxious parents, so I guess I don't know how bad it can get.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2015 15:12     Subject: Do you always respond to texts from nanny family while off duty?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I really just can't believe the attitudes of some of the nannies on here.... I honestly don't understand why you are in this profession.


And we don't understand why you bothered to have children.


My children are well behaved and brilliant, and my nanny is amazing and respected and happy, unlike all the bitter nannies on here.


Yeah, sure... Whatever you say.
nannydebsays
Post 04/10/2015 15:10     Subject: Do you always respond to texts from nanny family while off duty?
Anonymous wrote:
nannydebsays wrote:I know nannies who charge a fee for texts and a higher fee for calls that happen when the nanny is off work. Seems to help parents stop the habit and act independently.

Of course, you have to charge enough to make your employers unhappy to spend that amount of money...


HAHA you are hilarious nanny deb. You get more and more out there every day.


I respond to the very occasional text or call from my employers. I have never had to institute a "pay-per-contact" clause in a contract, because I have never had employers call me 10+ times in 12 - 24 hours of time off the clock to ask idiotic questions. I know nannies that have experienced that insanity, and they did charge their bosses. Sorry if that blows your mind!
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2015 12:13     Subject: Do you always respond to texts from nanny family while off duty?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My NF got lucky with me because they can reach me anytime. We often communicate after hours. I don't mind it at all. Luckily I don't hate my NF like the rest of you do, I appreciate the communication and planning we do.

I guess the best thing for everyone would just be finding the right type of family for you. If you are an older nanny why isn't very good with handling a cell phone then you might be better with an old fashioned family. But then if you are a younger more current nanny you could work with a younger family that does things differently.


Probably true. We have an older nanny who never uses her cell phone when she is caring for my child. For us, that alone is worth the very, very few times we have needed to call her on her off hours to ask a question. We are also (we being nanny, DH and I) very organized and keep a log of DS's activities, meals, diaper changes, etc and always have ten minutes to go over his day at the end of Nanny's day.



This is the key. There is no reason to call about the lost lovey if the lovey is always put back in the same place. So many of the after-hours texts can be avoided in this - and any line of work - if all the parties involved take a few minutes to organize and communicate before they leave.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2015 12:04     Subject: Do you always respond to texts from nanny family while off duty?

I am perpetually disorganized. That said if I do nothing to move dc's lovey upon returning home then it is not at all unreasonable to me to call nanny to see if she knows where it last was. Items often end up having been left in her car.

I also text if I recall something over the weekend to communicate about Monday schedule (sometimes she works Monday and sometimes not). I do not expect immediate replies and do try to limit them but don't see a brief text that she can reply to much later as awful.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2015 22:38     Subject: Do you always respond to texts from nanny family while off duty?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm an MB and I think your employers are being obnoxious and overstepping. You are not on duty when you're not at work and you shouldn't have to be responding to texts all the time.

I've contacted our nanny on occasion when I can't find the lovey and we're having a meltdown at bedtime, or if the kids are really sick and we're not sure she should come to work tomorrow. Or if she left her phone at the house and might need it.

I think something like that happens perhaps once every other month. Daily texts after hours are just obnoxious and uncalled for.

I'd try to train them out of expecting a response from you. Things like "Good morning- I just saw your text from last night, I usually turn my phone off when I'm home w/ my family." or "I tend to have pretty busy evenings and have the ringer off when I'm with friends, at class, out to dinner, reading, watching a show, going to bed early, etc...

Do that enough times and maybe they'll stop.

I'm sorry. It's obnoxious.


Train them? Her employers are not nice but they aren't dogs to be trained. All she needs to do is tell them she isn't available to them when she is not on duty, no exceptions. Tough if you can't find "lovey". The ONLY allowable reason to contact her is a true emergency and you not being able to find a toy is not an eergency. If she left her phone at your house, how is she going to read your text.


Clearly we are VERY different kinds of bosses.



Well I respect my employees, just as my employer respects me and this means that their time off is sacrosanct. Unless it is a fire emergency, I would never contact them when off duty. Your children are not the responsibility of your nanny when she is off duty. They, and their problems, petty or real, are your comcern.


Yes, I agree, and that was basically my point. However, a 2 yr old screaming for a lost toy at bedtime qualifies as an emergency for anyone who loves that child. And an off hours text 4 or 5 times a year is a far, far cry from bosses who text every day.

Get off your high horse.
Anonymous
Post 04/09/2015 20:51     Subject: Do you always respond to texts from nanny family while off duty?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I really just can't believe the attitudes of some of the nannies on here.... I honestly don't understand why you are in this profession.


And we don't understand why you bothered to have children.


My children are well behaved and brilliant, and my nanny is amazing and respected and happy, unlike all the bitter nannies on here.