I'm a nanny and have been for several years and snow days was my biggest peeve with my employers until I realized no amount of money offered would make me put my life at risk. First you brave the snow to get there and the employers are still in their pajamas.The kids are usually not changed and the house is messy with toys and stuff everywhere. The employers turn around and disappears upstairs saying they have calls to make. They come down to eat and take coffee breaks and lunch, but won't relieve you and take their kids out to play in the snow during their breaks so you can have at least one quiet moment. So my policy is I will come to work on a snow day if my employers also go in. If you stay home so do I but please don't pay me..Nannies read your employer some will be great but those who aren't tell them keep the days PAY and stay safe..The pay makes them feel entitled like they own you..Leave it for them and let them do your work for that day..Trust me they don't like it. The weekend is more than they want to care for their r kids..

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What would you poor nannies do if you ever had another job besides being a nanny where they expected you to show up even if it were snowing out. Oh the horrors of being expected to show up for your JOB.

You're missing the point. If boss doesn't go to work...nanny shouldn't go to work. BE A PARENT AND GO OUT IN THE SNOW WITH YOUR KIDS. They're ecstatic that they get a snow day with mom and dad.

No, YOU are missing the point. When did it become mandatory that a nanny should not have to work just because a parent is home? It does not matter what the parent does during that time because they have paid you to be there. You are there to take care of the children. That is you job.

It goes both ways. There are benefits to being a nanny that MBs whine about as well. My work day ends when it ends. I'm not staying up late to meet deadlines, and I'm not making up hours so you can. My work can't be done at home, so if I can't get in because of the weather, I stay dry and safe at home, and yes I expect to be paid. Its one of the few trade offs to to the all around crappy pay and benefits we get. You make lots more money, guess what? Your job is gonna suck sometimes. That's why they pay you so much.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What would you poor nannies do if you ever had another job besides being a nanny where they expected you to show up even if it were snowing out. Oh the horrors of being expected to show up for your JOB.

You're missing the point. If boss doesn't go to work...nanny shouldn't go to work. BE A PARENT AND GO OUT IN THE SNOW WITH YOUR KIDS. They're ecstatic that they get a snow day with mom and dad.

No, YOU are missing the point. When did it become mandatory that a nanny should not have to work just because a parent is home? It does not matter what the parent does during that time because they have paid you to be there. You are there to take care of the children. That is you* job.

*Sorry, that should be your job.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What would you poor nannies do if you ever had another job besides being a nanny where they expected you to show up even if it were snowing out. Oh the horrors of being expected to show up for your JOB.

You're missing the point. If boss doesn't go to work...nanny shouldn't go to work. BE A PARENT AND GO OUT IN THE SNOW WITH YOUR KIDS. They're ecstatic that they get a snow day with mom and dad.

No, YOU are missing the point. When did it become mandatory that a nanny should not have to work just because a parent is home? It does not matter what the parent does during that time because they have paid you to be there. You are there to take care of the children. That is you job.

I am willing to be the number of MBs that are NOT expected to work from home for at least a good chunk of a snow day - especially the 2nd to hit in a row and especially falling after a long weekend so that you're already a day short in the work week - is pretty low.

Moreover, road conditions were tolerable today. That is why the fed gov did not close.

Finally, had my nanny refused to come today but agreed to have me bring the kids, I would have packed them all up and very slowly driven on the 3 main roads that connect her house and mine to hand them over for the day before heading into work.

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Anonymous wrote:If I were asked to come into work so my boss could lay around, I'd be LIVID.

What do you care what your boss does when you work?

If I risk my life and vehicle to come to work so MB can lay on her fat ass watching Modern Family and napping....I care.

The thing is, snow days aren't the only time she's off when you aren't. I had a 10-day vacation where I stayed in town and took care of a few things. My nanny worked. It didn't matter that I was off. She wasn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

She didn't have to worry about dying on her way to work though. That's the difference between this situation and your vacation.
Not really sure why you felt the need to add that as it's completely unrelated.

It's not, though. When you read this thread, there is tremendous vitriol on the part of nannies against MBs who expect to have the nanny work when the MB herself happens to be not working. As such, there is an underlying assumption that if a woman is not toiling at the office, she MUST do her own childcare. I find that completely ridiculous. I would never require my nanny to come in if the roads are unsafe, that's not right. But to say that for as long as MB is off, she OUGHT NOT need a nanny is equally not right.

m
The vitriol toward the MBs toward nannies is about equal. The assumption that nannies don't deserve benefits or decent pay when they won't drive to work in unsafe conditions is equally ridiculous.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were asked to come into work so my boss could lay around, I'd be LIVID.

What do you care what your boss does when you work?

If I risk my life and vehicle to come to work so MB can lay on her fat ass watching Modern Family and napping....I care.

The thing is, snow days aren't the only time she's off when you aren't. I had a 10-day vacation where I stayed in town and took care of a few things. My nanny worked. It didn't matter that I was off. She wasn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

She didn't have to worry about dying on her way to work though. That's the difference between this situation and your vacation.
Not really sure why you felt the need to add that as it's completely unrelated.

It's not, though. When you read this thread, there is tremendous vitriol on the part of nannies against MBs who expect to have the nanny work when the MB herself happens to be not working. As such, there is an underlying assumption that if a woman is not toiling at the office, she MUST do her own childcare. I find that completely ridiculous. I would never require my nanny to come in if the roads are unsafe, that's not right. But to say that for as long as MB is off, she OUGHT NOT need a nanny is equally not right.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were asked to come into work so my boss could lay around, I'd be LIVID.

What do you care what your boss does when you work?

If I risk my life and vehicle to come to work so MB can lay on her fat ass watching Modern Family and napping....I care.

The thing is, snow days aren't the only time she's off when you aren't. I had a 10-day vacation where I stayed in town and took care of a few things. My nanny worked. It didn't matter that I was off. She wasn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

She didn't have to worry about dying on her way to work though. That's the difference between this situation and your vacation.
Not really sure why you felt the need to add that as it's completely unrelated.

If that's the end of it, why is it so hard for MBs to grasp that there are days where your night might/should be off, even though you might have to work. If you have to work from home even when the federal government shuts down, that's you, but its messed up to expect your nanny to trek in because you have to work. You work from home, she doesn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

Oh, I've got an idea! How about we pack the kids in a car and bring them to my place so I can work from home, that'll work - right?

Hey, I'd be all for my employers bringing the kids to me on a snow day, rather than having to go out in it. Then maybe they'd think twice before making it a work day, and only do it if they truly needed to.

They'd never drive their children around in those conditions.

That's my point. If you put the responsibility of traveling on them, they'll think twice before doing it if its unnecessary.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were asked to come into work so my boss could lay around, I'd be LIVID.

What do you care what your boss does when you work?

If I risk my life and vehicle to come to work so MB can lay on her fat ass watching Modern Family and napping....I care.

The thing is, snow days aren't the only time she's off when you aren't. I had a 10-day vacation where I stayed in town and took care of a few things. My nanny worked. It didn't matter that I was off. She wasn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

She didn't have to worry about dying on her way to work though. That's the difference between this situation and your vacation.
Not really sure why you felt the need to add that as it's completely unrelated.

If that's the end of it, why is it so hard for MBs to grasp that there are days where your night might/should be off, even though you might have to work. If you have to work from home even when the federal government shuts down, that's you, but its messed up to expect your nanny to trek in because you have to work. You work from home, she doesn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

Oh, I've got an idea! How about we pack the kids in a car and bring them to my place so I can work from home, that'll work - right?

Hey, I'd be all for my employers bringing the kids to me on a snow day, rather than having to go out in it. Then maybe they'd think twice before making it a work day, and only do it if they truly needed to.

They'd never drive their children around in those conditions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were asked to come into work so my boss could lay around, I'd be LIVID.

What do you care what your boss does when you work?

If I risk my life and vehicle to come to work so MB can lay on her fat ass watching Modern Family and napping....I care.

The thing is, snow days aren't the only time she's off when you aren't. I had a 10-day vacation where I stayed in town and took care of a few things. My nanny worked. It didn't matter that I was off. She wasn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

She didn't have to worry about dying on her way to work though. That's the difference between this situation and your vacation.
Not really sure why you felt the need to add that as it's completely unrelated.

If that's the end of it, why is it so hard for MBs to grasp that there are days where your night might/should be off, even though you might have to work. If you have to work from home even when the federal government shuts down, that's you, but its messed up to expect your nanny to trek in because you have to work. You work from home, she doesn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

Oh, I've got an idea! How about we pack the kids in a car and bring them to my place so I can work from home, that'll work - right?

Hey, I'd be all for my employers bringing the kids to me on a snow day, rather than having to go out in it. Then maybe they'd think twice before making it a work day, and only do it if they truly needed to.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were asked to come into work so my boss could lay around, I'd be LIVID.

What do you care what your boss does when you work?

If I risk my life and vehicle to come to work so MB can lay on her fat ass watching Modern Family and napping....I care.

The thing is, snow days aren't the only time she's off when you aren't. I had a 10-day vacation where I stayed in town and took care of a few things. My nanny worked. It didn't matter that I was off. She wasn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

She didn't have to worry about dying on her way to work though. That's the difference between this situation and your vacation.
Not really sure why you felt the need to add that as it's completely unrelated.

If that's the end of it, why is it so hard for MBs to grasp that there are days where your night might/should be off, even though you might have to work. If you have to work from home even when the federal government shuts down, that's you, but its messed up to expect your nanny to trek in because you have to work. You work from home, she doesn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

Oh, I've got an idea! How about we pack the kids in a car and bring them to my place so I can work from home, that'll work - right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were asked to come into work so my boss could lay around, I'd be LIVID.

What do you care what your boss does when you work?

If I risk my life and vehicle to come to work so MB can lay on her fat ass watching Modern Family and napping....I care.

The thing is, snow days aren't the only time she's off when you aren't. I had a 10-day vacation where I stayed in town and took care of a few things. My nanny worked. It didn't matter that I was off. She wasn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

She didn't have to worry about dying on her way to work though. That's the difference between this situation and your vacation.
Not really sure why you felt the need to add that as it's completely unrelated.

If that's the end of it, why is it so hard for MBs to grasp that there are days where your night might/should be off, even though you might have to work. If you have to work from home even when the federal government shuts down, that's you, but its messed up to expect your nanny to trek in because you have to work. You work from home, she doesn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were asked to come into work so my boss could lay around, I'd be LIVID.

What do you care what your boss does when you work?

If I risk my life and vehicle to come to work so MB can lay on her fat ass watching Modern Family and napping....I care.

The thing is, snow days aren't the only time she's off when you aren't. I had a 10-day vacation where I stayed in town and took care of a few things. My nanny worked. It didn't matter that I was off. She wasn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

She didn't have to worry about dying on her way to work though. That's the difference between this situation and your vacation.
Not really sure why you felt the need to add that as it's completely unrelated.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were asked to come into work so my boss could lay around, I'd be LIVID.

What do you care what your boss does when you work?

If I risk my life and vehicle to come to work so MB can lay on her fat ass watching Modern Family and napping....I care.

The thing is, snow days aren't the only time she's off when you aren't. I had a 10-day vacation where I stayed in town and took care of a few things. My nanny worked. It didn't matter that I was off. She wasn't. That's pretty much the end of it.

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I get a snow day at work all that means is that I can do my computer work from home. None of my deadlines move. If nanny does not come then I end up staying up late (sometimes through the morning) finishing up projects. I would be happy to give the nanny a day of on the snow day if she offers to come on the weekend when it is safe and let me finish my work. If it's all just about nanny's safety then it should work. It's just the nannies I came across would jump on not having to come in if it snows a little bit but noone offers to make up the hours.

I am an employer. I do not really get snow days though. I just get the opportunity to finish my work from home. If nanny gets the snow means she gets to finish the work on a different day like I am then I am fine it

You are insane.

Do you even have a nanny?

No, but I am a nanny and I would resent you for making me make up snow days. Let's just hope your nanny doesn't feel the same way.

Our nanny been with us for three years. She gets a lot of paid days of as our family travels a lot. 6-7 weeks paid vacation make up for possible resentment I think

My only point is that nannies want the same treatment as office workers. Office workers like me do not just get the snow days of. My work does not stop. Why should the nanny's?

Just because your manager is an asshat doesn't mean you have to be one to your nanny.
It's a matter of safety. Bottom line: it is not safe to drive.
How exactly do nannies (you're generalizing BTW) want to be treated like office workers?
Fair pay, benefits...?

You are right, I am generalizing. I saw a lot of threads on this forum with nannies expressing they want the same treatment as office workers. I am all in support of that. My nanny gets paid time of (a lot of it) , I pay her health insurance, give her stipend or her taxes, entirely cover her transportation costs, always pay OT etc I extend all the benefits I have to my nanny. I gave her more than 1/2 on my bonus last year. But I do expect her to share some of my responsibilities in return. I think it is only fair.

I get what you're saying, and I agree to an extent, but I think your expectation ought to be that your nanny handle HER responsibilities in return, not do whatever you want/need to make it possible for you to handle yours. That's not her job. Her job is to care for your kids within the hours of Y-Z, with a reasonable expectation that she will not be expected to report when travel is dangerous. Making up hours on the weekends because YOU have responsibilities is not her job. Childcare issues and having to make up work on a snow day are tough, we get it. Your nanny doesnt have job where she has deadlines to meet, or where her work comes home with her. You can't expect her to shoulder that for you. Taking care of your children is first and foremost your job. Meeting your deadlines at work is your job. Making sure all of that happens and that you don't have to stay up late or whatever is not your nanny's job. It is to be available from Y-Z, barring uncontrollable circumstances (snow, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc).

I can see what you are saying as well. And thanks for the sane reply. You are right that these are my kids and my responsibilities. I would also never expect the nanny or anyone to risk their life, put themselves in danger, etc. Personally, I do not think that couple of inches of snow is the same as an earthquake. I went to the office yesterday and was just fine. Nevertheless, I arrange transportation for our non-driving nanny on such days including yesterday. I guess for me personally it comes down to the fact that if the nanny is gonna take every possible time off and her responsibility is to just be there Y-Z I would pay her accordingly for that. If someone is willing to understand my circumstances and help or our family to run smoothly their compensation will be adjusted accordingly. Our nanny been with us for a while. She never requested a snow day. I guess we are a good match with her. I imagine she gets paid way more than most nannies on this forum.

For someone with so many deadlines and work responsibilities, you sure do spend a lot of time on DCUM.
Good thing you had the nanny come in today.

And what would be your excuse for not coming in today? It's not even snowing

I negotiated a 4 day work week, with Wednesdays being my day off. Nice try.

The world does not rotate around you and your schedule

What does this even mean?