A typical aspect of being a nanny involves driving the children you care for to and from activities, appointments, grocery shopping etc.
As a child-carer, your job involves catering to the well-being of the child in your charge. You need to have certain safety measures in place to ensure that everyone makes it from point A to point B safely.
It’s 10 minutes past finishing time and no sign of your employers, no call, no text. It’s 40 minutes past your contracted finish and your employer breezes in saying “Sorry! See you tomorrow.” It’s been 3 hours, you’ve put the children to bed, cancelled your plans for the evening and made a half-hearted attempt at tackling the ironing pile when your phone beeps – “Dinner nearly through, home in an hour or so”. Sound familiar?
Using the highly scientific research method known as ‘asking some people we know’ we found that this problem is shockingly common and there seem to be three main reasons for employer lateness, which require different tactics to resolve.
Continue reading “Persistent lateness and how to deal with it”
Bad weather is going to hit most of the UK this month, and as we all know that can cause disruption to all sorts of arrangements. Planning ahead is key to minimising impact on you and your nanny family. If you’re a parent check out snow plans for parents!
Your nanny’s annual leave can sometimes be difficult to negotiate, especially at Christmas time. When making your own plans for work and time off over the Christmas season, you will need to take your nanny’s plans and needs into account as well.
So, how can you strike a balance between your childcare needs, and your nanny’s need for time off over Christmas? How can you keep your nanny happy without leaving yourself in a tricky situation?
If your nanny is full time, and is given the minimum 4 weeks of paid annual leave each year, a good compromise can be that she chooses when to take two weeks of her holiday, and you choose the other two weeks. This is to prevent situations such as you choosing to go on holiday, leaving her with no work to do and (quite rightly) expecting payment. You will likely both have to compromise a little but this is much fairer than things going in just one party’s favour. Make sure that these arrangements are put in writing and signed by both parties, to ensure that nobody will be surprised or let down later on. Most nannies will have terms in their contracts that cover issues surrounding annual leave, so you both ought to know where you stand from the beginning.
Christmas may seem a whole world away earlier in the year, but it is worth discussing in advance what your plans are for the Christmas period, and what your nanny wants to do. She may have quite specific days that she wishes to be off, or she may be quite happy to be flexible. If she has her own family, it is pretty safe to say that she will want a decent amount of time off over Christmas. Agreeing these things in advance, and then putting them in writing, will hopefully avoid disagreements later down the line. If you know that your nanny would like some time off over Christmas and New Year, you will have plenty of time to organise things at your workplace so that you can be home, or so that you can make alternative arrangements for the care of your children.
Remember, your nanny is your employee. If she doesn’t feel appreciated, she may well look elsewhere for work. You may wish to give her some extra holiday on full pay over Christmas as a thank you for her hard work throughout the year, or a monetary bonus of some kind. Although unsociable hours can sometimes be a part of a nanny’s job description, those hours should always be agreed in advance and not dropped on her suddenly – especially not over Christmas and New Year when she may have her own special arrangements.
Remember, although you are your nanny’s employer, she is a special part of your family. The relationship should be kept warm yet professional. As long as everybody is honest and upfront early about their needs and wishes over the festive season, there should be no reason for any aggravation.
When the weather outside is frightful…it’s time for Christmas crafts!
Dust off that craft box and try these fun Christmas craft ideas – get messy, create something new and have fun!
With the cost of living on the increase and many of us watching the pennies (and pounds!) you might decide to recreate some of the fun at home with sparklers or by building a small bonfire with older children, maybe even doing some campfire cooking. The most important thing to keep in mind is that fire, and fireworks, are dangerous.
Sparklers are cheap and fun. They give off sparkles as they burn and make pretty patterns, but they can also be very dangerous and definitely shouldn’t be used by children under 5. When using sparklers:
If you want to make a fire, then follow some simple rules and keep it small so it doesn’t get out of control. Remember that if it’s windy you shouldn’t build a fire as the wind could pick up burning sticks and quickly get out of control. If you decide to have a bonfire at home:
And finally, we hope you don’t need it but here’s a quick refresher on how to care for a burn:
The rise of the nanny-housekeeper has been pretty universal. All over the country nannies are reporting that new jobs come with more household duties than they used to, and bosses are increasingly asking nannies to take on jobs around the house when charges move on to school or nursery.
It used to be said that you could either have a good cleaner or a good nanny. To a certain extent this holds – nannies become nannies, and train to become nannies, because they want to work with children. Most training courses don’t cover household duties, and placements in nurseries are more likely to be cleaning on a large scale using specially designed products and very resistant furniture. While nannies are usually happy to clear up after themselves and take on nursery duties such as children’s laundry, their focus will always be on the children and that may mean the housekeeping just doesn’t get done.
Cleaners are often great cleaners because of their attention to detail and their love of making things sparkle. That may mean their attention to the children suffers and their own feelings of frustration mount when things don’t stay clean and tidy for long.
So what can you reasonably expect someone to do when providing dedicated care for your children? The answer is it depends what you’re prepared to compromise on. If you’re modifying a job it’s important to discuss with your nanny what they feel capable or comfortable doing. A nanny who is also an excellent cook may not object to cooking a family meal for the evening and filling the freezer. A nanny who doesn’t mind ironing may be prepared to do yours alongside the children’s. Asking them if they would mind running the hoover round the rest of the house while they do the children’s bedrooms may also be possible, but do bear in mind the logistical problems this might bring if there are children at home full-time anfd the fact that nanny needs a break during the day!
A nanny-housekeeper, however, is employed to fulfill both roles and probably has experience of balancing the two. They are prepared to take on more cleaning than a dedicated nanny, will often shop and cook for the family and can work particularly well with school aged children. One of the most attractive features is how long-lived the role can be. Parents who are prepared to commit to employing a nanny-housekeeper from the start with more focus on childcare in the early years and on the household later will often find the same person will stay in the role, providing stability and continuity of care.
Flexibility is a buzzword when it comes to childcare. Many parents need someone willing to be a bit flexible with hours to cover unexpected delays and duties to pick up the slack when needed. Most child carers are keen to emphasise their flexibility to maximise their chances of getting a job. But are you using the F-word too much?
Just as our ideas of physical flexibility differ, the types of flexibility different types of childcares often do too. A flexible nursery is a bit like being able to touch your toes with your hands, which is better than only reaching your knees if that’s all another nursery can do for you, but a flexible nanny is more like being able to touch your toes to the back of your head. Even if you don’t touch your toes on a regular basis, it can be reassuring to know that flexibility is there if you need it, just like it can be reassuring to know you have a bit of leeway to cover those unexpected delays.
When choosing childcare options parents should assess how much flexibility they really need – remember needing unusual hours isn’t the same as needing flexible childcare, although you might need someone who is flexible with the hours they’ll agree to work. Different types of childcare are by nature more flexible than others – a nursery has fixed opening and closing times for good reasons, but a childminder has a little more leeway to decide what those are and whether they are willing to make exceptions on an occasional or more regular basis. One flexible childminder might not mind early drop offs or late pickups for core contracted hours, another may mean they will offer an extended hours service but expect this to be agreed in advance. A nanny, especially a live-in nanny, can give even more flexibility, including late notice and overnight care, but this shouldn’t be taken for granted and should always be compensated accordingly.
Child carers promising flexibility in hours provided therefore need to be careful about what they mean. You might be happy to work up to 10 hours a day and although you don’t mind whether those 10 hours are 5am to 3pm or 11am to 9pm you still expect to clock off when those 10 hours are done. Or maybe you’re happy to occasionally start an hour earlier or finish an hour later but are generally available between 8am and 6pm. Perhaps you’re one of the few happy to commit to a set number of hours over the month whenever the parents need you. All of those are being flexible but option 1 is what a shift worker might mean by flexible childcare, option 2 is what someone with a complicated commute prone to delays might mean.
Flexible working is also a two-way street. The quickest way to turn a relationship sour is to demand full flexibility from a childcare provider and never give any back. Giving a little can build up a store of goodwill for the times you need extra help. As one nanny said ‘I absolutely don’t mind doing later days when I am let off early sometimes.
It’s not just working hours that require flexibility – nannies are often asked to be flexible when it comes to jobs around the home. Most nannies will empty a full kitchen bin or put a coffee cup in the dishwasher, and if it’s been a nightmare morning and the breakfast things are left on the side occasionally then that’s okay too. In general, though, nannies don’t expect to act as housekeepers unless it’s part of the job description, so if a nanny says at interview, they’re flexible on duties it’s well worth finding out what that really means.
Just a little flexibility in return goes a long way, allowing a nanny to run some personal errands during the working day occasionally or accepting that a childminder might need to close earlier on occasion can make a relationship a whole lot smoother.
At the end of the day being truly flexible means accepting that sometimes things are going to be a little different.
Failing to plan is planning to fail. Organising your time and your working environment effectively means you will feel less stressed, more in control and able to focus on the things you love rather than chores you hate.
Failing to plan is planning to fail. Organising your time and your working environment effectively means you will feel less stressed, more in control and able to focus on the things you love rather than chores you hate.
Have a diary
If you and your nanny family don’t already have a diary, ideally a page per day, then invest in one. Write down your menu plans, shopping lists, any appointments, groups, playdates or changes to the usual routine. Remind your bosses to fill things in as well and check a couple of weeks ahead or before planning anything on a specific date in case there’s something already there. Don’t be afraid to put your plans in, particularly if they involve you leaving right on time or mean you’re unable to babysit. Don’t like a paper diary? Share a Google calendar with your boss!
Working 8-6 leaves little time and energy for going to the gym but it’s important to take care of yourself so here are 7 steps to better fitness during your work hours!
Working 8-6 leaves little time and energy for going to the gym but it’s important to take care of yourself so here are 7 steps to better fitness during your work hours!
1. Walk: Get that buggy, or that sling, out and go for a long walk. Don’t just amble round the park, take it up a level. If you have toddler or preschool aged charges get them to scoot or bike. We can guarantee that you’ll be running to keep up.
2. Skip: You probably haven’t used a skipping rope since primary school but it’s an amazing cardiac workout. Teach children from about the age of 4, and challenge each other to skip for a set length of time or learn new tricks.
3. Plank: Got a baby charge? Plank while they’re doing tummy time and chat away. Nearly crawling? You’re down on their level, cheering along? Toddler or older? Get them to do it alongside you, or let them use you as a climbing frame!
4. Squat and lunge: Squats are great while winding or soothing a cranky baby, and you can lunge your way round the kitchen while you cook.
5. Work your abs: Sit your charge on your tummy and do some crunches, or play peekaboo by placing them in front of your feet and appearing from behind your knees.
6. Yoga: Even preschoolers can do some basic yoga poses – just look at Waybuloo. The tree pose is a fun challenge for everyone, and what child doesn’t love being upside down in downwards facing dog? Make triangles with your body, practice your archery in the warrior pose and twinkle like a star.
7. Dance: Put some funky music on and get moving! Shake your head, your hips, your arms and your legs. Do some ballet to classical music. Jump up and down. Go wild.
