Receieved Friday, Movember 3, 2006
I am hesitant to reveal to many specifics regarding this American live-in nanny who takes care of two children Monday-Friday for a family where both parents work out of the home. I have reason to see her at drop off and at the youngest daughter's morning ballet class. Many times, including this morning I have heard the nanny going on ad nasueum about the partying she did the previous evening. The nanny is young and attractive but looks beaten up most times I see her. I wonder why the parents are not at all concerned by her haggard appearance? She seems to have no energy left over for the children she cares for. She drags herself from place to place, consistently complaining about how tired and hung over she is. I understand that she is young and what she does on her off time is her business, but it is very apparent that her hard partying lifestyle is affecting the care she is providing your children. Since she is a live-in, you clearly must have some idea what time she is getting in. (She claims this morning that she was at the bar at 4 when it closed and was home in Stamford by 4:30). She was making plans by cellphone for plans this evening, so evidently this is her lifestyle. Parents; there is nothing hip and cool about a nanny with a perpetual hangover.
I KNOW THE TYPE! Although I don't think any parent would know about this and put up with it. It is easy for a nanny to pull it together for the five minutes she sees the parents before they leave for work. But the children pay all day long for the nanny's overindulgence. That is unless she is like our last nanny, who used to need the hair of the dog to steady herself the next day. (We fired her).
ReplyDeleteI am a professional nanny and have been in the past for two different families as well, and I think this behavior is out of line. Just because she is with children all day long does not mean that she can party all night long and not have to worry about putting on an office face and attire. I admit that I don't look my best the children don't care if I wear make up or dress up. However, I shower the night before and look alive and well when I am with them. I don't mean to make assumptions but it seems that this nanny is using the fact that she doesn't have a boss who sees her throughout the day, she wears herself out at night and leaves no energy left for work. This is unprofessional and unfair to the children as well. But this party lifestyle will catch up with her and if the parents don't read this, they will find out eventually, epecially if she is a live in. I understand that she shouldn't have to change her 'off the clock' activities to be a nanny, but the job is no different then another job and the professionalism should be treated the same on her part.
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