So I need advice. Basically I started a before school/after school job just as college started. It originally worked very well around my college schedule and seemed fair enough, bring the seven year old child to school at 8 in the morning, collect at 3 and stay til' 5:30, five days a week? Not bad right? I'd have to work weekends once a month as well. During this month, I have been "trained" basically by the grandmother who was still there, soon returning to her own country while the mother would stay behind with the child and work. Note also that she is a single parent.Now two things became very apparent when I began working. First off, the mother was very anal about the house to an extreme degree. The house had to be fully hoovered every single day, the bath cleaned, every surface cleaned on top of this. The laundry had to be done, three nights a week. I figured a job was just a job, and I'd deal with it. Food had to be done on top of it too, the child bathed every single day, put in warm clothes, not allowed to go over to friend's houses etc., clothes needed to be put out and the child's mess cleaned up after she was done playing. So yes, incredibly particular.
Also the family freaked out at me for the most random of things. I put out the wrong socks, white instead of navy, immediately made the grandmother freak out and nearly fire me. I kid you not. Not doing under the carpets, leaving dishes in the sink, not taking out the laundry the second it was done in the washing machine, all close to me nearly being fired.
I consider myself a pretty good catch for a nanny, considering I speak full English, fully literate and I am able to help the child with her studies, as I can speak two or three different languages native to the country we live in. I work for cents as well, literally probably around... 5 dollars an hour in American terms but the recession is bad here so I took what I got honestly.
Yes all of this I could deal with, until what the grandmother told me last Friday.
The hours have increased dramatically all of sudden. Suddenly I'm working 7 days a week, every week. What? Wait. Wasn't I meant to have only one weekend out of the month? Also I'm working nights. Okay. That's alright, I assumed one night a week, where I'd stay over while the mother worked from 8pm-8am. Nope, I work all weekend now apparently. I'd start work at 8am on Saturday and maybe finish at 8pm on Sunday. That's coming close to a 48hr shift. WHAT. Nevermind college, who works those hours?! I'd work some nights til' 8:30 too and I'd have to spend another night during the weekday, 8pm-8am. The grandmother told me at the beginning my hours would be solid, and only one weekend during the month. Now suddenly I'm there more then I'm at home. She wants me long-term, too. Suddenly it looks like I won't be sleeping properly til' I retire. Now I ask you, am I being ridiculous myself, or is it my employer who is being ridiculous?!
Looking for an opinion on this. If you could post it, that would be awesome.
I think it's obvious. Quit. First, do you have a contract? (Obviously not.) Second, are you a nanny or a housekeeper? Third, why did you agree to do all of this when they started adding things on? Fourth, What country do you live in that $5/hour is acceptable? Do you not have minimum wage standards?
ReplyDeleteAnyway. I think this is a cut and dry case. If you decide to stay, you're agreeing to everything that's happening.
I think it would be ridiculous to stay. I rather take out more student loans and live off soup then work a job were they treated like a slave.
ReplyDeleteReading your post, it seems obvious to me that you are hoping we will tell you to quit. And that is exactly my advice. I am wondering, what is the mother doing during all this extra time that you have to work?? Is she working or just doing other things? If she's working, how did she not know that she was going to need you all these extra hours? Seems to me that she is very inconsiderate.
ReplyDeleteI was also wondering how you have any time for your studies, let alone time for yourself? In the beginning when you were told that you would have solid and limited hours, you were wise to agree to a job that wouldn't take over your whole life. Now that it has become too much, you either need to demand that your hours go back to what you agreed to, or quit. I would advise you to quit since you cited all the other things that you hate about the job. The mom doesn't seem like a nice person to work for. Also, you deserve more money. Best of luck!
You already know the answer. This working environment is insane.
ReplyDeleteI worked for a family that wanted me to clean the blinds in the bathtub when the baby was napping. I never did and quit soon after.
They too wanted the floors washed every day.
[???]
Run! And fast! This is not a "normal" -or- "healthy" position.
This is beyond ridiculous. The fact that the mom and grandma have already gone apespit on you several times and threatened to fire you should have been your big red flag to get out. The every weekend working is a no-go. Get out.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous...
ReplyDeleteDid you say you stayed in a job that added 25 more hours/week and housework you didn't agree to for "only" 10 months? That's a lot more than "only"! That's a long time to be taken advantage of.
It's unfortunate you've decided to no longer be a nanny based on that job. Most parents aren't that inconsiderate and for the ones who are, a contract and the word "no" are the cure.
Now I ask you, am I being ridiculous myself, or is it my employer who is being ridiculous?!
ReplyDeleteOh come on, do you really not know the answer to this??? Sheesh.
In agreement with Viv on this one. As if someone doesn't know....
ReplyDeleteI find it hard to believe (not only from the info you presented, but your tone throughout) that you have any doubts as to how ridiculous this is.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine how I would vacuum an entire house, clean the bathroom, and ALL other surfaces, EVERY DAY... while caring for a child.
What. The. Hell.
This woman doesn't want a nanny, she wants a scullery maid.
I am not sure which country you live in, so things may be different. However in the U.S., a Nanny's duties are primarily caring for the child(ren). If there is any downtime such as nap times, the Nanny may sometimes do child's laundry, pick up toys and sterilize bottles/dishes, etc. She usually does not cook dinner for the family, run to the store for bread or iron the parent's clothes. If she does, then she is considered a Nanny/Housekeeper and gets paid double what a Nanny usually makes or close to it. For instance, as a Nanny I charge $15/Hr, but if the family expects me to cook, clean, run errands, etc. I charge $25 - 27/Hr for this.
ReplyDeleteThis mother is using you and you need to leave immediately. Screw the typical two week notice, she sounds like she may make your job worse if you give notice.
Unless you are in dire straits Girl, leave immediately. Today. Do not show up. At all.
I agree with everything said above. 5 dollars an hour and you are not only a nanny but a housekeeper?! NO WAY. I would quit and chalk this up as a lesson learned. Next time, have a contract, set a standard price for your nanny services and if other services are needed (housekeeping etc.) add those prices accordingly. Also within your contract, have your "duties" written out accordingly along with your weekly schedule/hours. You definitely need to increase your nanny price to at least minimum wage. Frankly, I think $10 an hour is a great starting point. But you can start that higher depending on your experience. Trust me, there are plenty of great families out there that will pay well for a good nanny so don't short change yourself! You are a nanny not a slave.
ReplyDeleteI work for a single mother like this but she has actually been diagnosed with OCD, as have I, so I understand the importance of arranging the cups and plates in order of size and making sure to send her a video of me checking all the knobs on the stove are switched off exactly 10 times each. Mind you MB understands the labour involved and pays me $200-$300 per night. She also understands that the odds of finding someone with OCD who's willing to work with children are very slim.
ReplyDeleteStart looking for a new job asap.
ReplyDelete