Why does everyone hate on WAH parents, especially the dads? I happen to work for a great family they are both kind, caring, and helpful. Dad works from home. He's a nice guy, keeps to himself, except to say hello to the kids every so often. He doesn't flirt or interfere. I feel 100% safe in that house. I know I can't be the only one.
I feel the same way about my family.
ReplyDeleteMy last nanny job was for a WAHD and I had no problem with it at all. I saw him in the morning when I first got there. After he ate breakfast, he went up to his office for the entire morning. He came downstairs to make his lunch, took it back upstairs, then I didn't see him again until he came down to relieve me at quitting time.
ReplyDeleteI've said many times before that I've only had good experiences with the wahd's I've worked for. I'm sure there are some bad ones out there but I'd like to think the good out number them. :)
ReplyDeleteIn most situations, it can be a recipe for disaster when a Nanny works in a home where the parent is there all the time. I have had jobs a plenty where I had to work alongside a WAHM or WAHD and they have all been disastrous to say the least. My qualms have been that my autonomy has been taken away, there is usually too much interference and I constantly feel like I am being watched and listened to.
ReplyDeleteI think these situations can work out, but it is entirely up to the parents to make it work. They need to establish boundaries and concentrate on their work and just let the Nanny do her job. The previous posts sound like the parents did just that and that is why those jobs worked out well.
Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
Like Mike I've had good and bad experiences with work at home parents.
ReplyDeleteI prefere when they work out of the home. I like the space to do my job. It's hard for a parent not to parent.
I've said many times that I adore my WAHM. I'm glad you have a good professional relationship with your boss too. I don't know why so many people here discourage new nannies from working with a WAHP.
ReplyDeleteGlad you have a good relationship!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to get a break from all WAHD are perves posts.
WAHPs can be great and they can be awful just like nanny jobs where the parents are out of the home.
It's just a chance you take.
It's just a personal preference.
I prefer work out parents. Just my thing, but I won't say work ins are awful.
I have worked for many parents who are either stay at home or work from home. I think it is important to define the relationship before hand and go into it with open expectations. I loved working along side my bosses and grew close to them. Even the dads who worked from home and I had a great working relationship. Never did I feel uncomfortable or felt like I was being micromanaged.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to have the type of working relationship where you feel comfortable and at peace in order to make it work.
I have worked with parents who are at home and it's been great, but I've also had bad experiences and didn't end up staying at those positions. Many parents can hover the entire time. I also don't feel as comfortable singing and dancing and being extra silly with the kids when there is another adult watching. In the worst experience I had, the mother of a 2-year-old basically just used me to change diapers and clean up and keep her son entertained and then for things like getting him out of his crib, feeding him a desert, she specified that she "liked to do it" and I was instructed to come get her from her office after I prepared his treat, or heard him on the monitor. The son also quickly learned that the mother enjoyed being the "good guy" if I were ever trying to get him to do something he didn't want to do, like brush his teeth. His mother would coddle him and then tell me to "just skip it for the day". It was irritating. I am weary of, but not necessarily opposed to WAHPs. In the best cases, it has been for parents I've babysat for and got to know them as people. Then the arrangement worked out wonderfully. I don't think I could ever go into a WAHP situaiton blindly again though. Just my preference.
ReplyDeleteOF course you aren't the only one. I have worked for some great non-creepy dads and friendly communicative moms. A lot of nannies just aren't comfortable with parents who work from home, and a lot of women aren't comfortable in a house with a strange man. It doesn't mean they "hate on" WAHPs, it just means that different people have different comfort levels.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that those of you who have a great relationship with a WAHP are very lucky, as are your employers. However, I think this is the exception rather than the rule. I think most of us discourage nannies from taking these jobs because we have had such a hard time with WAHPs. I personally cannot stand having a parent in the house, even if I like them as a person.
ReplyDeleteMy WAHD is a nice guy. He's just always there.
ReplyDeleteSeriously he'll just pop out of freaking nowhere.
Lat week i was putting the baby down for a nap, as I'm patting is back. I look up and there he is in the doorway.
Sometimes I want to say don't you have work to do?
He's a nice guy.
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteYou say he is a nice guy, but if he is sneaking around to watch you when you don't know he is there, this could mean problems for you down the line. I would be seriously creeped out by that.
I can only think of two reasons for a dad to spy on a nanny like that. 1) he doesn't trust you with the child, or 2) he is thinking sexually about you. Either way, get out of there for your own good!