Tuesday

The Veiled Threat

   
     I'm really tired of people talking up the nanny contract as if it is a lifesaver. If you are the nanny and it says you have to do something and you aren't doing it, best you believe you will be taken to task for not. But if it isn't in the contract and they ask you to do it, what the hell are you supposed to do? I don't have any power here. Every damn week they are sliding some more stuff into my job description. I only took the job that averages at $12/hr because there was ample downtime during the 12 hour day. But no, all that downtime is being eaten away.
     I was to cook for the children who are 3 and 9 and I have been doing that. During my interview I was told that they eat simple foods like Amy's macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets and cut up fruit. This didn't sound complicated and of course I would be cooking for them since I work from 7-7 five days a week. Last week, boss mom starts to leave me magazines with recipes marked with big arrows on folded post-its. When I made some of the first recipes, the kids didn't want nothing to do with it. She told me then, she wants to try new things for them and I should still make it for them and offer it to them eveyday and if they don't eat it they can have the back up option of scrambled eggs, macaroni and cheese or soup. But, "don't throw anything out, save it for Hank & I".
     So now, not only am I cooking dinner and lunch and making dishes like mustard baked balsamic chicken and apple, beet and arugula salad for the kids, but I have to go to Whole foods to get fresh food everyday. And the kids don't eat this stuff. Its just an elaborate ruse for me to cook for the parents. What power do I have with my sad little nanny contract? I surely wouldn't want someone that begin to hate me cooking for me every damn day. That could end badly.
Situation got you down? Email isynblog@gmail.com.

7 comments:

UmassSlytherin said...
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UmassSlytherin said...
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Anonymous said...

Have a sit down now or it will only get worse. I have been with my current family for almost 5years now. When I went full time last year we made a contract. They then put the youngest into school 2 mornings a week for only 3 hrs when all is said and done. I am now expected to do everyone's laundry, vacuum when cleaning ladies don't come etc. up to 12 loads of laundry a week. It has gotten so ridiculous at times that they bring their laundry down and sit it in front of the washer that's empty and won't even put it in or turn it on. So put that foot down because if you don't they start expecting more. I now have to have a sit down and explain things to them. We are nannies not maids or chefs. Pay me more if you expect more then what we agreed upon.

nesha said...

This aint cool. What if a kid accidentally ate some>?

Me! said...

I wouldn't cook any more. Sit her down without kids present and tell her that the kid(s) aren't interested in the food. If SHE would like you to cook for HER, it'll cost X EXTRA.Don't do it. We do have power. Remind her that cooking isn't part of your repertoire. If you need to,make it seem like your interests are kid centric. You do not have cooking skills.

this_nick said...

You only have the power you demand. Do you really want to work for someone this manipulative? Start the job hunt so you can have other options when things come to a head.

brandi said...

You never know how one thing can lead to another. My boss told me once that she didn't feel well and asked if I could stay. I said no, I had plans. I did. Later, she got violently ill, thought she was having an appendicitis and didn't have anyone to take the kids to call an ambulance. She a single mom asked some neighborhood teen to come and watch the kids and during that time, the teen decided to take the two kids in the family gym and the two year old's fingers got caught and broken between a weight set. This is something I still feel bad about, but when I read your post, I took comfort in atleast I didnt slip her a micky!