Working Moms
emilyec1
member
Do you provide lunch for your nanny?
emilyec1
member
in Working Moms
We're ironing out the last details of the contract, and our nanny expects us to provide lunch for her (using ingredients from our kitchen like bread, meat, cheese, etc.). She seems to feel this is pretty standard. My DH and I bring our lunch to work with us, so I don't really see a difference between the two situations. Just because she has access to a kitchen? I'm not trying to be stingy, but we're on a budget with our grocery bill as well as with other things. What do you all do?
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Re: Do you provide lunch for your nanny?
My nanny brings her home and others we interviewed said the same.
If you really like her and it wouldn't be too much of a burden I guess I would be okay with it. However, I wouldn't call it standard.
p.s. I can barely find time to grocery shop for us!
I don't have a nanny, but from what I've gathered on here, if you don't let your nanny eat from teh kitchen, you should give her space to store her food.
If you are on a budget for your own grocery, then let her know that part of her salary includes allowance for a meal, example would ($5/day), if she opting not to bring her own lunch and make a sandwich at your house with your ingredients, you would deduct $5/day from her salary.
~*Jenna*~
TTC since November 2009.
Currently licensed foster parents with the hope of adopting! Also pursuing pregnancy through IUI! First IUI scheduled 10/3/13
Currently loving our placements:
A 1/08
C 4/11
K 6/12
Our nanny may eat/ make whatever from our kitchen she wants, unless we tell her we're saving something. She's always brought her own lunch though, because I think she finds it easier to have her lunch ready-made so it's one last thing for her to worry about when she's trying to get lunch ready for the kids. She eats snacks from our place. Occasionally she goes out to lunch with the kids and she always pays for herself. I'd pay for her if I asked her to take the kids out for lunch for whatever reason.
We did put it in our contract that she could eat our food, but there's no way I would have put in there that we're responsible for providing her lunch or certain kinds of food. I have enough trouble keeping up with the grocery shopping and am often asking her to pick up things from the grocery store for me (errands are part of her job duty) that it would be not worth the stress of making sure the right food is being provided each week.
Son #2 - October '11
Son #3 - Hoping to adopt from China some time in 2014!
Our adoption journey: Talkin' 'Bout the Next Generation
While I don't have a nanny, this is something that wouldn't bother me at all. I would gladly allow them to have whatever was there and make sure that I bought extra lunch meat/cheese which wouldn't cost much. I also wouldn't take $ off her salary.
When I was a nanny, the family always let me know that I could have whatever I wanted. From time to time I would bring something from my house (yogurt and peaches or granola) it was always purchased and available for me the next week without asking. I wouldn't ask her for a list, rather I would just make sure food was available for her.
If you are already buying food to bring for lunch, I would think the cost would be negligible. And if she is a great nanny, I wouldn't want to chance starting off the relationship on the wrong foot.
I have a nanny and she brings her own lunch. I tell her she is welcome to have whatever we have in the kitchen. She usually helps herself to our coffee, cookies etc. I told her to tell us if there is something particular she would like--particular brand of coffee creamer, coffee etc. She has never asked for anything My sister also has a nanny and my sister buys her lunch. Her nanny gives her a written grocery list of what she wants for lunch.
It is very hard to find someone you trust to care for your child. I realize budgets can be tight. However, if my nanny regularly wanted me to provide lunch I would. Maybe you could provide a reasonable allowance like someone else suggested ($5 a day out of salary).
I have never heard of not allowing your nanny to eat at your house. I was a nanny for a few families and I would have felt very awkward/uncomfortable if I was told I could not eat their food. They all said I was welcome to whatever food they had. That being said I never once thought they needed to buy me anything extra and most of the time I brought my own lunch since it was easier. I also made sure to be polite and not to eat anything that they were running low on, restaurant leftovers unless they specifically offered, etc. I would have snacks though (string cheese, apple, yogurt etc) and if I need end up making my lunch there, it was along the lines of a sandwich or mac and cheese.
This. We have had two different nannies and offered each the option of eating our food and/or letting us know what kind of food they want us to stock up on. Neither nanny ever ate much or asked us to buy anything.
I guess op's nanny has the right to try and negotiate whatever she wants, but it sounds like this makes you uncomfortable and/or is out of your budget, so either she is not the right person for you or you just have to say no.
Preemie ID DDs; then DS; then natural M/C; now due 10/17
High risk for pre-term: weekly Makena injections
When I was a nanny, I ate lunch at my employers. I always ate whatever I made for the kids - spaghetti or sandwiches or what have you. I don't remember ever talking to any of my employers about this, I imagine if it bothered them they would have brought it up.
When I was a babysitter in high school, I was always told to help myself to the kitchen. If you find a good babysitter and want to be sure she's always available on Saturday nights for you, there are two rules: 1) Round up, don't be stingy man and 2) stock good snacks. Mmm, fruit rollups!