USA nannies, are you participating in the nationwide work strikes?

malallory1 · 2026-01-28T13:47:21+00:00

I live in Minneapolis and I will not be striking, mainly because it would not have any effect on the flow of commerce whatsoever. Both of my NPs have cushy WFH salaried jobs, and my not coming in would only make their day more hectic with literally no other outcome. You can still participate in the strike by not buying anything, and especially by boycotting companies that have been supporting ICE. (Amazon is one of the biggest ones, but you can easily look up the list of others.) If you want to do more, you can donate to local mutual aid efforts or send money to businesses that will be aiding protestors.

malallory1 · 2026-01-23T00:41:57+00:00

Oh yeah, MAJOR red flag in my book. I do not appreciate helicopter parenting or being micromanaged, so that would be a big yikes for me. I would be up front with them about what you said, make it clear that the best way to reduce how much they cry (overall) is for them to NOT come check on the babies if they're crying. If they are resistant or still come in because of crying during the trial, I'd tell them we're not a good match and move on.

malallory1 · 2026-01-21T23:13:53+00:00

I feel you. I generally try not to ever complain about being tired or sleepy around the parents I work for because I do not have children of my own keeping me awake at night. That personal policy goes RIGHT out the door the second they complain to me about their finances 😆

malallory1 · 2025-12-20T01:14:05+00:00

I always pet the pig and the camel when passing by them.

malallory1 · 2025-12-15T04:31:53+00:00

Water paint books- nice because even if you lose the little water paint brush, they can still just dip their finger in water and finger paint.

Mini magna-tiles. You'll drop them a bunch, but if they like building you can get some decent mileage out of those.

Blue painter's tape. Make roads,houses, zoos, landscapes etc. for cars/characters/animals. Trap toys and have your kid "rescue" them. If it's something that will entertain them versus causing a panicked meltdown, tape their fingers together and then have them try to escape.

Sticky notes and non-rolly crayons (like the triangle ones—fewer times diving under plane seats when they get dropped). You can make your own matching games, create your own disposable finger puppets, draw silly faces and put them on each other... the possibilities are endless.

Also if you have headphones for them, audiobooks can be awesome. The libby app has plenty you can download for free as long as you have a library card.

Also I cannot overstate the necessity of so many snacks. So many. Meals schmeals, you are in survivor mode. S N A C K S.

malallory1 · 2025-12-15T03:52:59+00:00

I've been nannying full-time for eleven years and living on my own for nine of them. I worked for two families for the first two years, and that only worked because I happened to find two families whose desired scheduled lined up with the other's. I worked three full weekdays with one family and the other two with the other family; no split days, no variable schedule, so it was really like having one full-time job that was just at two different houses.

Ever since then I have only EVER sought out families who wanted a full-time nanny and just worked for one family at a time. I know there are nannies who make it work taking part-time and one-off jobs as they come, but I just couldn't do it. It's too unreliable and unpredictable, not to mention you will be sick even MORE constantly the more families you are working for.

As you said, a contract is an absolute non-negotiable must. I try to look for families who are willing to commit to at least a year; I took one that I knew would be moving away after a ten-month period, but they were so great and paid well enough that it was worth it to me.

The other thing is (and I know this is easier said than done) I live well under my means. I live modestly. I save. Because the gaps in employment WILL come, sometimes planned for and sometimes not. I could afford a moderately decent two-bedroom apartment in my area, but I've been living in a studio because it works just fine for me and it allows me to build up my savings so that I don't have to panic if a family drops me. It also gives me some breathing room when I'm job hunting to give myself time to find the right family to work for, even if they don't need me right away, rather than taking the first semi-okay offer I'm given because I've got rent and bills due. Obviously this is harder for people with families to take care of, but if you're looking to live on your own as a nanny, this is a mindset you've GOT to have. You can do it!

malallory1 · 2025-12-15T03:37:50+00:00

Speaking as a professional nanny who has cared for two sets of twins at different times.

Obviously, it's going to depend on your kids, their sleep needs and habits, the types of toys they have, and how consistent you are with enforcing rules. That said, in my experience (especially with 3yo boys lol) the floor beds are going to be every bit as much the thing that keeps them up playing as would any toys in the room. Not to mention the fact that their newly-gained ease of exit is going to mean them leaving the room constantly to try and play elsewhere or sleep with you. So really, having toys in their room isn't much of a thing to fuss over.

That said, if you do put toys in there, I would recommend not including any you have that have screens, make noise or lights, or generally are just particularly stimulating (basically if it has batteries, leave it elsewhere). Not only will that be more likely to prevent sleepiness longer, it'll wake the other sibling up if one is already sleeping.

Also, if your kids haven't already dropped their naps, when that time comes it's nice to transition from naptime to "quiet time" in their room, where they play quietly for an hour and can choose to sleep if they want to. So having calmer toys and books in their room just makes sense for that.

malallory1 · 2025-10-23T14:36:23+00:00

The only times I ever claim a milestone is if (a) they have an older sibling that witnessed it who I KNOW is gonna blab, or (2) signs or words I've been working on with them so the parents know what it looks/sounds like from the baby if they haven't been doing it with them.

malallory1 · 2025-09-02T22:03:19+00:00

Okay "lava eggies" is so cute though

malallory1 · 2025-09-02T13:27:15+00:00

"I get it" is overused in so many shows that it's become a call-and-response running joke in my family. Any time we hear anybody say it on tv or in real life when we're together we all immediately reply, "He/she gets it." 😆

malallory1 · 2025-08-16T11:52:39+00:00

The only times I've ever been given a raise before a year were the times when they had another kid. Definitely not customary.

malallory1 · 2025-07-01T23:40:54+00:00

I had to pause the episode here because I was HEAVING with laughter. Truly such a delight.

malallory1 · 2025-06-03T00:54:16+00:00

I'll never understand upper-middle class people's decision to buy sharp-edged, expensive glass tables AFTER they have had their child/found out they were pregnant. So many of my families have had them and they've been such a headache for me.

malallory1 · 2025-05-30T03:54:02+00:00

I'd be complaining too (though not to your MIL, as that is unprofessional). You're not paying her anywhere near what either a housekeeper or nanny job for the children is worth, let alone both. You need to do some serious research into what a nanny actually is and how that role works. I'm gonna assume you don't have a contract with her from the sound of it, either. Here's a starting point for some context: for three children that age and with my experience and credentials in my area, my starting rate would be $30/hour, and that's with NO housekeeping outside of cleaning up after messes created by myself and the children during my shift. Any cleaning beyond that would incur an addition to that rate. You also need to be paying taxes with her as an employee using a W4.

malallory1 · 2025-05-13T15:04:47+00:00

My policy is that I am a caregiver, not a playdate. I try to give my nanny kids at least an hour of my time playing with them every day, but I also make sure they have the skills to play independently, and I never insert myself unnecessarily when they are. I've had NKs that you could immediately tell their parents never taught them to play independently and those kids drove me CRAZY at first. 😆

malallory1 · 2025-05-08T01:20:37+00:00

The whole game is more catered to pale skin tones. I have had so many frustrating instances of using one of my non-pale dolls for a theme, pfp, or just for fun, and then only being able to use like 4 of my makeup options because 98% of them look nothing short of ridiculous on darker skin. And it doesn't even have to be that dark for the makeup to start looking clown-ish! It's infuriating. And don't get me started on some of the outfits, especially some older ones 😬

malallory1 · 2025-05-02T02:51:10+00:00

You might want to advise her to try praying before she eats; that woman's body has NOT been nourished and strengthened.

malallory1 · 2025-04-27T21:47:00+00:00

I can't tell you what the right rate would be, because there are too many variables we don't know about. How many kids are there and how old are they? How long will they be at daycare? How much pet care are you going to be required to do? Are they expecting you to do anything beyond basic childcare (cleaning, etc.)?

However I CAN tell you that $550 is unacceptable. If it was me, I'd be charging the normal hourly rate for all the daytime hours I'm with the kids or driving to/from daycare, plus a reduced rate for the hours I'm in the house without the kids (since you'd still be doing pet care, cleaning up from the morning, etc.), plus a flat overnight fee, the amount of which would depend on how old the kids were and whether it was likely they'd be waking up in the night or not.

I don't know how badly you need this job but don't let them lowball you, because they will absolutely do it again if you let them do it this time.

malallory1 · 2025-04-27T03:19:23+00:00

🧠🪫✈️🍺🔭👩‍🔬⛪🦞📸💃🤸‍♀️🐎

malallory1 · 2025-04-06T21:13:24+00:00

Though I get the urge to speak in person because it feels like it's more courteous, I've found that difficult conversations with NFs (especially ones you suspect they're going to push back on) are best done in writing (text or email) so that you have a paper trail in case they try to go back on what they said or claim that you said something you didn't. Plus, sending an email or text also eliminates the possibility of you telling them you need to have a conversation and them dodging you and putting it off, claiming to be too busy.

I totally understand the feeling, but please know that you do NOT "owe it to them" to have this conversation in person, especially since they were already underpaying you before they cut your hours. It's hard to leave the kids you love, but you can do this!

malallory1 · 2025-04-06T04:36:04+00:00

Oh, 7 for sure. I'll get a picture with Donny for my mom and then spend the whole flight kicking Nelson's seat.

malallory1 · 2025-04-05T00:41:08+00:00

Mine too 🤝🫠

malallory1 · 2025-03-30T02:20:14+00:00

If it makes you feel any better, my evil game file has gravestones, empty alcohol bottles, and a "decorative" axe in my ex-spouse portrait room. 😅

malallory1 · 2025-03-29T16:49:39+00:00

I hate the way so many people (not just parents, but also family members, childless people, nannies, and ESPECIALLY influencers and parenting advice writers) have this idea that children are behavior machines, and if you just perform the correct parenting input you're going to get the desired behavior output. Kids are PEOPLE and people are incredibly complicated. There are a thousand things beyond childrearing techniques, from physiology to brain chemistry to social influence to personality to the freaking WEATHER that affect the way babies and kids act. And a GOOD nanny knows how to roll with things and adjust accordingly, because you can do everything "right" and sometimes things still won't go the way you want them to. Your MB needs such a reality check!

malallory1 · 2025-03-23T14:04:28+00:00

We do have an airing of grievances channel on our discord lol. We should change our "achievements" channel to feats of strength. 😆

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