A workation can be a wonderful way to experience a new place without breaking the bank. But it's important to make time for both work and play when you're traveling to ensure that you get the full experience.
So when one teen decided to accompany her neighbors on vacation to work as their nanny, she looked forward to the free days that she had been promised. Unfortunately, however, the parents assumed that their nanny would be on-call 24/7. Below, you’ll find the full story of how the trip took a sharp turn, as well as the drama that ensued once they returned home.
This teen agreed to go on vacation with her neighbors to work as their nanny
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But the trip took a turn when the couple failed to stick to the agreement they had made
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Many families choose to bring a nanny along with them on vacation
Having a nanny tag along on vacation is not a luxury that every couple can afford, but it can be extremely helpful for families who can. It can provide the parents with an opportunity to fully embrace their vacation without having to worry about their little ones all the time, and bringing the nanny along can give the kids a chance to play as long as they’d like, without having to worry about their parents getting tired or wanting to return to the room.
But it’s important for a family to be on the same page as their nanny before deciding to travel together. According to GTM, there are a few key factors to consider before going away, including how exactly the traveling will work, what your expectations are and what the nanny’s responsibilities will be, how many hours the nanny will be paid for, how you’ll cover all of the nanny’s expenses, who will share a room with the kids, and how to provide the nanny with downtime during and after the trip.
Parents must understand that no matter how excited they are to be traveling, this vacation will be a work trip for the nanny. So it’s important for her to be compensated appropriately and for the parents to realize that she won’t be viewing the “vacation” in the same way as the family.
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It’s important for parents to understand that their holiday is a work trip for their nanny
Your Happy Nest also recommends drafting a “mini contract” before leaving on the trip to ensure that everyone’s on the same page about what to expect. Communicate clearly with the nanny when she’ll be expected to work and when she’ll have free time, so she will actually be able to relax and enjoy her time off. She shouldn’t have to worry about being “on-call” or concerned about spending her free time alone.
Provide her with all of the travel details as soon as possible, so she’s kept in the loop. The last thing any nanny wants is to feel like she’s been taken advantage of by her employers, and of course, families should want to avoid this as well. According to Ayi Connect, there are a few things parents do that often leave a bad taste in nannies’ mouths, including not reimbursing them for money spent.
It’s common to have the nanny fill up the car with gas or grab a few groceries for the parents on their way home with the kids, but it’s crucial for parents to remember to pay that money back. Parents should also always stick to the schedule they’ve set for the nanny, or inform them of any changes as soon as they arise. Inconsistency in discipline and rules can also be frustrating for nannies to deal with. If parents aren’t enforcing their own rules, why should the kids listen to their nanny?
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Families must be careful not to take advantage of childcare workers if they want to continue their relationship
A nanny is also not a housekeeper, so leaving huge messes for her to deal with can be annoying too. Yes, she might help with laundry, dishes and picking up after the kids. But unless she’s been hired to be cleaning the bathrooms, mopping the floors and more, she shouldn’t be asked to do so. Her primary responsibility is taking care of the kids.
Nannies might also be annoyed if they’re watching kiddos, and there’s nothing for the little ones to eat in their pantry. It can be hard enough to get children to agree on healthy snacks and meals to eat, so when there’s very little available, nannies might need to put a lot of effort into convincing kids to eat at all.
Nanny Counsel notes on their site that it’s easy for childcare workers to feel taken advantage of if they’re often expected to work overtime, parents are always running late, they have to do a lot of driving in their own car and aren’t reimbursed for gas, the parents never have a backup babysitter or nanny they can call and if they aren’t appreciated for their work. Nannies deserve to have a solid job description just as much as anyone else, and if they’re exploited, parents can expect to have a hard time ever finding another.
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Readers assured the teen that she did nothing wrong and called out the parents for treating her poorly
