What is considered "light housework" as a part-time nanny? And am I being taken advantage of?

It is not reasonable for them to expect you to do the shopping, front them the grocery money, or pick up or drop off dry cleaning. I would tell them that you can't afford to buy their food, and that you can't afford the wear and tear on your car, so you can't run errands for them.

Doing the laundry and dishes that they use when you are not there is questionable. I would discuss that with them.

The rest I think is reasonable.

People tend to take advantage when they can, and you should say something (politely) when you think they are asking too much.

If you need the money, then you should fit your schedule around theirs as much as possible. Do your homework when the kids are asleep, or otherwise engaged. You will not be in this position once you are out of school, and it won't hurt you to miss a day off. There have been several times in my life that I worked seven days a week.

The late pay is another matter altogether. If they refuse to pay you on time and reimburse you for fees you incurred because they did not pay you on time, then I would suggest you start looking for another job.

And you should have a minimum fee if they call you out, and then cancel. Where I live an employer must pay a minimum of four hours if he calls an employee in to work.

$14 an hour in this economy is good money for a college student. So I can understand why you are putting up with a lot of bad treatment. Fronting them money is the worse part of what you have written. You should never have to do that. If you are not getting paid for each and every minute you are at that house, whether it's for house work or child care, I would definitely walk. So you can walk away but I tell you at $14 an hour they will find a quick replacement (but probably not someone as dedicated as you are). Next time get everything in writing about expectations and pay schedule.

Light Housework

Let me tell you as some with a nanny you are very much being taken advantaged of. A nannies roles is housework that is child related ie making sure their rooms/playroom is tidy doing a load of their laundry on the days that you are working, cooking their meals when they are in your care during meal times and cleaning up any mess you or they make whilst you are caring for them, that's it.

With your work schedule you need to sit down with your employer and politely inform they that this currently sporadic scheduling doesn't work for you because of your school and its effecting it so you need a monthly work schedule with at least 1 day off that isn't monday or wednesday. Tell them your more than happy to do extra hours if they give at least 24 hour notice, if your available. That you will need to be payed time and half when they are later than the agreed hours.

Also grocery shopping apart from picking up the occasion bottle of milk or loaf of bread that's not part of your job and you can't afford to do their grocery shopping for them up front.

Also tell them they need to pay you on time, otherwise you won't be available to work till they do and they need to give at least 12 hour notice when cancelling shifts or they are going to have to pay for at least a couple of hour of work.

I would also suggest if you don't already have 1 getting a contract drawn up stipulating days off, wages ect to protect yourself. If your employer gets angry and/or defensive I would suggest informing them that you are going to start looking for a new job and actual do start looking even before you talk to your employer so that you have options.

I was a nanny for 10 years.

Light house work included, sweeping, doing the daily dishes (yours and the kids - NOT theirs).

Some ironing and folding.

Generally tiding up.

I only vacuumed or mopped if the kids made a mess.

When I was "live in" full time - ie when they were away overseas for work etc (I worked for the Foreign Minister and the Ambassador of Portugal so they were often travelling), they actually paid for their cleaning lady to come every week – as usual.

I was NOT expected to do mopping, vacuuming, windows, bathrooms etc – other than general tiding.

Nannys earn much less money per hour.

If you are a cleaner here (Australia) you earn twice per hour what a nanny does.

My employers knew this.

Hence hiring a cleaner – not me as a slave.

Make a few phone calls to find out the going rate for a cleaner.

Then tell them that you are happy to tidy up after the kids and your own mess as part of the job…

BUT that the hours you spend doing THEIR house cleaning will be at the rate of $....... per hour, which is what you found out a cleaners charge.

Be nice about it – But perhaps be prepared to find a better job.

I LOVED being a nanny.

You are paid pitiful amounts because of the perks.

The perks being:

Eating their nice food.

Watching TV.

Playing with kids.

Using their car.

Going for walks in the park with the children (I used to take my dogs with me, what jobs let you do that).

Having lunch with my friends and their kids.

I loved not being tied to an office like I am now.

I used to take the kids to do my own shopping, feed my horses, run some of my own errands.

The kids LOVED it �� Because my place was like an animal farm (feeding cat, chooks horses, cows etc, sitting on ponies, riding the quad bike).

And my employers knew and thought it was great – Even though I was doing my own stuff, the kids had a blast.

As I said – low pay, but plenty of perks.

If you are not enjoying it – look elsewhere.

I loved being a nanny.

I used to ride track (race horses) in the morning starting before dawn, then go to work as a nanny starting at 10am.

Those were the days!!

I even used to take a nap on the sofa watching TV, while the kids napped, because of my long hours.

EDIT - I was a nanny 25 years ago and I got $12-$15 an hour, cash.

And using THEIR car and petrol (or given petrol money on top).

After the kids went to bed - it dropped to $10.

But lets face it, I was getting paid for watching TV and eating their food.

Cleaners here get $30 per hour and more.

I would have thought a nanny would get over $15 per hour surely?

Also - You CANNOT be expected to shop with your own money.

I was ALWAYS left cash - Even if it was ONE item they needed (bread or milk).

Not ONE cent should come out of your pocket.

They cannot assume you have the money for this.

Tell them next time, that you are overdrawn (even if not), and need the cash from them, or you cant do the shopping.

Even if they promise the cash when they get home.

NO WAY.

That is unacceptable.

Tell them it over drew your account last time and cost you $30 - and you just cant do it again.

Stand your ground.

If they whinge - just say - I dont have the money sorry.

Say - "I can follow you to your, bank on your way out, if you are in a rush?"

(fake helpfulness).

I would be starting to look for a better job unless there is a particular reason you wish to stay there.

If so - Phrase things carefully, but you do need to say something.

Especially about shopping with your money.

PS -

I believe its illegal for you to be turned away without pay after being booked for work AND turning up.

I think its 12 hours notice cancelling or something??

See if you can find out.

I thought they would have to pay you 2 or 3 hours pay minimum just for turning up.

(i think it may be 3 hours min in Aust from memory).

Check out legally where you stand.

But ideally - move on to something better!!

Good luck!

you should discuss this with them. If you feel it is unfair/unreasonable, then it is. You should write up a contract explicitly stating what expectations that you have, and what expectations they have, and you should stick with that. If you don't want to do all that house work, tell them that you won't and let them deal with it, or if they have you come in earlier to do the housework, charge them extra for those hours. Charge them extra for having you come in at the last minute, and have a base fee that you charge them for a last minute cancellation. If they can't agree to your terms, or if you can't come to a compromise, then it's time to find another job.

You need to put your foot down and tell them how you feel. Let them know that you will stand strong and you will no longer do whatever they say when they say unless they start paying you a heck of a lot more money. If they really want to keep you, they will. If they end up firing you, who cares? I'm sure you can find someone else to work for.

You are absolutely being taken advantage of by your employers. You need to address your concerns with your employer and tell them you want to implement a formal nanny contract that clearly outlines their expectations of you and vice versa in regards to duties, pay, hours, benefits, etc. If they are not open to this, you need to start looking for a new position because it will only get worse.

They are taking advantage of you!!!!

Light house keeping to me is dishes, trash and feeding the pets.

It is extremly unreasonable for them to expect you to pay for their groceries and wait to be reimbursed!

Next time she hands you a grocery list "say I'm going to need money, credit card or cash to buy these. I have no money, I am a student!"

Light housework would be vacuuming dusting, sweeping, washing dishes, folding/washing&drying 1-2 loads of laundry.easy stuff like that. But mopping, cleaning windows, and big jobs like that are not light house work.