Nannies are all sick of getting sick.

Ahhh… autumn has arrived and with it, we get to enjoy the crisp air, changing leaves, the return to education, and the 3-week cyclical schoolyard sicknesses that will plague your family and your nanny over and over until the end of time.

Being ill as a nanny was always a challenge for me. Beyond the drain on my energy and concentration, it ate into my precious off-time. What added to my stress was the apprehension of requesting time off from my employers, knowing it would disrupt their plans significantly. Many nannies have expressed that their fear of rejection outweighed the phlegm in their throats.

Parents are often frustrated when a nanny requests a sick day soon after starting their position.

If you think about it, it makes sense. Nannies are freshly exposed to children who are equally freshly exposed to school and a plethora of new germs. Just like your child, they may get sick when starting their position as their body gets used to the children. Let them recover.

Nannies aim to recover as quickly as possible. We WANT to be well, so that our lives and your lives are free of stress and we won’t live in fear of losing our jobs.

As parents, the health and well-being of our children are of utmost importance. We often hire nannies because we trust them to provide the best care to our little ones, especially when we can’t be there ourselves.

But just like every other professional, nannies too are human and susceptible to illnesses. It’s essential that we understand and respect their need for sick days.

Imagine working in a typical office setting. When an employee gets sick, they’re usually advised not to come to work to prevent the spread of illness. This is not only a health precaution but also a productivity measure. An ill worker isn’t at their best, and the risk of infecting others only compounds the problem. Now, let’s put this into the context of a nanny’s work environment.

Nannies often have no choice but to work when children are sick. This places them at a higher risk of catching whatever illness the child has. If they fall sick, it’s often due to the very nature of their job.

Yet, instead of understanding and sympathy, they frequently face pressures to continue working or face the fear of losing their job.

Why is this problematic for both nannies and parents?

1. Risk to their own families: Nannies have families too, and when they get sick, there’s a high chance they could pass on the illness to their loved ones. By not giving them time off, we’re indirectly compromising the health of more than one household.
2. Decreased productivity: Just like any other sick worker, a sick nanny will not be at their best. They might not have the energy or focus to care for children, potentially leading to accidents or oversights.
3. Prolonged illness: Without proper rest and recovery, illnesses can drag on for longer. This means instead of a couple of days off, the nanny might end up needing even more time, causing longer disruptions to the parents’ schedules.
4. Mental stress and job dissatisfaction: Feeling pressured to work while sick can cause emotional strain. A stressed and unhappy nanny might not provide the level of care parents desire. Over time, this could even lead to high turnover rates, with parents needing to look for new childcare frequently.
5. Nanny Share: This fear is especially predominant when a nanny is working with multiple families and has even more lives in her hands. This also means they are even more likely to become and spread infection as multiple kids return from school.

Understanding and valuing our nannies means recognizing their need for sick days. It also means taking proper precautions.

How to solve for nanny sick days?

1. Plan ahead: If your child is sick, communicate this to the nanny before they come to work. You and the nanny can plan ahead and take preventative measures, like isolation and purchasing products that allow for sterilization.
2. Communication: Encourage the nanny to also communicate when they are sick to avoid bringing the plague into the home and potentially compromising everyone.
3. Masks: Covid taught us that masks are a useful tool to provide added protection against infection. Provide masks to every healthy person in the household to avoid spreading.
4. Understanding: Recognize and respect that nannying is a profession. Cultivate a safe work environment for your nanny so that they can get well without also grappling with the fear of God that they will be dismissed.

After all, by taking care of the nanny, we’re indirectly taking care of our children. Offering them the compassion and understanding they deserve not only fosters a better working relationship but also ensures our children are in the hands of someone fit, healthy, and happy.

Let’s prioritize health and respect in our homes for a harmonious caregiving environment.

*Image by Alexandr Litovchenko from Pixabay