Am I a not so great nanny?😅
I’ve been nannying for a family for about a year and a half now, but I’ve actually known them for around 4 years because I used to be their daughter’s preschool teacher before I quit to nanny for them full time.
We’ve gotten really close over the years, and honestly sometimes it feels more like we’re friends raising kids together than a super formal employer/employee relationship. They’re a little older than me, but not by a crazy amount, and overall we have a really good relationship.
I genuinely care a lot about their son and I do all the things I’m supposed to do. Household tasks are never an issue, I meal prep for him, keep up with his routines, activities, etc. They’re also really good about praising me and making me feel appreciated, so I’ve never had any indication that they’re unhappy with me.
But because I’m so comfortable with them, I’ve gotten into the habit sometimes of taking him with me while I run errands or go shopping. Not every day or anything excessive, but every once in a while. I always ask or let them know beforehand, and they’ve never seemed bothered by it at all.
Still, I sometimes feel self-conscious about it because I know some nanny families are a lot stricter and some nannies would probably never do that. It makes me wonder if I’m being unprofessional or lazy somehow.
For context, he literally just turned 1 a few days ago, so it’s not like I’m skipping structured school lessons or something lol. Some days are definitely more learning/play focused than others, but overall he’s happy, safe, engaged, and very loved.
I guess I’m just curious from both nanny and parent perspectives: is this actually normal? Would you care if your nanny occasionally brought your child along while running errands if everything else was being taken care of?