“I’m not available that day.”
“I can stay until 6, but I can’t stay later.”
“That isn’t something we discussed as part of my responsibilities.”
“I’d need overtime for those additional hours.”
“I need more notice for schedule changes.”
“I won’t be able to respond to work messages when I’m off.”
“I’m happy to help with that occasionally, but I can’t take that on regularly.”
“I need to think about that before I commit.”
“That doesn’t work for me.”
“I understand, but I’m not available.”
“I’m not comfortable with that.”
“I already have plans that day.”
“I’d prefer to stick to our agreed schedule.”
“I’d be happy to do that for an additional fee.”
“Let me check my schedule and get back to you.”
As a nanny, it can be really easy to fall into the habit of always saying yes. You want to be helpful, you want your nanny family to know they can rely on you, and you don’t want to come across as difficult or unwilling to help.
But being a good nanny doesn’t mean always saying yes. And being a good nanny family means understanding that sometimes the answer will be no.
You shouldn’t have to make yourself endlessly available to prove that you care about your job, or accept every request to prove that you’re flexible. And you shouldn’t have to feel guilty for having your own plans, needs, and limits.
A healthy nanny-family relationship should leave room for both sides to communicate what works and what doesn’t.
A nanny saying no doesn’t mean they are less committed, less flexible, or less caring.
Nannies, do you find it difficult to say no?
