5 Reasons Not to Friend Your Babysitter or Nanny on Facebook
Friend your Nanny on Facebook at your own risk! You might quickly discover that she is no Mary Poppins and then your blissful ignorance will vanish forever.
Obviously the Nannies and Babysitters have the most to lose! Please, save yourselves and your jobs! Even if you think you boss is cool, or a friend, or whatever, think about it before you send that friend request! The photo below is what got me thinking on this subject. What might people read into your status updates, especially your boss?
1. This is your new profile picture? Are you kidding me? No wonder my 2 year old daughter has been begging to watch Miami Ink instead of Dora the Explorer!
2. How much time do you spend on Farmville, seriously? (Especially while you are on the clock and supposed to be working!)
3. Quiz of the Day/of the Hour – Do you take every quiz? That already says something, even if the results aren’t like below.
You took the What’s Your Mental Disorder? quiz and the result is You are Depressed!
You have one of the most common problems in the world today. You just know how to be happy. Whether there is a reason or not, you tend to be full of sadness most of the time. You tend to be sluggish and laid back because you don’t have the motivation to do anything….
4. You won big and now has $29,900 chips in Zynga Poker!
You went all in and lost in Zynga Poker!
Nonstop poker updates, could it be a possible gambling addiction you want to talk about? Again, are you playing all day when you should be working? People used to get busted for playing solitaire at work, but at least the game wasn’t ratting you out!
5. What a cliché, a photo of you hugging a bottle of tequila! Luckily our babysitter isn’t a big party girl, at least not according to me or Facebook, but this is the one area that seems to get people into the most trouble!
The day after I told our babysitter I would be writing about this topic, she posted photos of herself in front of a giant penis (at the sex Museum in Amsterdam, so yes, innocent enough, but shocking at first glance.) If you don’t want the hassle of deciding what is appropriate, whether you are a Babysitter or a Business Analyst, just don’t friend your boss!
*If you are already Facebook Friends with your Boss, “unfriending ” can be a tricky business! You’ll look like you have something to hide, and he or she can only assume that whatever you are trying to hide is worse than all the other crap you’ve already posted.
You can also try out the new Facebook customized privacy feature and choose to hide specific photos and links from specific individuals. The two drawbacks of this feature are:
1. You first have to determine on your own that something should be hidden.
2. You have to believe that both the Tooth fairy and Santa Claus have teamed up to make sure Mark Zuckerberg really will protect your privacy! If you believe that, there is an amazing new bridge being built across the North Sea, and if you send your money today, I can try to get you in on the deal!
Filed under In the news, Just Life, Unsolicited Advice | Comments (3)
3 Responses to “5 Reasons Not to Friend Your Babysitter or Nanny on Facebook”
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I just had to laugh upon reading this post. My babysitter quit on me yesterday. I think she thought I was not very friendly because I ignored her friend request on FB! This is really where I draw the line with nannies and house help… if only they read your blog as well.
On the other hand, I was actually thinking of “friending” them (nanny and house cleaner) just so I can keep tabs of them not posting pics of my babies on their FB page!
Actually, our babysitter has been with us for a few years and is like part of our family, but I really don’t want to see Farmville updates all day long while I am at work!!
Social networking is exploding in popularity and sites like Facebook are attracting fans of all ages. In fact, parents have become one of the fastest growing demographics on Facebook, and they’re using the interactive tool for more than just chatting with their friends. They’re using it to screen for – and check up on – their nannies.
As part of their research before hiring a new nanny, parents often screen candidates on Facebook, and sometimes what they see online makes them decide not to hire a particular candidate. Additionally, once parents hire a nanny, they’re trusting this person to care for their most precious commodity – their children – and many parents are turning to social networking sites to see what their nannies are posting.
When families hire nannies to take care of their children, they do due diligence to check out the candidate. Most parents check potential nannies’ references and, now more than ever before, research them on social networking sites – before and after they’re hired. Sometimes, these parents find suggestive or offensive information about these candidates – such as drinking alcohol, posing suggestively or posting inappropriate comments.
Additionally, many parents find it awkward when they get a Facebook “friend” request from their nanny. Like any other professional relationship, it’s a good idea to separate business and pleasure. It can be awkward to read the daily musings of your nanny – and visa-versa – just as it could be uncomfortable to share intimate details of your life with your boss, client or other professional contacts.
As the president of Nannies4Hire, parents come to me often for advice on hiring – and working with – nannies. Recently, I had a conversation with a mother who was Facebook “friends” with her nanny and found uncomfortable information on her nanny’s social network. I recommended that the parents have a conversation with the nanny about their concerns. It was yet another reminder that people – nannies as well as employees everywhere – need to be mindful of their Facebook etiquette. Photos of inappropriate behavior will not serve you well in your professional life, so think carefully about what you post and how you’re presenting yourself.
Social networking sites are wonderful in many ways, but nannies – and all professionals, really – should have an online presence that’s presentable and in good taste.
http://www.nannies4hire.com