Do you think I should reconsider this nanny - phone calls and smoking

Totally unacceptable in my book. Nobody working professionally with babies should be smoking around them. I imagine she will find it very hard to find a job where that is considered OK.

I would tell her there are too many things you don't like about her personally and end it there and then.

Being friendly is not the only requirement of a good nanny and it's true that nursery staff do not always make good nannies.

I would certainly interveiw more potential nannies before deciding on this girl. and see everyone who answers your add if they have a decent CV. that way you wont miss out on the perfect nanny for you just because she didn't get as far as an interveiew.

Don't hire anyone you have doubts about, your baby is far too important

Just seen page 2 (sorry, still half asleep) and good to know you've reached a decision.

Bluntly, the smoking and the thoughtlessness of the cold would be dealbreakers for me this early in. I mean, you don't trust her already and things have hardly started, and to keep her on in that situation is to put her/your own embarrassment ahead of what your instincts are telling you is right for your baby.

A nanny who thinks smoking and exposing a small child to sub-zero temp.s, plus yammering on someone else's phone, in their time? Not ideal. Really it's probably lucky you found out now, and not once you were in a contract.

I was a nanny at 19 btw. I'd never have done any of those things. Common sense.

childcare.co.uk is good too

It's a shame that it's not actually sorted, but at the end of the day, it's better to have a great person with a bit more work now, than a not-so-great person already sorted!

Use the 'advance search' function and you will find lots of threads to help you find/choose a great nanny.

I would suggest you advertise on Gumtree - it's no less risky getting a nanny yourself than it is using an agency. You can do anything they can do, all they do is short list for you.

The phone wouldn't worry me if she was my permanent nanny, but I think it's pretty crap of someone who is only there for one day to do that.

I wouldn't employ her.

The smoking would be a deal breaker and I wouldn't even give her the opportunity to quit or not smoke on duty, it's not easy to 'police' and just too much hassle.

I also wouldn't employ a nursery nurse unless I knew her out of 'the setting'. It is just such a different way of working and not many of them make the transition very well.

I do agree though, that she hasn't done anything wrong yet as you haven't talked about this.

Will you see her in passing? I would just say 'We have started advertising the nanny job if you would like to apply'. Then you don't have to tell her she can't have the job and you haven't ignored her request either. I know it's a little bit wimpish, but it seems like the easiest option to me.

She either left the baby unsupervised while she popped out for a fag, or she brought the baby out smoking while holding your baby, or she and baby was in kitchen and she smoked indoors with the door open. Neither is good.

Smoking is just such a massive no no for me.
When she holds your baby they will be breathing in smoke off her clothes and her breath.
When she has a fag break she will not be concentrating on looking after your baby.
It is a bad example to the child as they grow up.
I am actually quite surprised that nursery workers are allowed to smoke on breaks. I have always used CMs and it is one of my make or break questions.

THis would be a massive issue for me. I would not want someone smoking and then caring for my baby. I don't like the sound of the calls either - on her trial day.

I remember when I first confronted hiring a nanny to return to work - it was really daunting. I was so desperate to find someone I vaguely knew or who was recommended. Are you sure you're not overlooking some pretty bad faults and a general incapability of being a sole charge carer because you know her and are worried it might be tricky finding anyone else? I have a great nanny now, through a local agency - am so glad I really looked for who might be out there instead of just leaping at the first person. Might not apply to you but really think about it. Good luck.

Its probably just the difference between a nursery nurse and a professional nanny. At the nurseries near us you often see them hanging out smoking outside when (I presume) they're on breaks. Perhaps she just hasn't realised she shouldn't be doing this.

That said, if you need to explain to her 'please don't use my phone to make personal calls' (why didn't she use her mobile?) and 'please don't smoke when holding my baby' then it makes you wonder what other common sense things you'd have to explain to her...

I think you need to have a chat either for your benefit or for future familys

Tbh you sound as if you have doubts esp when comparing to an older nanny but chat and see what happens

If she won't quit smoking then you have to devise whether you trust her if she says that she won't smoke during the day

Do I just say I'm not hiring her after all

That implies that you have sort of already offered her the job. So, I would say that you need to give her some feedback with regard to how the day went... beginning positive, then the negative things, then trying to end on a positive.

Smoking is incompatible with childcare, she needs to understand that. Nursery I suspect has strict rules about smoking whilst at work. Nannying is a bigger problem because there is no break during the day... she has to be able to go the entire day without smoking. Perfect opportunity for her to try to quit... if she want's to be a nanny she needs to be able to go the full working day without smoking.

may not not be mature enough yet to work on her own.
Maturity and age are different things, someone young can be mature... while someone old can be immature. So it's not her young age that is the problem but it's her actions, such as letting your baby get cold.

Use her as a babysitter, useful to have someone to call on for that... plus there may be a time in the future when you would like to try her again for daytime care. However, sounds as though currently it's not going to work well... she needs to realise the job is different to being at nursery, far more responsibility, no breaks, very lonely.

The older nanny is not available?

in nannys defense sounds like you didnt ask if she smoked, so she wasnt being deceitful nor did she think she was doing anything wrong- she prob smokes on breaks at nursery

so you either need to have in contract that she NEVER smokes during the hours you employ her or that you employ someone else who doesnt smoke

again phone calls,it happens but calling several mobiles on 1st day seems a bit much

it is very different working in a nursery with other adults to be a sole charge nanny on your own

The phone calls are not a huge issue in that you can say to her she is not to use your hone to ring her mates but the smoking would be a deal breaker for me 100%.

The phone calls wouldn't bother me.

Smoking would. And yesterday was freezing.

You can ask her not to smoke when on duty but if the days are long then i would worry about her coping.

Smoking on duty is gross misconduct in my contract. As a professional childcarer she should know better and if she doesn't know better about that then IMO she's not fit to be left in sole charge yet.

You've answered your own question and you know it.