Paediatric Nanny with own child

I too am an x paed nurse who is now a nanny. It shows that OP has worked with children, is interested in children and understands children. In previous jobs the parents said they chose me over other candidates because of my nursing experience.(I have no formal nannying qualification but have never been unable to get a job in over 30+ years) I have used the nursing experience on more than one occasion and have recognized a serious illness that the parents were unaware of because of my nursing background. Don't go for this job OP.... there will be other parents who will appreciate your paed training and actually feel better because their DCs are in your care. And yes £5 is ridiculous and they are trying it on.

We would have absolutely leapt at the chance to employ someone with medical training when our dd came home from nicu and since then as well. She is now relatively medically stable but has seizures so anyone caring for her has to be well trained.

I can see benefits to you having a child too in as much as my dd learns so much developmentally from peers ans being around other children. Downsides are the risk of illness spreading around medically fragile children or you being less able to deal 1-2-1 with an emergency.

Could you pay for your child to be at a CM but then do specialist (better paid) childcare for others? There are many families who struggle to find childcare for their children with additional needs. Are you still registered as a nurse?

When we were interviewing nannies, we were looking to pay those with no experience about £8.50 - £9.00 p/h and would have expected to reduce that for a NWOC. Yes, your nursing skills would be helpful if my child had an accident but, for most days, it probably wouldn't be relevant. Instead, you would have had no experience of working within a family unit, no knowledge of the local area, groups, good rainy day options etc and, depending on the age of your child, no experience of children the age of my DC and therefore juggling nursery duties when the children are no longer napping, doing the school/pre-school run or dealing with the behaviour that can come with different ages and is normal but can be challenging.

for a nanny job

www.gumtree.com/p/jobs/v3633-up-to-3718000-daily-special-needs-nanny-london-sw12/1067579971

You should go for nanny job for children with additional needs.

Tallulax - I haven't read all the thread since yesterday, but it is bloody ridiculous to offer you £5 per hour...

I suppose they have the right to offer, and you have the right to accept or decline, but it's ridiculous and you have every right to dismiss it - own child or not.

I also think if you are a nanny with experience, plus you have a valuable skill like nursing or teaching, then that adds to your desirability - I would pay a premium for that if I had two other-wise equal candidates.

Good luck with your search x

AMI88 I have a nanny who brings her own child with her, a daughter who is 9 months older than mine. She is a wonderful nanny but if we ever have to employ someone else we would choose someone without her own to bring with her. It's a hassle having to factor her kid into everything eg. Play groups my little one has to go to the older kid session because she can't take hers to the one appropriate for mine. The issue of having to subsidise the cost of including her kid in classes because I want mine to go.
The wear and tear on the house, it is annoying when your own kid breaks something, goes into cupboards etc but even more grating when it is someone else's kid doing the damage. Lots of pluses and minuses but there are some examples. I pay 15% less, next time would choose the more expensive option and certainly if we had more children.

It's interesting to hear views on NWOC and whether it's fair/desirable job, I think it's exceptionally unfair, can't get my head around it really, definitely not a route I would take when I have my own children.

I suppose for me, being a CM with my own child, I would feel less in someone else's way, or I was begrudgingly allowed to look after my own children, it feels like there is less of a price.

Interesting!

Sorry, can't see you old your youngest is?

I guess the problem is that the people who would like and value a nanny with a high level of medical training would not want one who brings their own child, because they have very young/sick/children and would want complete 1:1 focus on their child.

Our 1st nanny had amazing medical training, and it was a huge positive for us as we had premmie twins, but we wouldn't have employed her with her own child and two newborns to look after for obvious reasons.

The only exception I can think of would be a family with children with allergies, epilepsy or similar - where there could be a sudden urgent need for medical attention but basically the job would be a typical nanny day 90% of the time.

I think you probably need to advertise yourself and your specific skills, rather than responding to ads for general nannies.

Every situation is different, but a nanny bringing their own child will result in some inconvenience/extra cost/reduced workload etc. A reduction is only fair, but this should be around 10-25%. A nwoc is different to a nanny share and a 50% reduction is excessive.

Nannying with a 10-25% discount in wage is still preferable to childminding though, imo anyway.

I thought there was also a drop in salary because employers are paying out for more with an extra child in their home - food, hot water etc? I may be wrong though.

A parent is paying a nanny to look after her children so if a nwoc works for her then her children won't be getting 100% attention and therefore a reduction is fair

Also the nanny isn't paying out for childcare and she can spend all day with her child

A drop in salary is only fair

I suppose that goes back to the point of the original post- maybe you should look at CM OP! X

I can see if nannies children, and parents children were years apart then of course baby proofing could be an inconvenience...not sure if personally it's worth less per hour, are there many NWOC around? I would think being a CM is much more appealing!?

Extra equipment at the parents' house (high chairs, cots), more wear and tear, baby proofing for longer if the child is younger, illness, children maybe unable to do certain activities.

I must admit I wouldn't consider ever paying anyone less because they had a child. I would either pay them £10p/h (average nr me) or I would employ someone else, but I don't think the fact that the child accompanying them to work would influence my decision...

Is there? What extra hassle would you say? I'm not trying to question you- I'm a happy CM, I just wandered!!

Quality of care reduces and there is extra hassle involved for the parents.

I have always wandered (taking the discussion in a diff direction) why NWOC get paid less per hour? It's not at any cost to parents is it?

I appreciate a nanny role is traditionally 1:1 but it's not as if the quality of care reduces by £3p/h- does it? Would love to hear parents views!

We have lots of children with trachies, ng tubes, who have seizures and lots of conditions who need childminders.

If it is like that in my borough I am pretty sure it would be a national thing.

Its really hard for parents of disabled children to find specialist CMs. I know of only two in our area.
Perhaps that is the direction you could go in?

Just a thought.

The "Mothers Help for 3 pounds an hour" discussion just goes to show that some people will try to get someone to care for their children for very little money. Alas not much can be done. Apply for jobs where they state what the salary is, with jobs where they don't say then be upfront about what salary you want.

Childminding may be the way forward, there is lots of info on here from childminders.

I'd be offended too if I were you....
When you do apply for a position, I'd put on your salary expectations and then you won't get people taking the .
However, there are an awful lot of nannies in London competing for the same jobs, if its a full time role - rather than after school, maybe pitch yourself a little lower?

admitley i have never been asked to work for lower then nmw, so yes they were cheeky

i totally understand that some families cant pay a good salary and scrimp to and can only afford to pay nmw

i couldnt imagine nor could i afford to earn what i do, but then to pay someone at least nmw

hence why i have always said that employers should pay their childcare then be taxed on the remaining amount