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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

blimey I'm naive!

130 replies

Kewcumber · 26/03/2008 13:59

Just thread a thread on NannyJob, no need to discuss why

I haven't read it before and the thing that shocked me most was the repeated references to half a day pay being "nothing" to their employers.

Fuck me as an employer of a CM half a days pay is the differnce between me having a night once a month and not going out at all

AIBU to be shocked by the cavalier approach to employers money!

Yours naively, KC.

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RahRahRachel · 26/03/2008 14:39

JamInMyWellies - I wonder how many of the people complaining about the nanny not being "paid to surf" are in fact surfing at work...

Kewcumber - I didn't post on that NJ thread and am not agreeing with the sentiment that half a days pay is meaningless to the employer, I was just saying that many nannies may see these big earnings coming in and not realise that it doesn't automatically mean lots of disposable income lying around later. Higher earners are likely to have bigger ingoings and bigger outgoings than lower earners.

Original poster
Kewcumber · 26/03/2008 14:38

Jam this thread is nothing to do with "that" thread. the nanny in question didn't make those commetns - my post was in reposnse to an attitude I hadn't come across before.

I hope people are right and NJ is an unusually bitchy board.

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Original poster
Kewcumber · 26/03/2008 14:36

Oh certainly I'm not in any position to chastise people for going online in working hours I'm slightly surprised that anyone looking after my DS would be able to do so wihtout having a major clear-up operation afterwards

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JamInMyWellies · 26/03/2008 14:34

blimey it has been a day of it for nannies and employers on here.

TBH I nannied for about 15yrs and I have been shocked at the behaviour shown on the thread that started it. Since when did employers and nannies do all their communication by email and web forums dont they have handovers at the end of the day where any probs are ironed out??

I also think its sad to see so many people chastising the nanny for going online - how many of you in your working day log on to mumsnet As far as I was concerned in every job I worked long hours and my employers were more than happy for me to take a bit of time to surf the net or watch daytime telly. Its not like nannies have regular sheduled lunch hours etc.

I feel a line should be drawn under this sorry affair and that the people involved directly go away and lick there wounds and possibly think about communicating in person in the future.

AtheneNoctua · 26/03/2008 14:33

And just for the record, I would like to point out that I drive a used Vauxhall Astra.

Gosh all these posts today are really reminding me what a lovely nanny I have. Lovely!

Original poster
Kewcumber · 26/03/2008 14:33

rachel - I agree that I am above average earner - see below. That doesn't mean I have any spare cash. Obviously I could choose not to live in an expensive part of London or take in lodgers etc, it doesn't mean I have enough disposable cash to be csual about £35.

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RahRahRachel · 26/03/2008 14:32

I think that's the way of message boards - reading this forum doesn't give a very representative view of nanny-employers either. You're bound to take the side of the person there, and be support/bitch.

BeauLocks · 26/03/2008 14:29

So what if the employers are wealthy? What does that have to do with it?

AtheneNoctua · 26/03/2008 14:29

I don't think the nannies who chat on NJ are really a fair sample of the nanny population. I find NJ to be quite bitchy toward employers. Although I did once have a fab nanny whom I found on NJ.

RahRahRachel · 26/03/2008 14:28

The average salary in this country is around 25k, and less than 50k puts you in the top 10% - I'm not saying all nanny employers are fabulously wealthy, but I'd assume most are pretty above average earners.

Original poster
Kewcumber · 26/03/2008 14:26

Obviously only in theory

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Original poster
Kewcumber · 26/03/2008 14:24

don;t think that my vauxhall meriva could be described as a Kew tractor but I feel sure that a nanny would easily make assumptions about me based on my job, my house, my accent. Which are completely untrue.

Besides - the argument shouldn;t be about whether the money measn as much to the employer (they earned it they don;t have to justify what it means to them) but whether the extar money was fairly due.

I am still shocked that anyone responsible enough to be looking afetr children is juvenile enough to think that money should be paid just on the basis that the emploeyer can afford it!

I clearly don't know enough nannies.

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WanderingTrolley · 26/03/2008 14:21

Normal?

It depends on whether your nannny is live in/share/part time/qualified/experienced. Also, once you've 3 children, a nanny is usually more cost effective.

Not always true about high wage earners.

at the prospect of dc2, kew.

Not all nannies think they have a right to all your cash. They do, however, have the right to all your biscuits. Sorry, it's the law.

RahRahRachel · 26/03/2008 14:19

Before I offend anyone (or anyone else!) I'm not arguing that money is meaningless to nanny employers and I know lots of people really have to stretch their budgets to get good childcare. But generally nanny employers are very high earners in comparison to most people. Maybe the nannies on that thread weren't taking into account things like the bigger mortgages, bigger bills, those chelsea tractors that guzzle petrol () etc that nanny employers have compared to lower earners that also means they have little disposable income.

I've worked for families for which childcare was a huge part of their budget and have always appreciated that. I have also worked for a family for whom the money they paid me did mean a lot more to me than to them.

Original poster
Kewcumber · 26/03/2008 14:16

Am beginning to think if DC2 ever arrives that I will have to find the money for extar CM hours - sharing my space with someone else seems bad enough but sharing with someone who has such a distorted and well teenager-y approach to money would just do my head in.

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AtheneNoctua · 26/03/2008 14:13

nannies are cheaper than nurseries or childminders where I live. And I only have two kids. God only know how people manage to support 4 or 5 kids.

Tutter · 26/03/2008 14:13

i have employed a nanny, and am abnormal, so i guess she's right then

Original poster
Kewcumber · 26/03/2008 14:11

I'm a bit more flush at the moment as I've reduced my mortgage to interest only so I can restock my savings. But its not exactly a long term solution so it will have to go back up at some point.

Thanks Tutter! I am frequently accused of being "normal" I'll have you know.

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WanderingTrolley · 26/03/2008 14:11

I want to say something very horrible about nannies but am restraining myself. [gritted teeth]

None of us knows the constraints of another's budget and we would be stupid to assume we do, imo. [diplomat]

Squiffy · 26/03/2008 14:10

Rahrah, we would love to use a childminder, but they won't do the early starts I need, so we have no choice. I know that is the same for lots of people.

And yes, my nanny does take home more each month than I have in disposable income once all our bills are paid...

Original poster
Kewcumber · 26/03/2008 14:09

I am a pretty high wage erner compared to a nanny rachel. After mortgage (London), childcare and bills, I have enough spare cash for one, not too expensive, night out a month and a cheapish holiday once a year (caravan in UK this year) and maybe a weekend away too.

Don;t get me wrong I don;t consider myself badly off but half a days pay what would that be £35'ish? Is my "entertainment" money for a month.

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Tutter · 26/03/2008 14:08

you haven't met kew, have you?

Tutter · 26/03/2008 14:07

lololol at "More "normal" people tend to use childminders"

Squiffy · 26/03/2008 14:07

I was quite open-mouthed reading that same thread, (1) by attitude towards money as if it grows on trees (2) seeing someone being fleeced alive for what seemed like not very much and seemed to stem from a misunderstanding and (3) realising that our nannies may be spending their working hours posting about us on sites like this

Nannynick, I wish they were all a bit more like you and a bit less like, well, um....

RahRahRachel · 26/03/2008 14:07

I meant financially. More "normal" people tend to use childminders, whereas you have to be a pretty high earner to employ a nanny.

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