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PLS HELP, Need to make country life appealing for my nanny!

34 replies

Page62 · 24/04/2010 22:00

Hi Guys
Brief Background. Our nanny has been with us for 3.5 years, looking after DD who is 6 and DS who is 4. We live in Clapham but now moving to Sevenoaks area for the Sept school year. We gave our nanny the option whether to come or not and to our absolute delight, she said yes. We have now found a house we want to bid for it's c20 mins away from Sevenoaks in a quiet/more rural village. I am now stricken with fear that my nanny (she's youngish, 27 yrs) will find it so cut off compared to London and decide it's not for her! i know there are other nannies out there, but to make sure i do the best i can to make the transition easy can you pls add to the list i have already thought of below?

  1. we are giving her a one off bonus equivalent to what we would pay an agency for coming with us
  2. we will let her have full use of the car on weekends so she can get out and about
  3. looking to enrol her in a gym if she wanted to -- perhaps to meet some people?
  4. making sure i get mums who also have nannies in the school to come for playdates so they can get to know each other

i know there's not much i can do if she finds it too lonesome -- hopefully not though....does someone know here if there is nanny community around sevenoaks...pls pls tell me there is......

if you are still reading this, thank you so much and would be grateful for any other advice! thanks

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Page62 · 25/04/2010 13:37

aw, thanks tartyhighheels.
frankkinnuts, i will check that part of the website too.
thanks -- we're keeping our fingers crossed!

OP posts:
tartyhighheels · 25/04/2010 10:02

What a thoughtful employer you are, no wonder she stays with you.

frakkinnuts · 25/04/2010 09:58

Get her onto Nannyjob's meet other nannies section to see who is around the area.

I think Blondes on here is from Kent and she knows everyone....

Page62 · 24/04/2010 23:16

She hasn't really expressed any concerns to be honest, i am just trying to anticipate it!
If we were able to get this house, then she has a bigger room and shower room and it is more private!

OP posts:
nannynick · 24/04/2010 23:10

You won't know until you try. It's not as though it's that far away... it's well under an hour by train to get back to London, if she wanted to see friends.

Her lifestyle in Sevenoaks may be different to Clapham. For example, the size of her room could be very different depending on the house you are looking at.

Has she expressed any concerns about coming?

Page62 · 24/04/2010 22:53

we're pretty fond of her too! but she's young and london has so much to offer etc so i am scared the fondness might not be enough. having said that, i wouldn't want to see her miserable either -- i guess i am just hoping that she's right, that she will actually like living in that area of kent with us still........

OP posts:
Missus84 · 24/04/2010 22:50

If she's been with you for 3.5 years she must be pretty fond of you!

Page62 · 24/04/2010 22:47

hi nannynick

thanks so much for all these suggestions. she seems keen to come with us, i just want to make sure she doesn't feel so cut off. the house we are looking at is in a village, so it's not like there are no neighbours, but obviously, it ain't clapham where she can walk to most things!
thank you!

OP posts:
nannynick · 24/04/2010 22:43

If she isn't the gym sort... you could enrol her for riding lessons. Expect there are places around Sevenoaks. Quick google produced Bradbourne Riding. Gym she could do in Clapham... Riding she probably couldn't do.

Check broadband access at your potential new home. In London you are probably used to having broadband. In rural locations you may not get it, or may only get it at a low speed. If the current owner has broadband, ask them what speed they get.

Find out all the places she could go with the children during school holidays. Sevenoaks is quite well placed for getting out and about to various historic houses/castles.
National Trust:
Chartwell, Emmetts Garden, Ightham Mote, Knole, Old Soar Manor, Quebec House
Further away are places like Bodiam Castle, Sissinghurst Castle.

English Heritage: Lullingstone Roman Villa, Eynsford Castle

Other places: Observatory Science Centre
Riverhill Gardens - very close to Sevenoaks.
Penshurst Place - Gardens with Playground and Toy Museum.

Shopping: Bluewater is less than 20 miles away.

Travel: Sevenoaks to London Charing Cross takes around 34 minutes by train.