Nanny duties

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I will go back to work in July. Thinking about finding a nanny to take care of my daughter (4.5) and son (1). The elder one will start school in September. Before discussing with any candidate, can I ask if it's reasonable to expect a nanny to do the following:

• help my daughter get ready to school (brush teeth, get change, breakfast)
• change and feed the younger one
• take my daughter to school
• take my son to toddler group
• prepare and give lunch for my son
• pick up my daughter from school and take her to after school activities
• prepare and give tea for both and do the wash up (or load the dishwasher)
• do the kids laundry
• give them a bath

Thx

They are perfectly reasonable nanny duties. If it has anything to do with the kids, it's not unreasonable. If it's just general housework and skivvying- not the nanny's business.

Of course! Anything child related. Change kids beds. Put kids clothes away. Have a sort of kids toys. Etc.

Looks great to me

Obviously play and read to children too

Is it using public transport or walking or using your car or their car or a car provided by you for them?

Babysitting duties too

Erm, you can ask for babysitting duties but not expect them. I worked at least 5 12 hour days when I was a nanny, never ever wanted to babysit.

MrsC sorry should have put babysitting duties to be discussed so that everyone knows what is what beforehand at interview stage rather than not discussed but then expected at a later date

The same as with how children are going to be getting about - work it out beforehand OP

Live in or out?

If in, then own en suite bathroom or share with children?

Do you provide TV etc in their room?

Meals with family in evening?

What about weekends?

Do you want them as part of family or not?

In my day it included a landline phone in my room but this was about 30 years ago long before mobiles!!!!!!!

Holidays, does nanny go on holiday with your family, if so, what about working hours vs time off?

Good luck

Thanks for feedback
I will not need her to go to holiday with us.
Can I insist her to take annual leave when we go on holiday?

Usually my employers divided the holiday in half and I picked when half was and they picked when the other half was. I wouldn't want a job when I could never pick any holiday.

Other duties often included school events e.g. sports days, routine doctor visits, babysitting perhaps once a month (paid extra), taking kids on trips to go walk, visit friends, go swimming etc, cleaning kids rooms. I also occasionally took my charges to have lunch with mum or dad (sometimes I stayed, sometimes I didn't). Many nannies had a diary they would write every day but I preferred not to do that. I was willing to (very) occasionally run errands if I didn't have other things to do that day, I did occasionally shop for the children, if they needed items for school or something similar.

I usually had written in my contract that if the parents were home for more than about 1/2 hour - 1 hour that I got time off. I found it difficult for me and confusing for the kids to have mum or dad at home and me in charge of them unless the parents were sick in bed. We usually worked out an agreement that mum or dad could come home and change and shower but then would take over and let me go.

Its usually half and half for holidays, so say 4 weeks a year, you choose 2 she chooses 2, you would though have to pay her for any holidays you go on that she hadnt picked but then you could get her to do some other jobs like gut the playroom and bedrooms, batch cook, she wouldnt be full time those weeks but at least shes still doing something for the household.

You might also discuss what you want your nanny to do with the kids. Many parents wanted me to entertain the kids all the time, reading, doing jigsaws etc. I personally don't think that is good for kids, it is good for them to play by themselves for age-appropriate amounts of time. I did not read a great deal, but did a lot of activities like crafts/art, science (bug hunts, growing things, red cabbage indicators), cooking (baking, making tortillas etc), hosted coffee mornings with similar aged children and their mothers/carers.

If you want a more hands on nanny so the kids do not play alone (while being supervised) then you may need to expect less chores to be done.

I always insisted on a lunch break while my charges napped. Some parents thought this was unreasonable and expected me to do laundry etc during this time. I didn't work for these parents. Nannies need breaks... they don't get a lunch break.

Live in Nannys have two nights babysitting as standard in their contract. Live out Nannys aren't obliged to babysit.

Holiday is spilt so you have 10 days to choose and nanny has 10 days to choose.

My dutys include (live out Nanny)

Baby's laundry
Baby cooking
I keep baby areas clean and tidy.
I do a monthly toy clean or if we have had play dates I may clean after the playdate.
I arrange activitys in and out of the house
I play with the baby, I also encourage independent play.
I keep a scrapbook to give to the parents when I leave.

Your duties sound fine.

You can dictate holiday (I am assuming you are in the U.K. If you are not, check local law) but it is better to give them some element of choice. Typically you may let them choose around 2 weeks of annual leave and you decide the rest.

Mumsnet has a Home Childcare board where you will find a lot more message posts about employing a nanny.

Rtkanga sorry. Pmt and being a snippy cow.

I never took jobs where my whole holiday was dictated. And if you want to take more holiday than the nanny is entitled to with her half thrown in you just have to suck it up and give it as extra. Trust me, it fosters lots of good feeling and is worth it in the long run!