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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what you would do here?

54 replies

Stress124 · 28/09/2021 22:22

Daughter has a before and after school nanny. She has been very reliable and good with the kids. She is on a set contract of hours but is pretty low at 12 hours guaranteed pay.
Basically though, daughter has mornings sorted most days (apart from once or twice every fortnight when she has a really early start) as she can use the breakfast club at the new school the kids are now at and which they started last week. They moved schools as the old one had a bad reputation.
Anyway, dilemmia is, kids are saying in front of nanny that they want to go to breakfast club. This then leaves nanny with very few hours and only afternoons. But she is very much needed in the afternoons.
Nanny made it clear she will only work for the guaranteed hours and no less. Does daughter just have to accept her nanny will leave if she chooses another morning childcare option?

OP posts:
NicLondon1 · 28/09/2021 22:27

She could either extend the afternoon hours to make 12, or give the Nanny other jobs to do in the mornings like sort the kids laundry (whilst they're at breakfast club)

Lightswitch123 · 28/09/2021 22:30

Yes she does I'm afraid. Could you ask the nanny if there's some other time she'd prefer to male up the hours and have eg a date night once a week for yourself?

Original poster
Stress124 · 28/09/2021 22:35

Extending the afternoon hours not really an option.
Not sure the date nights would work either. Not on a weekly basis anyhow.

OP posts:
FallenFromGrace · 28/09/2021 22:38

Nanny will surely jump ship if she is getting grief from the kids about going to breakfast club. Can't be nice for her to hear that especially when it sounds like she is a good nanny.

Milkbottlelegs · 28/09/2021 22:39

I’d be amazed if you found anyone happy to do fewer than 12 hours.

ChimChimeny · 28/09/2021 22:45

@Milkbottlelegs

I’d be amazed if you found anyone happy to do fewer than 12 hours.
I agree, unless it's the mythical teenager/college student you can bung a fiver
AccountCreateUsername · 28/09/2021 22:46

Could you do with her help earlier in the morning and could she take your kids to breakfast club?

I’d love it if someone came in to sort out our mornings and my DC is almost an adult

ChimChimeny · 28/09/2021 22:46

Is there after school club as well? Or a child minder might go just after school.

AccountCreateUsername · 28/09/2021 22:48

@ChimChimeney Actually that’s I’d do. Scratch my idea OP.
You’ll have lose the nanny at some point I suppose

Original poster
Stress124 · 28/09/2021 22:51

A childminder wouldn't work as the kids have after school activities most days which a childminder would not be able to accommodate. Daughters weekly work schedule also changes by the week which again would not suit a childminder.

Looking into costs of just after school nannies and DD would be paying more if anything than she is now. Especially if she goes through the koru kids.

OP posts:
TyrannosaurusRights · 28/09/2021 22:59

Would it be acceptable to both to average the hours over the month? The nanny could then cover the few really early starts and perhaps the occasional evening out or weekend hours to make the numbers work?

martingrowler · 28/09/2021 23:02

Our childminder lived very close to school and didn't mind accommodating clubs. Have you called round the local ones to check? I'm sure you have, just suggesting in case you've assumed

spotcheck · 28/09/2021 23:02

I'd keep her on the full 12 hours. Kids may get very tired of breakfast club, so you may need the nanny back

Coronado2 · 28/09/2021 23:02

If she'd be paying more for just an after school nanny than she is now, can she not just pay the nanny the same amount as now but to work just the after school hours? Or just tell the children no, they can't go to breakfast club?

TimeForTeaAndG · 28/09/2021 23:08

Why don't you just tell the kids that there is no need for them to go to breakfast club and to stop asking?

TimeForTeaAndG · 28/09/2021 23:09

Sorry, your daughter tells her kids. I got confused who was who for a minute.

RandomMess · 28/09/2021 23:10

Increase the nanny's hourly rate or guarantee her minimum weekly pay?

Original poster
Stress124 · 28/09/2021 23:12

The kids really enjoy the breakfast club so can't stop them asking to go.
In terms of the childminder, DD's work schedule changes each week so she would have to pay a childminder all week as for example, she may need them on one Wednesday but not the following.
The clubs are also based off school premises so not entirely straight forward.

OP posts:
Africa2go · 28/09/2021 23:14

A nanny doing (happily) 12 hours before and after school is like the unicorn of childcare. I would be bending over backwards to accommodate her, particularly as your daughter's/children's schedules mean that the flexibility of an after school nanny is needed.

I'd tell the children they can't do breakfast club - or may be do one day per week at breakfast club - but also keep paying the nanny even if she doesn't work that morning.

Merryoldgoat · 28/09/2021 23:15

So why not just pay the same mo why but only have her after school?

Merryoldgoat · 28/09/2021 23:15

Money, not mo why

Invisimamma · 28/09/2021 23:21

Sounds like she's got a pretty sweet deal with the nanny, accommodating shifts and changing hours week to week.

She needs to pay the nanny for the 12 hours per week if she wants to keep her.

StopGoQuitStart · 28/09/2021 23:28

This is familiar. Have you asked about this before when the children hasn’t changed school yet? Maybe just a similar situation.

Your daughter should keep paying the 12hr minimum for the convenience of having flexible after school childcare for her shifts plus the children’s activities. As PP said perhaps the hours could be averaged over the month so few longer after school sessions or an early morning help before breakfast club or weekend/evening. She’ll be hard pressed to find anyone able to accommodate only 12hrs plus flexible days that she currently gets.

Stompythedinosaur · 28/09/2021 23:34

I'd keep paying the nanny for the 12 hours whether or not she is needed in the mornings.

UltimateBugKilla · 28/09/2021 23:35

Can she take the kids to breakfast club and do some laundry or cleaning to keep the hours up?

You will need her in school holidays.