Please help me work out what help I need

[freshmint]

Hi. My nanny has told me today that she is reluctantly going to look for another job. She's a daily nanny, her fiance's job has moved and they have decided to move too far away to make the job feasible.

Things are changing a bit with the kids and the job and I'm not sure what I need going forward.

I have four kids from 14 - 5, and the youngest has been in Reception since september. Our nanny is currently full time, and does all housekeeping as well and since the youngest has been in school it is more of a housekeeping than a nannying job tbh. She's been full time because I have been working part time but massively varying days (varying on v short notice) so I needed full time cover. Since September though, it is really too many hours per week.

However from April I am going to move to a fixed 3 day week, so I could have part time help. I need someone to do school runs morning and evening and housekeeping (cleaning, ironing etc). In the school holidays there is obviously more child care.

Do I need a housekeeper who will do school runs? Do I need a nanny who will iron? Do I need an au pair for school runs and a cleaner for the housekeeping?

We don't really have the space for an au pair and what if one of the kids is off sick on a work day? My job is the sort where you can't call in absent unless you are actually dying yourself (like a surgeon say - if you don't come you let a lot of people down. this isn't my actual job though).

I'm sad our lovely nanny is going, but it is a good point in time for a change. If you've managed to get through all of this, thanks!

I'd love your thoughts.

little bump for the post-school-run rush

The problem is that you want 5 day cover but only to pay for what you use.... and it's not that easy to find. Especially if you can't fit/don't want an Au Pair.

I think the only thing you can do is advertise for a part-time housekeep/nanny and see what your replies are like.

It's hard with kids this age.

Thanks for responding Chipping!
No, I think my incredibly long and convoluted post wasn't clear - I will only need 3 day cover.
Yes I suppose if I call it a housekeeper/nanny rather than nanny/housekeeper that makes it clear that there is more ironing than childcare? (And oh lord do we produce a lot of ironing!)

How about looking closer at the logistics of the school runs.

You have 4 children aged 5 to 14. So one is 5 at infant school. 1 is 14 at senior school (or whatever they call those these days). What about the other two children? They could be at the same infant, a junior school on a different location to the infant school, or at senior school which may or may not be the same as your 14 year old attends. Then there are things like after-school clubs... children could need collecting from various places at different times (or even collecting at different locations at the same time). The time period between say 3pm and 6pm could be a right nightmare. So you may have no choice but to use a nanny who can drive for that timeslot. They don't need to be childcare trainned though... they need to be able to drive children around, and make afternoon tea.

What about before school... is any care needed then?

Do I need a nanny who will iron?
Or another question: Do you need to iron clothes at home at all? That can be contracted out to a service company. Sure that will cost but if you are not having to employ a housekeeper/nanny full-time, then you will have the budget to do it.

Same goes for the cleaning... it can be contracted out.

Covering for days the children are sick will be more of an issue - though perhaps an after-school nanny who does not have daytime commitments may be able to do that cover at short notice. Problem is, if they are doing only after-school nannying, why is that? Would that mean they can't do occasional full-days?

You need to shop in different shops :) It's amazing what doesn't need ironing if it's washed and hung properly!!

Generally I would prefer to have someone come in to clean, someone else to do the ironing and a separate Nanny, but if you want 'at home' care for the kids (which you need when you have 4 of that age!) then I think combining is really the only way to get it. There are other options if you exclude needing cover when the kids are sick - but when you need that cover, there aren't many options :(

A housekeeper who does school run/afterschool is probably best if you don't want to go down the au pair route.

Ages 5-14 you don't need a super childcarer really - you need someone there who will supervise, nag about homework, listen to reading, play taxi etc.

I'd advertise and see what you get. You can always say 'extra hours available' and propose they do ironing etc/cover when children are ill and if they can't or won't get on good terms with a temp nanny agency.

What will you do for holiday care if you find a before/after school person?

A FT nanny with own child willing to do housekeeping might be an option.

Thanks nannynick. Younger 3 at school 5 mins drive away. Oldest gets on a bus to and from school at a stop about a mile away (busy road no pavement) - DH drops her there in the am as he goes to work but she needs picking up in the pm after the younger three have been picked up. That time varies depending on after school activities. So definitely need a driver.

Will need childcare in am (as will need to leave for work by 7.30 am) but only for an hour (kids are at school by 8.15)

I like the idea of an ironing service but how will I get it to them/collect if I'm out of the house from 7.30 - 6ish? Might be possible though.

Chipping in -The killer (as always) is kids' sick days and holidays isn't it. I'll have 9 weeks but that still leaves a lot of weeks uncovered...

Hmm. How to attract a good person when the main job is cleaning?!

Thanks gold, you are absolutely right about the job description!

If I had a later start so I could do the school run then it would be much easier as I could deal with afterschool with one person and housekeeping with another. Or even have one person doing eg 1pm - 6pm. But I've got to get into London (as does DH) and I really can't.
So I have this early morning need and a late evening need. Maybe I need to build a yurt in the garden for an au pair, that would really be the best solution wouldn't it. Mornings and evenings 3xweek plus a cleaner.

Hmm

You also need to factor in that this person will be looking after the younger ones in the holidays, so really, they do need to be quite child focussed and happy to play, take them out & about etc not just make sure they don't come to any harm while she's doing the hoovering... well, that's what I'd want anyway Unless you plan on putting them in a lot of holiday programmes then you could definitely get away with a housekeeper type person.

I'd just put several different adverts on Gumtree and see what the applicants are like.

Yes, they have to be fun definitely.
We don't really do holiday programmes apart from the odd tennis thing for the older ones.
I've been browsing on gumtree already! I can't really start looking until my nanny finds a new job so I know what the timing is. She's v happy to do a month notice though, so that should work out.
Thanks for your input Chipping!

Freshmint - you can and must start looking! Most nannies/housekeepers will have to give a months notice if they are working - some parents are booking nannies for this time next year! (now that is bonkers) - if she finds something and gives you a months notice then you'll be scuppered if you don't have someone in the wings. You can both look and just keep each other in the loop about where you are at with prospective jobs/nannies (housekeepers).

You are more than welcome :)

Really???? (re next year)
Crikey!

Oh lord you are right, I'll have a gap if I don't...
Thanks xx