Is there such a thing of a mothers help

[HidingInTheBathroom]

My sil minds the dc for me during the week. But due to reasons I am looking for some one new.

I would like some one who could mind my dc 8,3 and 21 months at my house. My 3 year old goes to nursery twice a week and my 8 year old is at school.

I would like some one to keep the house tidy such as Hoover up wash the pots up. Tidy the dc rooms up put the laundry away and maybe strip the beds once a week dc rooms not ours.

My dm says this is a mothers help or is this a nanny. How would I advertise for this.

An unqualified, inexperienced nanny who does mainly household tasks rather than childcare whilst mum is around at home, could be called a mothers help.
Those are the main factors I feel though:
Mum around at home most of the time
The person does not have childcare training
The person does not have childcare experience
The person is doing mostly household tasks, only occasional short times of childcare.

So a question for you: What are you doing during the time this person would be working? Would you be at home to care for your 21 month old, 3yr old (before/after nursery) and 8yr old (before/after school) ?

No me and DH work full time. So would a nanny be more what I am looking for.

It would be some one full time I need. As long as I trusted them or maybe some one who is a mother themselves I would be happy. Don't really need the certificates just as long as I can do a police check I think this will be fine bi would be happy even they had there own children with them at my house.

I would need them to look after the kids and do light duties in the house as well.

Would this be possible. Probably like a mrs doudtfire person If one exists

Yes, if you are not going to be at home then it's a nanny that you are wanting to recruit. You can decide for yourself if you want that nanny to have any childcare qualifications, prior experience, or both.

The duties you have listed sound fairly typical to me for a nanny to be doing, they are certainly things I do in my job. How big a job those household tasks are though may mean that you get someone else to do some of them, for example having a cleaner come in once a week so the house gets a good clean.

Have you decided:
~ if it is a live-in position, or if you would want someone coming say 7am-7pm, Mon-Fri?
~ how much to offer in terms of a salary?
~ if you need someone who drives
~ if you need a driver, do you need someone who will use their own car?

some one who is a mother themselves

That may limit your applicants somewhat. Though it is possible to find people in that position, especially if you are happy for them to bring their own child/children with them. Transportation of all the children may be a problem though... is school and nursery walkable?

You can't do a police check (these days called an Enhanced Disclosure). You may be able to get the nanny to go via a nanny agency and get one that way, may cost £50-£80. With luck many applicants for the job (if they have been working in childcare before) will have a previous CRB Enhanced Disclosure, so that might give some reassurance they have not got a criminal record (at least, they didn't have at the time of the check).

mrs doudtfire person
I'm like Mrs Doubtfire but I don't dress up

My son walks to school we live 2 mins away in a small village. Nursery is a 1 min drive 5 min walk going but may be 10 min walk coming back as it is a very big hill. I would like some one who could drive but would use there own car but with petrol allowance but if could not drive they would still be considered. As there is plenty to do in walking distance and short bus drive away.

Where would I advertise for such a person. They don't have to be a mother I just would not mind if they brought there own children.

Also they can not live in as I have a small house. 2 rooms down stairs and 3 bed upstairs all occupied.

I wanted some one to help me out in the house a little so that when I come home I some times carry on working at home so don't find time to clean up as much I should.

I don't expect them scrub skirting board just basically tidy up after themselves and the kids.

I am also happy for them to take the kids where they choose as long as it suitable ie not a drug den.

So is there such a thing as a non cross dresser mrs doudtfire.

Nannyjob.co.uk
Childcare.co.uk

Register on both sites and write as much info into an advert as possible.
Also consider local places you could advertise, parish newsletter, school newsletter, local community notice board, local shop.

So is there such a thing as a non cross dresser mrs doudtfire.

Well, there are male nannies Just because I do what some feel is a female job, does not mean I need to wear a dress.

Thank you nannynick will get the image of you in skirt out my head

From what you've posted and reading between the lines it looks like you are wanting someone to do a bit more cleaning than the normal nanny would - a nanny will normally do anything to do with the children; beds, bedrooms, playrooms, children's cooking etc and she should certainly clean up after herself eg. wiping kitchen work surfaces after cooking, loading/unloading the dishwasher, putting the hoover round if the children have made a mess after arts&crafts etc.

But, most won't put the hoover round because you haven't found the time to do it, will not deal with your laundry, won't clean the bathroom and will expect the house to be in a reasonable state when they arrive in the morning - you often hear nannies moaning about having to clear up the kitchen before they can use it or that they have left the playroom reasonably tidy and have come in to find the children have had everything out and left it looking like a bomb site.

Sorry if I've misunderstood and you do just want child related duties to be done. I just wanted to point this out as I felt Nick's posts didn't make it clear.

Good luck if you decide on a nanny - there are other advantages to having one too, like not having to get the children up and out of the door in the morning and (depending on finish time) coming home to freshly bathed, pyjama clad children ready for some quality time with Mum & Dad before bed

But, having said all that, if this is what you want your nanny to do and you make sure you agree it all up front and put it in the contract then that would be fine. They say it is an employer's market at the moment so many nannies may be wiling to do a few extra duties to secure a job.

Thank you nbee. What you have described is exactly what I want. The thing is my sil stays at my house and watches the kids. I come home to find all the dirty dishes she has used on the side. All the kids toys out. She put a wash on but just leaves all the kids clothes on the side wornt put them away. When she came to work for me I explained I would like to come home and find the house in a nice tidy state. Not to havingto start clearing up after my sil who is paid to tidy up and look after the dc.

I'm not expecting to have a cleaner just to do normal house duties as if I was at home looking after the dc. And I do not expect them to Do my washing and say scrub the toilet.

With mine and my DH hours of work I would love to come home to find happy dc who have been cared for by a good nanny.

Oh and I never leave any dirty pots or the house untidy before I go to bed.

Will need to start having a good luck around.

Coming home to a clean house without any washing drying on the airer, or in piles part way through sorting, or toys being on the floor, may just not happen. It may have been tidy early afternoon when older children are at school and younger children may take a nap but it soon gets messy again once children are active.

With three children the laundry is endless... and getting it dried in the winter takes ages (unless you tumble dry). Sure it's possible to keep things tidy but that might be at the expense of interaction with children - though children do sometimes like to help, alas only sometimes.

You are probably one of those people who likes things to be very tidy - so you need to find a nanny who is the same. It's the match between parents and nanny... finding someone like you. So I would suggest you make it clear to applicants that you are expecting that standard of tidiness.

Oh I'm by far a clean freak just don't expect to cleaning up after the. Nannie which I'm doing at the minute. Sil will say do crafts with the kids but will leave every thing like glitter all over and paint opend. She will make herself and the dc dinners but will leave all the pots for me when I get home. She will even leave the butter and bread open on the side. I know I can not have a tidy house with kids but simple stuff like tidy up after your self. I don't think I would like a uncluttered house because it would not feel like home. But I do expect to clean up after activities. So i don't have to when I come home.

Also would it be unreasonable to ask if the nannie could do a little home work with my oldest after school as when I get home he always seems to tired and will not concentrate because it is late. Oh will this be too much to ask.

Oh and my dryer is on constantly could not cope otherwise

Think I end up with a new dryer every year.

Definitely in nannies remit to do the homework if that's the time that suits your child - some are more willing and cooperative when they get in from school and some like to chill out and play and are better to do it later. If yours is the former let the nanny know that you'd like homework done before tea as that is what suits your child.

Glitter over the table does sound a bit bad.

You can ask a nanny to help with homework but the problem with homework I find is often that the child does not want to do it. So you need to try to get your eldest into a routine of doing it once they come home from school. Start a new thread about that... I'd love to know how parents and nannies get older children to do homework when they come in from school. I've got that challenge to come, I'll need tips. I suspect it's about establishing a good routine - hard at first but gets easier later on with luck.