Nanny for 4 children - is this too much?

[Pollyanna]

I am thinking of returning to work and am considering childcare options. Would it be too hard for a nanny to look after 4 children? 2 are at full time school (ages 7 and 5), one is at nursery in the mornings (age 3) and there is a baby (age 1)too. There is a couple of hours each day where there is all four at home (unfortunately this is the dinner/bath/bed time) and there is a fair amount of going to and from nursery/school etc. I would take the children to school in the mornings.

I would think it is do-able. I guess it is one collection at lunch time from nursery and one collection from school 3.30ish. Would this be part time or 5 days a week. My nanny looks after 3 (1 year,2 year and 4 year olds) but only 1 day a week. I'm sure you can find some-one, it just may take a bit of searching.

It would be for 3 days a week. I suppose it's not just that I might not find anyone, but I don't want to overload a person so they are horrible to the children or harm or neglect them just because they are so tired.

that sounds like a pretty normal nany job to me

LOADS of families with 4(+) children like nannies (cause to pay 4 sets of childcare is VERY expensive!)

Go for it! im sure you'd find a nice nanny as its essentially only a baby and toddler as the older ones are at school!

I was a nanny for 4 children aged 12, 4,3,1 when i had only been qualified a year and found it relatively easy, had a routine and regular trips out etc, i was also full time, 5 days a week for 8 hours a day so what you are suggesting is perfectly manageable!

I was a nanny for 4 children and my own little one .4 days a week 7.30 to 7 .It can be done but pay her well .

Our last nanny came from a family of five, including one with ADHD. She didn't seem to find it a problem, except for the picking up and dropping off at school/nursery meant she spent a lot of time in traffic. She only left because the mother decided to give up work. I think that the logistics are the only difficult bit, but if you are doing the morning school run that will help. A well organised nanny shouldn't find it too much of a problem - after all, you have (presumably) managed it! Would agree on the paying well bit.

Caring for 4 children of those ages I would not consider being hard, though activity planning may be tricky during school holidays when the older two don't want to do things that the younger ones can do.

Bigest problem I would forsee is transport... if you are supplying the nanny with a car, fine... if not... then I'd say that most nannies would find getting sufficient car seats and booster seats in their car difficult. While my car seats 5 according to the manufacturer, once there are two baby seats in, there really isn't room on the back seat for a child on a booster, so I'm limited to 3 children plus myself. A bit of trying different positions for baby seats could produce sufficent space, but it would be tight and one babyseat would need to be in front passenger position.

Cooking could be an issue, especially if you wanted everything prepared from scratch, as slotting in sufficient time to the schedule may be tricky to do without affecting quality of care provided to a child (probably the youngest, as main courses could be cooked in batches in the mornings... puddings then done with the two younger children assisting in the afternoon).

To find someone who would consider it, and who would stay long term... you will need to pay well. Probably around £100 net per day (about £432 per week, cost to you as employer, based on 3 days).

We envisage letting the nanny use our car. I did wonder whether to prepare meals then night before as it is difficult doing it when all 4 kids are around. (I always cook in the afternooon when I just have one up and one napping). Really it is all the school runs that are difficult and then the evening routine when they are all tired and fractious.

I have to find a job that pays enough before I look into this.

I don't see it would be a problem as most nannies are good at organising their days to fit everything in. I look after a baby during the school day then 4, 10 and 12 after school. In the holidays i then have anything up to 7 children from 5 months to 12 years. This i find trickier but with some organisation and planning works.

I was a nanny for years and it sounds fine to me, but I would look for an older more experienced nanny and not a recently qualified nanny.........as she may have a melt down...as you are right in thinking it may be too much!!

I hade sole charge for 4 children, very similar ages to you and I cooked or reheated what mum had prepared, you may have to see what cooking skills the nanny has! GOod luck

I have 4 and have always had nannys,with only one a disaster and the best two staying for 4 years\\\\\\\=. My words of wisdom then, FWIW, are, experience MUCH more important than qualifications, can they handle larger famiies with issues of safety, discipline, sibling rivalry to deals with, as well as the fun stuff? Can they cook a range of good food (essential IMO), will they supervise homework if they need to, are they happy to play board games as well as playdoh, do they like exercise - swimming or bikes as well as toddler groups? Can they take all 4 children to a supermarket and survive the experience? . Booh is right, look for older or more experienced. FWIW, our present nanny/housekeeper looks after 15/12/10/3 in the holidays, term time just the last two, cooks, wlaks dogs, cleans if necc, swims, shops, plays playdoh, you name it: more or less an alternative to me. She is a mother of 4 and granmother of 2 (and a year younger than me who I wook on because she could run a large family. If you get the right help, it will be fine. HTH

Funny isn't it? Some of us do the job you describe 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without any qualification at all, and yet here we are wondering if a nanny can cope with 4 children at a time.

Dumbledores girl, I expect a nanny to have much more patience with my children than I do!

Thanks everyone - I had a nanny when I last worked (when I just had 3 children) and I agree - she was really experienced (but had no qualifications), and was wonderful! She was calm, organised, kept them under control and stimulated them and cooked really nutritious meals. Now I've just got to find another person like her...

Actually, Dumbledoresgirl, it's not that funny - most mums probably love their children equally - nannies and other carers may not. The disaster we had involved a NNEB nanny who only liked the toddler, and openly admitted to other nannies that she 'couldn't stand' my then 5 yr old DS. No one told us for fear of 'causing trouble' how cruel she was, and so it only came to light after about 6 months when I acted on my suspicions. When I asked my DS why he had necer told anyone in the family what was happening he simply said'but you chose her to be with me so I thought you must think it was OK', which broke my heart.

That is sad Callmemadam, but it is a potential problem with having a nanny and not to do with asking a nanny to care for 4 children at once.

Yes and no, Dumbledoresgirl; she was only on her second job from college, and when we challenged her she admitted that she 'had a preference' for our little girl over our little boy. As she was looking after 3 children, it was also easier for her to conceal her behaviour (for example, by feeding pudding to 2 children so I would see it had been eaten, but by depriving him).When we took the matter up with the college and with the agency she came through, it was 'explained' to us that the salary we paid was greater than shopwork in our area, and therefore attractive to girls who would otherwise not be interested in caring for children, and who could easily become stressed and over disciplinarian with multiple charges! That seemed to me to be a pretty lame excuse for training a really bad apple, although at the end of the day I was to blame because I interviewed her and she had glowing short references. You have a good point, but I still think that if you have more than two children then the nanny has to be genuinely up to the challenge of a range of ages and stages, and I could have been much better than I was at spotting problems.

Wow, that reads like something from a novel. I am glad I don't have to be in your situation of trying to find someone I could trust to look after my children. I know as an ex teacher that it is not always possible to like every child you meet (any more than it is to like every adult you meet) but that behaviour you describe is horrific.

It can be done and you will find someone just take it slowly and dont rush into anything .

If a mother can do it, a nanny can do it - arguably better because she isn't also getting up at nights with the baby!!!

Mine are 7, 5, 2.5 and another one due today (!) - we have had our nanny for 3.5 years and she is looking forward to the baby because otherwise she thought she would be bored when the little one starts nursery school for a couple of mornngs in september.

THe 7 and 5 yr old are no bother and lovely to have around, the 3 yr old is amusing, babies are lovely - lots of nannies like the variety. I don't think you should have any trouble finding someone to cope.

yes, you're right, a nanny should be able to manage, but it is definitely difficult looking after 4 (that's why I'm going back to work ). Hopefully I will be able to find someone experienced and keen!

Wow, PPH, didn't realise so fingers crossed for you: I am admiring your skill in spacing them out a lot better than I did! Today, No.3 (aged 10) asked me why we didn't just have another one to keep No. 4 happy; when I said we wouldn't be having any more she said in a world-weary tone " oh yeah, I forgot, Daddy's been spayed"

what about school hols though?

Ha! Trying to persuade this daddy to be spayed as well. We shall see...

Holidays easier than term time because you don't have to dress and get out the door at 7.45 or whenever. I think so, anyway...