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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

can't find the list of questions for nanny

12 replies

oops · 05/04/2006 22:01

Help!!
I know it is here somewhere
I've got a lovely mature sounding lady coming tomorrow- 20yrs experience - can you believe that?
she sounds great...
i am frantically clearing up as i don't want her to think the flat is a mess and she doesn't want to come here.
Now what do i ask her??
I've gone mushy in the head!

what if ds1 goes fruit loop?#shall i sedate him???
oh, this is such a big thing- as you all know...i just want her to be lovley and think we are lovely too

which is why i am drinking wine now!
help!!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
PrincessPeaHead · 05/04/2006 22:09

just chat to her. find out as much as you can about what sort of person she is like, what she is looking for in a job, what she liked about previous jobs and what didn't work so well for her. Don't ask leading questions, leave them openended.

good questions: why did you leave your last job? one before that? and one before that? answers can be quite telling.

If there are any particularly short or particularly long jobs, question her on those.

Ask what crises (health, accident, otherwise) she had encountered in her career, and how she dealt with them.

Ask how she would deal with eg a child who wouldn't eat dinner etc\ to see whether she is a hitler or what. If she starts in a vein you don't like on any subject, don't let her know you don't like it, encourage her to talk more by asking another non-leading question. Eg if she says "I'm very particular about x, won't stand any nonsense", say "and so how would you deal with it if x happened".

Make sure you tell her about your job honestly (eg if you are home late 1ce or 2ce a month, tell her that this can happen). If DS1 regularly acts like a fruit loop, then it is good that it happens in the interview, see how she copes.

Leave her to interact with children while you go to the loo or make coffee or something. She should be chatting to them or on the floor or something when you get back.,

Just go with your gut.

oops · 05/04/2006 22:16

thanks pph,
i have done interviews for work but wow, this one is soo difficult.
whe wounds lovley, really sensible.
after the day i've had with ds1 i hope he stays calm when she's here... i don't want her to think i am rubbish too..

you are right about the gut feeling, i had to interview about 10 childminders for ds1 about 2 yrs ago.

i seem much more bonkers this time round, ds2 has finally sent me round the bend.

I'll just keep her talking... that's it... don't appear too crazy,
right, now create a lovely homely atmosphere...

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PrincessPeaHead · 05/04/2006 22:19

oh also ask her why she was attracted to YOUR job enough to apply. this often flusters them a little and you get some funny answers... but it may also give you a clue as to whether your expectations match!

good luck, I'm sure she will be lovely

oops · 05/04/2006 22:25

her name was passed on to me by somebody who advertsied on here funnily enough.
If she is good then i don't think i'll need to advertise.
but i can see the point of the question and will modify suitably.

oh what if she thinks the flet is too small (it is btw Smile)

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PrincessPeaHead · 05/04/2006 22:26

if she thinks the flat is too small she is the wrong nanny for you!

oops · 05/04/2006 22:32

good answer pph!
hey do you fancy coffee at around midday tomorrow?
we made banana bread today, you could have a little piece and nudge me if i am mad at her.. Grin

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jura · 05/04/2006 22:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

oops · 06/04/2006 09:47

that is the one, thankyou so much
thanks pph for your support
DH and i have done a spring clean since 7.30am.
place is looking good, but need to do a bit more
i can't believe the trouble i am going to... but i really don't want her to think we live in a cramped little flat (which with 2 kids' stuff -we do) and have loads of space and light etc...
cbeebies is def the oreder of the day for ds1 today so far.

we did painting yesterday, becuase we sometimes do abyway. We made crwons and telescopes and stuck feathers onto things.
and we did cooking!!
so all in all a perfect household!
What more could mary poppins want???

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PrincessPeaHead · 06/04/2006 16:07

so how wasshe?

oops · 06/04/2006 21:00

very nice!
I think she may be a bit sensible- i take ds1 outsdie so he can shout and put silly music n for dancing and we talk a funny language, just the two of us...and i am not sure how much of that she will understand iyswim

but- 20yrs experience, safe pair of hands, won't be phased by anything, has had siblings together before, speaks fluent english, knows all the places locally and helps out at library storytime and playgroups

phoned 1 ref so far, her children are 20 and 18 and are still in contact with nanny! and so are those of her friend who employed her afterwards!
one teenager sees her every month, goes for tea.
ao shall i employ her?
£9/hr gross Sad
which is the limit of what i can afford (non live in- and er live in expensive London)

but i think for cheaper i will get less experience blah blah blah...

feel quite calm really. i think she will be fine!! Grin

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PrincessPeaHead · 06/04/2006 22:48

employ her. she sounds fab. she doesn't need to be a clone of you (and frankly would be a bit creepy if she was). sounds perfect.

Well done!

oops · 06/04/2006 23:15

yes, i think we will

we are just trying to work out if it is worth risking offending her asking her to register- needs to do a 2 day course on top of the usual life saving course...
it may well make it easier on us financially so prob will ask as cutting it fine at that wage tbh.

thanks for asking! Smile

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