I don't think I expect any practical answers to this one, I just need to get it off my chest and tell someone about our situation.
We have always had nannies since our first DC was little (both DH and I work) - the first for over 7 years and the second for almost 2, with some temp cover in between. With the DC older now we decided to give it a try having a nanny housekeeper when nanny two decided not to return after maternity leave (Nanny one moved away after having her own baby, although she worked with us, bringing baby in for about a year).
Nanny-housekeeper had been working out well, I thought...but DH told me this afternoon that, while I was away on business last week she told him that she thought she would look for something with more management involved (in the past she has run small businesses in the leisure/hospitality/catering sector as well as working for many years as a nanny).
She has only been with us just over four months and I feel really gutted that she is talking about moving on. Apparently she said she thought we ought to know, and that she intends to start looking in spring/summer. I am also annoyed that she hasn't thought about how a job working closely with children should be taken on with longer term intentions - I feel it's very tough on my kids to have to build a new relationship with another person in a carer role at home. When she took the job she seemed delighted with it (she had two other offers on the table) and told us how much it suited her circumstances. I guess she has found the role boring when the DC are in school and has made her decision on that basis but I am SO depressed at the thought of having to find someone else - and of having to introduce a new person to our family.
As I said, not expecting any practical comments or thoughts - just wanted to vent and try and help myself get it into perspective. It feels so awful having to look at doing this all over again.