Confused about housekeeper vs mother's help

[Freezingmyarseoff]

I'm in the process of advertising for a part-time mother's help/nanny to work alongside me in trying to keep up with the daily life with 2 children under 5 and another on the way. You know the washing, the meals, keeping kids entertained, clearing aways toys before you break a leg etc.

Because the person would be working alongside me I would call them a mother's help but having scanned some other ads and chatted to a couple of agencies the term housekeeper seems to come up instead of mother's help. This has confused me.

Is a housekeeper actually different to a mother's help or is it just the term used now in place of mother's help? Do you think it would matter which term I used in my ad? Or am I just over-analysing this (as usual)?

I think "Housekeeper" is someone in a larger establishment...where they're not really going to have to wash up with toddlers underfoot. Someone who has a lot of management to do regarding a big house.

A Mother's help is that...someone with the Mother, on a day to day basis cleaning up lego and poo together....

I think Neo's description of a housekeeper is what people used to see. These days your more 'average' house will have a housekeeper - often families with school aged children. I would expect a housekeeper to be working on her own without the mother around and for her to be a slightly older more experienced person.

I think what you describe you need is a mother's help. Usually someone younger wanting to gain childcare experience, working alongside the mother to help where needed - sometimes household stuff and sometimes childcare.

A housekeeper tends to have clearly defined duties relating mostly to the house. A mother's help mucks in where needed.

A mother's help is more likely to be someone younger/less experienced who might see it as a step up to a nannying role either because they've recently qualified and want home based experienced or because that have been an au pair and want to move towards being a live out nanny but don't have experience with the right age range/longer hours etc.

I think you're using the right term :)

Thanks all. I'll stick with mother's help

I think one of the main differences is how much initiative the person is expected to use.

A housekeeper runs the house, so would be expected to see what needs doing and get it done without being given a list of jobs. They may be in charge of cooking for example and would plan and buy what was needed.

A mother's help is someone who needs a bit more guidance, who doesn't work alone generally. They may go to the shops with a list or help you with the supermarket shop, but wouldn't be expected to plan and organise the shopping by themselves.

I had just already advertised for a mother's help, but requested someone with initiative so hopefully that covers it