Unpaid lunch hour?

[twinteresting]

I am in the early stages of looking for someone to help with my twins who are due in December. It's a sort of mothers help role - I will be here but will need a spare pair of hands and someone to help with school/playgroup runs etc and the end of day pick-up.

But because that's at the beginning and end of the day, I think it's going to be a long day and am worried about the financial implications of this too.

Wondering whether I can factor in an hour/even 1.5 hours off in the middle of the day unpaid?
I'm guessing that ordinarily nannies don't get lunch breaks as they are sole charge but I won't need that.

Does that work?
Sorry if this is a really STUPID question

TIA

I think it partly depends where you are. If you are in an area where the nanny could wander down the road to a nice café, grab some lunch, read her book or the papers for an hour then go back, or nip to the gym and do a class etc, then I think it might be attractive to some people. If you are rural and she couldn't get anywhere much in that time, or would end up sitting in the car eating sandwiches then I don't think it would work so well.

I don't think so. They could work elsewhere and get paid for that time. 1.5 hours isn't enough time for them to find work inbetween to cover loss.

Personally I would just brave the mornings alone, and just get someone in afternoons. In mornings babies can just be fed and taken on school runs in pjs and sorted after. Someone 2-7pm would cover pick ups/ home work/ swimming lessons/ dinner/ baths/ ready for bed ( or bed if by 7pm)

I think it would make it a very unappealing job tbh. I'm sure you'll be able to find someone but whether they'll be the best available or not is another matter. My guess is the best people will be in the best jobs i.e. the ones with a paid lunchtime.

Is it just for the twins, or do you also have older DC?

I think it will put off the best candidates to be honest. I wouldn't accept such a job unless I was desperate. I'd make start time an hour later or finish time earlier if you want to save money.

thanks for replies. Helps massively.

Am subrural so no opportunity to wander off to a lovely cafe no.

Sorry not to be clear.

I have two older DC and would like someone to help with the witching hour ideally but similarly am anxious about the school run too (!) and getting 5 of us out of the house..

DH works out of the house from 0600 until 1930 so do the whole childcare day by myself really - hence the need for help.

How about an au pair? Then in my experience it is acceptable to split hours over the day.

what about two different people? Possibly a student or something for the morning slot.

I think to save money, get decent care at witching and do morning yourself.

Get dh to help by prepping any packed lunches night before and in fridge/ lay out everyone's clothes/ shoes etc etc
Ideally feed babies around 7am and get others up after the feed ( if still in bed). - ( or nanny could do this also in the evening before finishing).

12-7, would give you a chance to hand babies over and take a nap yourself for a few hours. I would go for an experienced nanny for half the hours over a mothers help for 7-7, as you will then feel more confident leaving babies under her care when needed

an hour off with nowhere to go wont work

if you have room then an au pair may work, but means she may do the school runs, rather then leave her alone with new born twins

or brave the morning yourself,see if you can get another parent to pick up your dc one/two times a week in the morning

then get a lunchtime/after school nanny 12/7 to help out with the worst hours of the day school/homework/ tea/bath/bed

could you find another parent at the same school who would be interested in this role - as

they would be doing there own school run so will be tied to these time
they could possibly stay with you to help do som housework/washing etc for a couple of hours either after morning school run or before afternoon school run

or you could try to employ another parent school run and pay them. There may be mothers willing to do this as it fits n with their children and there will be plenty of parents looking for extra money.

then get a cleaner/mothers help for a couple of hours a day or a couple of times a week

Oh and a friends sister had twins and she had someone from college on a nanny course in to help her for a while - they wanted the experiance and couldn't be left alone with dc - so it was free help.

Don't most people have unpaid lunch hours? I worked in the Nhs for many years, if we managed to get our breaks they were not paid. And no where to go. At 2 in the morning, no canteen or coffee shop. You eat your sandwiches and read a book.
OP I think 1 1/2 hours is too long. But 1 hour reasonable. But nanny would need a private space, no children in and out etc.

It's not really about what most people do, it's about what most nannies do. Most nannies will be paid for all their hours, why would a nanny with a choice take a job where they don't get paid for that hour? They wouldn't. OP gets the nannies with no choice aka the bottom of the barrel.

Yes I see what you are saying Outraged but most nannies can not have a lunch break because they have sole charge. Some nannies might like a lunch break if they are working a long day. As long as the unpaid time is a complete break, and nanny is free to do what ever she likes, I don't see the problem. half an hour to an hour seems reasonable to me.

Completely agree with 'outragedfromleads'