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Paid childcare

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

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Original poster

OMG I have had 80 replies in 48hrs to a nanny ad, how do I begin to sift through them?

60 replies

PPH · 19/06/2006 19:10

This is completely mad. It is for a temp nanny job to cover my nanny's honeymoon. I have emails from over 80 people. I'd say on a first read through probably 60 of them would be absolutely fine, probably 10 would be great, probably 1 or 2 are super fantastic lovely perfect Mary Poppins types.
But I don't need superfantastic, I just need someone nice to have around and competant and fun and trustworthy for a couple of weeks. She won't even be in sole charge. How do I START to sift through them?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

bossykate · 19/06/2006 19:14

ditch the 60, prioritise the remaining 12, follow up in priority order? seems you have already started sifting!

Original poster

PPH · 19/06/2006 19:16

I just don't know though - they all seem to be 24 yr old s african or australian primary school teachers, or 25 yr old poles/czechs/hungarians who have done 3 tours of au pair duty in the uk and looked after 4 children under tha age of 3 at once while also cleaning the house. help!

OP posts:

Earlybird · 19/06/2006 19:27

I imagine you've already been down this road, but does your current nanny have any friends/acquaintances who might fill in while she's away? Is there anyone at one of your children's schools who might be suitable?

Don't know if it's cheeky, or good management to ask your nanny to do an initial cull of responses, maybe even have some preliminary phone conversations to suss out who seems truly capable/personable, and then give you a shortlist of her recommendations (and absolute "no" people too)?

SSSandy · 19/06/2006 19:28

Did any of them attach a photo?

Uwila · 19/06/2006 20:37

Lower your offering, see who still wants the job. Then choose on from those still remaining, and then pay her the original higher rate anyway. She'll be thrilled with the higher pay and do a fab job for two weeks.

I was going to go into my usual speal of questionaire which is to be returned with cv and picture, and then.... but for two weeks of non-sole charge, does it really matter? I'd perhaps be thinking along the lines of someone who is not used to full time sole charge.

Are you PrincessPeaHead?

Original poster

PPH · 19/06/2006 20:41

A couple of them have sent photos, which is actually quite nice - they look kind!
I think we have to decide between an eastern european au pair type (cheaper, can get to our holiday destination by train, but can't meet beforehand) or an australian primary teacher type (more expensive and have to fly them out to holiday destination, but may be a good investment since could then possibly do holiday cover in the future)... but there are just SO MANY.

And my dh and I are chuckling over some of them...
One has a degree in gardening AND a background in the Slovenian Ministry of Defence where she dealt in "secret documents" ???!

One calls herself "exotic and full of joy" (hmmmm, no I don't think so)

OP posts:

Original poster

PPH · 19/06/2006 20:43

I haven't even told anyone what I'm going to pay! I guess around £300pw but I suppose a Slovakian doesn't need that much for 2 weeks of sitting on a terrace of a beautiful house overlooking the sea listening to a baby nap.

Yes I'm princesspeahead.

OP posts:

Original poster

PPH · 19/06/2006 20:45

earlybird, I've thought about school people, but the job is to go on holiday with us for 3 weeks and I'm just not sure I want to mix school and personal life quite so closely if you know what I mean. One of ds's teaching assistants helped out at home last holiday (actually cod and harpsi met her) but she isn't available to go abroad for that length of time and I'm just not sure it is a good idea anyway. Not sure why really...

OP posts:

Uwila · 19/06/2006 20:55

Oooo... so where's the holiday? Does she get her own room? Meals out or is she self preparing her own?

Uwila · 19/06/2006 20:56

To be honest, I think you could offer a lot less than £300/week (especially if that's nett).

ladymuck · 19/06/2006 21:01

Judging from the reaction to your shoes I'm sure that you'll find an MN'er who will follow you to your holiday destination and listen out for your baby for you, at their own expense.

But you might find that a bit spooky....

Earlybird · 19/06/2006 21:07

Hmm - interesting PPH about not wanting to mix school life and personal life too much. DD's old nursery teacher babysits for us (and did when dd attended the nursery), and I think it went a ways toward making dd a secret "favourite" student...though I take your point that babysitting on random evenings and spending several weeks together or entirely different.

What about asking some of your friends (with children at different schools), if there are any teachers who might be available for summer work? Most teachers I know want to line up additional work at any opportunity because they sadly aren't paid so well.

Or, I seem to remember that you have used nanny agencies in the past. Why not see if an agency could supply you with someone who is in between full time jobs? They would have interviewed, vetted, checked refs, police check, etc and I'm sure the charge would be nowhere near a regular fee.

Final suggestion - presume not all your friends are able/want to take their own nannies on holiday. Why not see if one of their nannies is available to travel with your family - they'd be in the fantastic position of being double paid for a few weeks.

I know it doesn't help you with the 80 responses, but each of my solutions gets you someone who is potentially more of a "known quantity".

Earlybird · 19/06/2006 21:08

"are" entirely different.

Original poster

PPH · 19/06/2006 21:09

ha ha ladymuck!

greece for a couple of weeks uwila. own room in a private house, meals either in or out depending on what we are all up to, childcare only as there is also a housekeeper/cook. really not a difficult job - ok, 4 children, but us and lots of family around (including my mum) so lots of sitting around on beaches and terraces and eating nice food.

how much do you think I should pay then uwila? eg for an aussie teacher who was going to be in greece for august anyway so is basically getting her flights free and an extra 2 weeks there albeit working? I'm so out of it as I've had the same nanny for ages.

OP posts:

Original poster

PPH · 19/06/2006 21:13

its funny isn't it earlybird... I'm bird happy to have people from school at home babysitting or helping out etc but I think it is the fact that this would be living with us on holiday 24/7 for over two weeks etc - it just makes it a different thing. also the set up could be perceived as pretty glamorous in greece and I just don't like the idea of our holiday being discussed in the staff room... maybe that is unfair.
we seem to break up earlier than most other schools around here so I need someone about 3 days before most other teachers are free. the ones I'm talking to are all supply teachers at the moment, so can manage the dates.
Similarly the few friends I have with nannies (most don't) don't break up until the following week so it is the same problem.... hmmmmm. good suggestions though

OP posts:

arfy · 19/06/2006 21:17

hmm - did you mention the extremely glamourous sounding set up in the ad? Because I think that could explain the 80 replies!

arfy · 19/06/2006 21:19

oh sorry I have no advice!
Except I would ditch the absolutely fines and concentrate on the other 12. You may not need super fantastic, but they did apply for the job. I've had to whittle down CVs/apps like this (not for childcare though) and you have to find your own criteria and stick to it and then be quite ruthless....

ScummyMummy · 19/06/2006 21:26

Why don't you nterview the kind looking ones who sent a photo first?

Uwila · 19/06/2006 21:39

Hmmm... not sure. I think £200 per week net plus expenses/food/transportation (which I assume you are already planning to provide).

Earlybird · 19/06/2006 21:41

Uwila - really? For four children??? Sounds low to me....

Cod · 19/06/2006 21:42

on HILDAY>
fgs
do you need one?

arf and runs

jura · 19/06/2006 21:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Tommy · 19/06/2006 21:48

a friend of mine, when this happened, ditched all the ones that had spelling or grammatical errors in them - she didn't want people who couldn't spell looking after her baby!

Uwila · 19/06/2006 21:50

To go to sit on the beach in Greece whilst there are still parents and grandparents around to do much of the entertaining? And a cleaner/cook. I'm sort of assuming her her hours of work will amount to about 5 a day. And otherwise it will be a join effort of all the adults chipping in. This job is a paid holiday, not real work.

How old are the 3 eldest? I now the little one is a few months.

TheMammy · 19/06/2006 21:50

I'm not usually one to pick things out from others comments, but this seems a bit odd

"I guess around £300pw but I suppose a Slovakian doesn't need that much for 2 weeks of sitting on a terrace of a beautiful house overlooking the sea listening to a baby nap."

A Slovakian wouldn't? :( ...but who would then? What makes a race/nationality of a person worth £300 pw?

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