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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

Can I really work from home with a nanny who brings her own daughter, or will the house be overrun with toddlers?

53 replies

oranges · 10/04/2007 19:02

I'm interviewing for a part time nanny next week, and have never done it before. I work from home and go out for meetings and the idea is that I'd shut myself up in the study, while nanny takes care of ds1 and her own one year old daughter. Is that possible, in a two bed flat with no garden? Or will my one year old and her one year old ruin all possible concentration? And what should I pay her?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

compo · 10/04/2007 19:03

Unless she goes out all the time it does sound like it might be a bit of an uphill struggle. I guess a nursery is out of the question? Or dropping your ds off at her house?

Original poster

oranges · 10/04/2007 19:05

She's a bus ride away, and if I had to drop him off, get home to work, then go pick him up again, a lot of my day would vanish. I've applied for a nursery place but the reasonably priced ones are booked up till next year. I could put him in the exorbitantly expensive private one, but wondered if a nanny is better for him.

OP posts:

Twiglett · 10/04/2007 19:06

personally I'd look for a childminder .. it doesn't sound ideal no

moondog · 10/04/2007 19:07

God it sounds hellish.
When my dh is home he finds it difficult to work in his office and we have a big house and a garden....

Twiglett · 10/04/2007 19:08

the killer is no garden .. and I assume no attic whilst they're 2 floors away

I think you'll find it impossible not to be distracted

is there a reason you haven't considered a local childminder?

harpsichordcarrier · 10/04/2007 19:08

I think it sounds a really good arrangement tbh. good for them both to have company etc. Flexible if you want to pop out and say hello or have a meal with them?
how good are you at concentrating? how's your willpower

FrannyandZooey · 10/04/2007 19:13

I think it sounds quite perfect from your dd's point of view, and from your point of view as a mummy, but not so good from your work point of view unless you are some kind of hard nosed type

Mind you as the man says, 2 out of 3 ain't bad

Original poster

oranges · 10/04/2007 19:15

I've looked for a local childminder, but none of them have spaces for a baby. I live in a bit of London that doesn't have many families in it, hence not many childcare options. I can concentrate through noise, and ds is at the stage where he really enjoys other children's company, which is why I thought it may work. There is a park very nearby for them to go to, and I can take my laptop and sit elsewhere to work if it gets too much.

OP posts:

Original poster

oranges · 10/04/2007 19:16

lol franny. I am quite hard nosed.

OP posts:

FrannyandZooey · 10/04/2007 19:17

Sorted then

Having been a nanny / nursery worker / mother / childminder myself, I would certainly say the nanny route is the way to go IMO

drosophila · 10/04/2007 19:17

I think it is possible. I gues it depends a lot on you and how hard you find it ot concentrate. How thick are the walls? How does sound travel?

DO works at home and is set up in the landing. I think he should be in our bedroom but he does not want to mix work and play iykwim. It owrked ok until he started getting more and more phoncalls and still refused to go into bedroom. If he dies it is fine.

mogs0 · 10/04/2007 19:23

I had a nanny job when my ds was 1yr. I looked after a boy almost the same age. Mum worked in the next room and it never caused a problem.

If you think noise might be a problem maybe you could invest in some ear-plugs?!

As a cm in London I get £5.50p/h (£45p/d). As a nanny, with 12yrs childcare exp, I'd be looking at £7p/h.

FioFio · 10/04/2007 19:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Twiglett · 10/04/2007 19:30

don't forget that nannies quote net you are responsible for their income tax and employers tax .. you will also have to pay sick and holiday pay

just don't forget to factor that in to your equations .. there's some helpful charts on nannyjob.co.uk

Millarkie · 10/04/2007 19:37

Could you try to find a nearby nannyshare and have it based at the other house? Try sharingcare.co.uk or thenannysharers.co.uk
We have a 3 storey house and have shared nanny resulting in 1 baby and 2 pre-schoolers in house during parts of the day (usually only meal times) - and I am fine on the top floor but dh gets distracted on the first floor when kids are playful on ground floor..so not ideal.
My nanny does tend to take the children out a lot - normally one trip (playgroup or park) in the morning, home for lunch and a little calm down, then out again in afternoon (library, round to see friends, (Kew gardens today)) - so it's only lunchtime and teatime when the noise levels rise.

Original poster

oranges · 10/04/2007 19:37

why would I pay their income tax? Don't they pay it on their income?

OP posts:

FrannyandZooey · 10/04/2007 19:38

Nope, nanny's are employed not self-employed. You're responsible for tax and NI as Twig says.

FrannyandZooey · 10/04/2007 19:38

Oh blimey

Twiglett · 10/04/2007 19:40

its not just a rogue apostrophe though is it frances?

its an incorrect pluralisation

Twiglett · 10/04/2007 19:41

taxation guide for nanny salaries

Greenleeves · 10/04/2007 19:47

Franny, this is the second such incident in only a couple of weeks

I am becoming very worried about your brain

NKffffffffee0f7f95X1118efd8f2d · 10/04/2007 19:58

The house will be full of toddlers but that could be rather nice. I don't see why it won't work so long as there are a few ground rules, one being that she is in sole charge.

NannyL · 10/04/2007 20:01

have to say as a nanny i would not want to come to work all day in a 2 bed flat, with 2 kids around and a working mum at home

no way! especially with no garden...

BUT if your children and in co-operating routines and your nanny had a routine of

all out for a morning activity,
home for lunch and both children nap
out for an afternoon activity then it might work quite well

good luck

also yes as said by oterhs you will become an employer and responsicle for your nannies tax / NI ? maternity pay etc etc, + pay employers NI.

as a rough guide expect to pay a nanny (without a child) around £10gross per hour (more in some areas)

Original poster

oranges · 10/04/2007 20:25

hhhmm, nursery looking more attractive. Thank you for your thoughts.

OP posts:

FrannyandZooey · 10/04/2007 21:14

The nanny is not going to expect a large salary if she is bringing her own child to work

(and I never earnt anything like that for looking after 1 child, not all nannies expect large or even decent! salaries)

plus why would she want to take both the children out twice a day? I wouldn't do that with my own son or with any of the children I have cared for

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