Right...I need to start thinking about writing an advert to get a nanny but I'm slightly worried that we are so disorganised and laid back that no-one will want to work for us......

[foxinsocks]

do you think this is possible?

I worry that people will come for an interview and turn us down.

when I say disorganised, I don't mean in that we are crap with people we would employ (I don't think we are) just that the house is a bit upside down most of the time and the children sort themselves out a lot and we sort of get by without really knowing how and remember things at the last minute etc. etc.

oh and the oven doesn't close properly and the washing machine door comes off when you open it and we never quite get around to fixing things that need fixing

that sort of thing

how refreshingly honest
I am a nanny and you instantly appeal to me.

oh PellMell thank you, I cannot tell you how relieved I am to hear you say that!

I think we will be very honest in the interview (well, in truth, the minute they step in the house, they'll be able to see for themselves!) and see what happens.

We had a lovely girl who used to help us out (a student from overseas) and she kept going on about all these wonderful houses she worked in (we live in an area where lots of people, probably the majority, live in houses FAR larger and posher and nicer than our own) and it did make me wonder if she minded coming here!

foxinsocks, we're the same. My poor nanny spends her life trying to organise stuff for dd, as dh and I are truly crap at it. She's been with us for 2 years (and is wonderful), so haven't managed to scare her off yet if that gives you confidence

oh no, we are not disorganised on that front at all (largely because I am responsible for all that ).

Oh, and we've had the builders in pretty much permanently for two years, and we have a bad tempered old dog, and I'm truly messy....

oh good. Yes, we are about to get builders in too!

Right - I shall put 'down to earth' in the ad. We are, I think.

I am now wondering why our nanny works for us I think it's our 'down to earthness'

lol at grumpy dog

You sound like my employer. Just need to add ethical living into the mix We even had chickens - alas all dead now, my foxy got them. Sign on the gate used to say: "Danger - Free Range Children & Chickens"

With regard to composing an advert, start by listing the main facts/requirements - so the hours/days, location, live-in or daily, how many children you have and their ages if you like. Then put that you want someone down-to-earth, willing to muck in, opportunity to practice DIY skills

LOL. I saw this title and thought it'd be you.

I'd apply! :D

Oh fox, I'm sure you would fine to work for. Let's face it people who employ nannies often need a bit of organising... I know I do. I'll have time to get the house organised let's see... when the kids are grown probably... and then I won't need a nanny.

I'm always really honest up front in the add. I say this is where we live, this is how far london is, this is what your room looks like, and this is apic of our house. I'm sure it put's off the pncey ones, but plenty still apply.

Good luck!

Are you all sure you want to work for her, all you nice people? Look, she's so disorganised that she's actually forgotten about this thread.

She's wandered off to look at the door to the washing machine, she's hummng somewhere, tapping her finger against her head thinking 'I'm sure I was doing something before . . .'

myjobismum - I'll tell you where she is. She's on the stairs, looking at the carpet, wondering whether she was going up or down the stairs, she is picking up bits of fluff off the carpet and shaking her head, and listening to the funny rattley sound she makes when she does that.

Honest, she is.

lol

ahundred, it's OK, I have my Special Book which has lists of tasks that need doing (at the front, work, at the back, everything else!). As long as I have that book, there is a teensy amount of order in my life .

Thanks everyone! I am only looking for a part time position at first myjobismum and I'll put an ad on gumtree in the next few weeks if I haven't thought of another miracle solution.

Thanks for all your tips. They've been very helpful.

oh and we are in deep SW London myjobismum!

Oooh sounds lovely, one thing that's majorly off putting to me when I go for interviews is the feeling that I'm in a "show home" - how on earth I'm supposed to enjoy working in someone's house when I'm worried about getting a speck of dust on their sofa is beyond me!

I bet there are loads of nannies who are "roll yer sleeves up and much in" types who'll fit the bill for you nicely, good luck!

you sound like a lovely family to work for.....

much better than the multi millionaires i worked for for 3 weeks, in a house so big there were 26 (yes 26) completely unused rooms, and every other room was so immaculate that it could (literally) have been in the Times magazine at all times... i was in trouble when the 3 year old had been to loo, washed and dried his hands on the towel and left the towel creased rather than perfectly folded..... and the le cruset sauce pan handles had to all be EXACTLY ovver each other on the sauce pan rack and every thing had to be perfect all the time.... The whole job was a nightmare, but living like that is just far to stressful...
I even feklt like i had to cooridnte our clothes just so that we looked right in the room

I like to know i can come in with the kids and often bags and bags of stuff and know that if i 'dump' it (out of the way) in the hall (and i WILL sort it out in the near future ie the next 2 hours) that it doesnt matter!

Would rather work in a normal house than a 'show mansion' any day

If it helps.... we introduced our au-pair to her new house with the words "Um, yesterday we sort of found out that we have a rat problem so the council is coming tomorrow" (followed by weeks of dead rat smell), then after 2 weeks our cesspit pipe blocked so we had to put a large bit of MDF over the footpath so you didn't have to tread in anything for a few days until it got fixed; then the heating broke down and then the microwave broke and then the fridge door fell off. All in the first month she was with us.

Still, she got her own back by reversing my brand new car into the farmers field (via the hedge)

at Squiffy. That'll teach you to keep the house in order.