Is a Norland nanny worth it?

[Internationalpony]

Hi all,

We’re looking at getting a nanny and I love the idea of a Norland nanny for the following reasons:

1. They’re people who have truly chosen nannying as a vocation and haven’t just drifted into it
2. After a three year degree they’ll have a real in depth knowledge of child development so will be actively developing DC not just looking after them
3. They develop a weekly meal plan and activity plan - I’d find this so reassuring and beneficial
4. It seems like they’d do things to make our lives easier in so many other ways e.g. responsible for keeping the nursery tidy, DC laundry, will even meal prep for DC for the weekend
5. There are a clear set of expectations set out by Norland on what the nanny does and doesn’t do which can help to avoid any potential problems further down the line

However they’re of course very expensive, even for a newly qualified one, and we’d only consider a live out arrangement.

Obviously affordability is very personal but my question is, how easy is it to find other nannies who are just as good and proactively focus on child development? Are most other nannies happy to / expect to do similar duties? Where else have people found good nannies?

Finally, we have recently relocated to Northern England which another reason I’m concerned about finding a good nanny - there is so much more choice in London! Would any Norland nanny want to or be willing to be based here? Has anyone had a Norland nanny in the North before?

Thanks in advance!

This is in line with everything I hear about them! I think a Norland nanny is pretty much guaranteed to be exceptional. There are also exceptional nannies who aren’t Norland trained of course but I’m not sure where to find them.

This is what I was worried about - why would they want to come up here and work for us when they could be working for a Norwegian Royal or celebrity couple! We’re not very glamorous I’m afraid. Did any of your daughter’s friends want to move back home after graduating or do they generally all want to move on to more exciting adventures? I think that’s my only hope!

😂😂😂😂😂

@Internationalpony it’s definitely worth a go, particularly for an NQN. Some have definitely wanted to go back to Scotland and more rural parts of the UK for various reasons.

I have never heard of any Norlander who routinely wears the uniform after graduating, including in the Middle East or Asia. I don’t believe many would be attracted by that sort of employer.

They are by no means all posh, tonnes went to State schools and come from “normal” backgrounds.

Im a nanny in the north west.
I don’t even feed my nanny kids all day, I’ll take them to feed the ducks but I scroll mumsnet while they’re at the edge of the water and if they soil themselves then that’s up to them - they should’ve got to the toilet on time.

Probably better that you get a Norland nanny. The rest of us up north couldn’t give a shit about your kids and are rough as toast obviously.

🙄

These seem like very standard things OP that have been glorified to justify the cost.

I hate all this ‘prepping’ nonsense also. Makes it seem more than it is (see above).

There's qualified and qualified though. My 17 year old will very shortly be level 3 childcare qualified. That is a completely different level of knowledge than a full time degree course in child development and early years care including a huge amount of work placements. The two are not remotely comparable. All the extra stuff, sewing, cooking, self defence, getaway driving all comes under the Norland diploma whi h is a separate qualification they gain in addition to an Honours degree.

What your saying is like saying if someone did A-level law that's the same as a qualified barrister.

My daughter can get work as a childcare professional right now but what she'll earn once she's completed four years of Norland training is totally justified given the dedication she'll need and high level of expertise she'll have gained by then.

This reminds me of the Catherine Tate sketch when the posh mum gets a northern nanny and has to tell the children! OP, I think a norland nanny would be amazing but hugely expensive. I would have loved a Norland nanny if money was no object - they sound amazing.

Precisely.

Some people try to convince you it makes them "better" parents because they act like a martyr instead of acknowledging it would be lovely to have some help, even if it's just with a couple of meals a week. It's often the ones who can't afford it, making out it's undesirable, for any reason other than the fact they can't afford it:

My dad's friend had a sports car (nice level, think Ferrari, Lambo etc) and had worked bloody hard to afford it. Everyone else was pleased for him, apart from one guy who puffed himself up and declared "well I wouldn't have one, the fuel usage is pathetic". Yes Dave. Of course.

Too reight!!

OP, just mek sure tha’ new Nannie int a nesh.

I see them about town here in Bath- gives me the creeps-all a bit Rees Mogg for my liking.

£28 for specialized nursing? In the US we have a nursing shortage. Critical care nurses earn between $74,000 & $98,500. Nurse practitioners earn considerably more than that.

I think your answer lies in how much convenience you want or need.

Norland - Reputable, reliable brand. Relatively easy to organise - but expensive.

Private nanny - More leg work on your side, finding agencies or independent nannies, interviewing, checking references etc - but potentially much cheaper.

I’m not convinced Norland are necessarily ‘better’, they’re just a recognisable brand that feels reassuring.

There’s no shame in paying for convenience
and/or reassurance, we all do it to some extent. I think ultimately this comes down to family finances and how much time you have.

@StopInhalingRevels I did have a nanny, as it happens, because I worked, but surely you are able to understand that some parents want different things from raising a child than you do?

It’s not being a martyr or a sign of being poor to enjoy cooking for your own children 😂 Christ, check your privilege.

The fact OP is vegan and her child isn’t makes way more sense as to why having ingredients in etc is more thought and more of a faff. Plus if she really hates cooking then fair enough. But I like cooking for my kids on a weekend (they eat a lot at childcare during the week), and there’s nothing wrong with that either. What a stupid post.

You're comparing salaries of private against state funded medical care though. Two very different things!

Im really laughing at the comments about cooking. Feeding my children is hands down the WORST part of being a parent - thinking of meals, planning them, making sure we have the right foods in that they will eat - worrying it's healty enough, messing up the kitchen again and again while making the same boring shite meals that no body is excited about - as above while Id happily eat cheese on crackers or something wierd kids would hate.

Through a lot of history even fairly low income families would have help in the home - I think modern parents have the least help and highest expectations for parenting of any generation ever.

We don’t live rurally.

I’m not sure what you mean by a “basic nanny” We don’t want live in because of personal choice (preferring not to have someone live with us full time) rather than because we don’t have the space.

I don’t think you can speak for all nannies. If all nannies wanted live in then Norland wouldn’t offer the option of live out.

@CrispieCake did you mean to say you hate "martyrdom" 😂

"I hate cooking and I hate martyrdom so this would be a no-brainer for me"

If so please explain

Yes, I understand that.

What was it about my post, concerning the people making comments to OP such as "perhaps children aren't for you if you can't even be bothered to cook for them" that made you think I didn't?

I'm really not sure if this post is supposed to be a parody of not, but it's given me the giggles. Its bordering on foie gras and caviar vs turkey dinosaurs with no in-between. 🤣🤣 Thank you for tonight's chuckle!

Had to get google translate out 🙈🤣🤣🤣

I'm a nanny (not Norland) and have a degree and years of experience. I put my all into my job as I see my job as a career and not just a job. I can hand on heart say I have more experience than any newly qualified norland nanny. I know plenty of norland nannies including a close friend. All the others are extremely cliquey and in my opinion, aren't as amazing as you think they are. I honestly think it's extortionate what parents will pay to have the 'norland nanny' status when in reality you may get a terrible one. Just like you could get a terrible 'normal' nanny.
I suggest looking on childcare.co.uk and doing your own research. A true dedicated nanny will have all the relevant education and skills. There's a fabulous nanny instagram community too. I find tonnes of my work through there and parents can see the type of style nanny I am!

I enjoy cooking. For the DC. And for anyone really.

I'm not pretending someone that contemplates outsources any of the above is a lesser mother compared to me, the martyr, who does it all.

Many on this thread are.

Yep, it's a national disgrace isn't it.

When I was a baby, a mere seven decades ago in Manchester, my working mother (a journalist) hired a uniformed Princess Christian nanny called Elsie. I reckon I was lucky!