What do I do? Nanny, au-pair/plus or mothers help?

[frazzledoldbag34]

Hi - have a dilemma at the moment re: childcare. Have an almost-2year old and 7 year old. Both DH and I are self-employed. He works from an office 10 mins drive away, I work from office at home. The 7 yr old is at school and almost 2 year old has been in nursery 4 days a week. We have recently moved house and now are miles away from the nursery. So, I have just given them 4 wks notice that I am reducing her days down to 1 day per week. We have been considering the au-pair option for a while but unsure whether it;s suitable for this kind of childcare. In an ideal world I guess a nanny would be ideal but costly?!?? And what does a mothers help actually do - and where do you find them? Really don't know what to do about childcare - please help. Any advice? By the way we have a big 5 bed house with a bedroom and en-suite on ground floor suitable for an au-pair or live-in person. Thanks.

where are you? you could use a nanny or a childminder childminders often have set school pick ups and would probably take your dd to local community groups to aid her with social interaction etc and have other older ones to make friends with your eldest. A nanny would only work for your family and would be employed by you

oh and by the way forgot to mention we are planning Number 3 so within a year should hopefully have a new baby in the family. Which is why I was thinking someone living in might be a good idea? But then worried about that too (if that makes sense)......