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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

Live-in nannies: what would you be prepared to put up with?

15 replies

Penthesileia · 27/12/2008 20:33

We are shortly going to move to a ramshackle old 18thC house in a village just outside a busy university town. The house has had no work done on it for decades. To say it is a 'doer-upper' is something of an understatement... There is only one bathroom, with no shower, and the toilets are at the ends of the house. We intend fully to renovate the house, but this will take years.

Our DD will be 15 months old when I return to work full-time, and my DH has finally decided that he wants us to get a nanny (I was happy for her to go to nursery, but he's very keen on a nanny, so I'm happy to go with that).

So, my question is: how likely are we to find a live-in (Ofsted registered for salary sacrifice purposes) nanny to come to live in our mad old house with no mod-cons and a shared 50s bathroom?

We will provide the nanny with a car, but other than that, there's not much we can offer (e.g. no granny-annexe, no ensuite bathroom, etc.).

Would some kind of salary increase be an incentive? How much would you need to be paid to be prepared to live like this?

We are in the south-east, by the way.

TIA!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

5starjo · 27/12/2008 20:46

does it have to be live-in?

as a nanny I personally wouldn`t, but might consider live-out if you and your ds are really special!

5starjo · 27/12/2008 20:48

sorry, daughter!!

Original poster

Penthesileia · 27/12/2008 21:00

Doesn't have to be live-in, no. I just thought that being in a village, rather than in the centre of town, might mean that a live-in is more viable.

Obviously, I think my DD is v. special , though wouldn't like to speak for myself...

OP posts:

nannyL · 28/12/2008 10:51

ok....

i was a liveout nanny for my 1st job...

but they bought an estate farm in Wales, where we went regulary for weekends / half terms etc as a holiday home. (the house had not even been sold since 18XX and the deeds were hadnwritten!)

we had NO mobile phone signal.... for a while no TV, no central heating (but we were there in wamer months) and 1 bathroom (the original victorian one, which had 1 toilet (in a seperate room) coming off of it.

the water system was ancient and the house could provide us with
1 bath at 7am ish
1 load of washing mchine at 10am ish (no later, to allow hot water for bath at 4!)
1 bath at 4pm ish
1 bath at 8pm ish
and 1 dishwasher load at 10pm ish

there were normally at least 5 adults and 5 kids needing to share all these facilities... (all of whom
at been out in the farm / mud / getting actually DIRTY, who needed these facilities)

and i loved it

the 'rules' were... you HAD to share bath water...

and if you were in the bath, the door had to be unlocked to allow the children (and same sex adults) to walk through the bathroom to reach the toilet room, which was the only loo!

(I used to make it work by having a bath with my 2 year old charge at the 4pm shift so it was hottish and cleanish, and then other children would use our water after us)

also it was only for a few daysish at a time, so would bath before my 4 hours drive there and again as soon as i arrived home

there was no shower either...

then the house was renovated beutifully and we had the aga, 4 bathrooms, 5 toilets etc and conditions improved

but i have to say i LOVE that house, i would do it all again if we could rewind time, and the reason i would would be becasue i got on so well with the family who i worked for!

they dont own it anymore, but when i die its where i want my ashes scattered, in the top field!

Blondeshavemorefun · 28/12/2008 13:03

does the nanny have to be live in?

tbh working in a house that is being done up is a nightmare whether live in or out but is doable

if you do get a live in nanny, try and make sure the first thing done is a bathroom and ideally (though selfish) her room,so she has somewhere to escape to at night

VirginBoffinMum · 28/12/2008 16:31

Hey, nannyL, we have a shared holiday cottage dating from the 16th century that is in a brilliant location on a beautiful river, but has no central heating and only one bathroom (we do have hot water now after 50 years). It is decorated in the (quite crap) taste of my deceased MIL with antiques and lots of dust, clutter and spiders, but it does have real character and roaring fires, etc. I do not normally take APs there but I am wondering whether I have been unnecessarily embarrassed about it, after what you said!

Original poster

Penthesileia · 28/12/2008 21:12

Thanks for your replies!

Actually, in comparison to that house, nannyL, our new house is quite luxurious!

Live-out might be the best way to go, then. What's the going rate for a live-out nanny in the south-east? What additional things would a nanny expect (apart from the car)?

Your cottage sounds cool, VBM.

OP posts:

VirginBoffinMum · 28/12/2008 23:02

It's a bit smelly but the view is amazing.

lisad123 · 28/12/2008 23:15

where abouts in the se are you? I guess it depends on closeness to london. Wuld you consider nany with her own children?

Shelley33 · 28/12/2008 23:28

Personally I think that sounds rather fab! But then I'm a welly wearing nanny! I have been known to help pull stuck sheep out of ditches before now.... I'm the sort of nanny who would happily stick on old clothes and muck in with ripping the kitchen out and slapping some paint on! Pity I live in Yorkshire!

If the hours aren't too dreadful you might stand a better chance with live out, so the nanny can escape back to mod cons at the end of the day!

lisad123 · 28/12/2008 23:34

i think it would be fabby tbh, I love outdoor and getting dirty. be a fab aventure for the kids

Blondeshavemorefun · 28/12/2008 23:57

depends where in south east?

my area is gen 7/8nett but i charge £10 and get it

all depends on age, experience, qualified etc

littlestarschildminding · 29/12/2008 08:11

You just need to find the right nanny...and advertise the job correctly.

As a nanny with many years experience...I would go with a friendly, loving family living in a ramshackle building site with a cupboard for a bedroom and a shared bathroom over a snooty stand offish family living in a mansion with my own private suite.

Life and work are about being happy and doing something you love...not about grandeur and money!

AtheneNoctua · 29/12/2008 11:27

Look for American Architecture student who has been a camp couselor or other child care experience?

Okay, that's a very small market.

Seriously, some will be willing to live-in, but many won't. You can always put the ad out there and say that you are willing to do either live in or live out and let her decide.

But, a live-out nanny for one child will be considerably more expensive than a nursery/childminder.

navyeyelasH · 29/12/2008 12:41

It wouldn't put me off one bit but TBH I am the sort of person that would see it as an adventure and it would provide plenty of fun for the children I'm sure!

It all depends on the nanny, we come in all shapes and sizes . Just find one that is willing to muck in and get on with it, not one of these preening types

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