can i take my children with me when i'm a nanny???

[scolley82]

hi all, just been reading some posts and noticed that some ladies take there children to work with them as a nanny, I'm nneb trained and have nvq level 3 in care. upto having my eldest son around 4 yrs ago i was a nanny (stopped nannying when i fell pregnant) i have a 1 and 3 yr old my eldest is in school for 2.5 hrs but 1ce nanny agencys found out i was pregnant they said no1 wouls employ me and allow me to take my children with me would even look after the child/ren in the afternoon when my eldests in school. Any feedback on this would be apreciated
thank u

Hi,
I'm currently working on this one as I'd like to bring my 23month old with me. There are families who will allow you to bring your child/ren. You tend to have to apply through private ads though. It's a lot more difficult to find somewhere through an agency but it IS possible. You could maybe look at a nannyshare position with a family who don't mind having other children around as it shares their costs?
Good luck!

many famillies will employ a nanny with one child (just as some wont) but 2 makes it a lot harder

doesnt mean you wont find a job but might take lot longer

I have to be honest, I wouldnt employ you. I have a friend who employs a nanny who takes her child with her and to be frank the nanny's child clearly comes first. She cannot drop off her mindees at play dates when prior arrangements have been made as she doesnt want to disturb her child who might be sleeping. The mindees have to be quiet when her child is having a nap. She cannot take the mindees to the cinema, rock climbing walls etc as they are not suitable for her toddler etc etc. She also started wanting to have stair gates etc put up in her employers house...

Hmm, I doubt anyone with more than two children would consider it tbh. I wouldn't. And even with fewer children, a one-y/o and a three y/o are a lot of work in themselves, even before you start adding in additional children. I think, as others have said, some families will consider one child, especially if they have already employed the nanny before she had her child. Could you not do some childminding until your children are older?

There's also the wear and tear and different safety issues (yes, like stair gates) to think of in bringing your kids to an employer's home. If I had my own kids I would childmind, not nanny. (I am a childminder btw, but don't have kids).

I wouldn't employ you, to be honest, especially in the current climate where there are plenty of great nannies looking for work.

BUT: If you were to mould yourself into being an emergency nanny/odd hours nanny/half-term nanny, then I think you might be in with a shot. If you can't compete in the same space as nannies without children you can instead compete by offering something different - if you want to do that.

For example: I use a nanny and an au pair to provide wrapround care. 6.30-9.30 and then 3.00 till 7.30 every day, which is 37.5 hours a week, and it can be very difficult to get qualified nannies to do those hours.

You could maybe work for someone whose children were at school full-time? So much older kids.

In my experience as an employer some people are very happy to have nannies with own child - and would expect to pay a nanny-share rate rather than full nanny rate.

I know a family who did this and it worked very well.

I wouldn't employ you for a young child - if I was going to all that bother I would certainly want your full attention! For older children/after school or emergency cover that would be different. In fact when dd3 starts school I arther hope I'll be able to find somebody who could do a couple of hours cleaning and after school nanny duty - having children with you certainly wouldn't be a problem for that!

Norhternlurker and Fibonacci,

What good ideas. Paying as though it was a nanny share is a great idea as is offering other services such as cleaning/ironing. In this current economic climate we all need to pull together. My childminder is thinking of training as a maternity nurse (she would be brillant!) and is planning to offer cleaning/shopping options within reason to a new Mum. She has fab references and I suspect will do really well.

Hello Im a nanny with a baby under 1 and I take him to a part time job with a toddler! It works out great and we just all hang out together. My employers house is already fitted out with safety equipment so no need to worry there.

Sure sometimes its hard when ur own child wants you and is crying for you and the child you are taking care of wants you to do something but you just work around it. I make sure I do all activities such as arts and crafts, reading etc with the child in my care even when my own child is with me just as I would if he wasnt!

I think it is one of those areas where different families will feel differently about it!

I dont think anyone would employ a nanny with own child full time but certainly part time is an option and the agencies I was with were often calling me about jobs where the family would accept nanny with own child!!

If I hada bigger house I would definitely childmind though!

i know lots of nannies who work 5 days a week and take their own child

but the thread was about taking 2 children