Reconsidering employing a nanny - but what other option is there?

[conniedescending]

I'm advertising a nanny post both on Gumtree and nanny job and have already had a few applicants for the post.

However, after having a read of the forum on nanny job, Im not so sure. There are lots of complaints from the nannies about the salaries being offered and what bonuses/ perks they expect! (£1000 xmas bonus for example).

This kind of thing (cars/ bonuses etc) is way beyond what my husband and I can offer a potential candidate and the sense of entitlement on the forum is somewhat offputting as well.

We are advetising the post at above minimum wage, but even that seems to be wrong according to this forum as its not 'shop work'. Well I quite agree, but surely you can only pay what you can afford???

Very disappointed tbh - the whole childcare issue is the crux of whether I can return to work or not. Am pretty sure we can't afford nursery/ childminder as have 4 - 2 at school, 2 at home.

Thoughts anyone???

I agree Connie about the wants of nannies and I am one - there are lots of nannies that expect these but equally a lot that don't.

I think most of us on NJ do moan about jobs where employers offer £280 per week for a 70 hour week caring for 5 kids plus extra babysitting, no free time etc, or when people hire aupairs for £100 a week to do a job which really should be done by a nanny.

I would apply for a min wage position if it sounded like a good job and would take it if it ticked all the boxes : nice kids, nice employers, job duties, I was going to be appreciated. etc.

Good Luck in your search

I agree with Twims. Most nannies would choose nice, considerate employers who came home on time, genuinely appreciated the job they did and realized they actually have lives outside of work over those who paid top whack but thought that gave them the 'rights' to the nanny 24/7!

Alot of nannies expecting bonuses work for top end employers where money is no object. Nannies who work for more 'normal' employers where both parents have to work appreciate the fact that there is not surplas cash to through in the nannies direction.

That said nannies have bills and mortgages too and have to earn a certain amount ourselves. It's irritating when an employer wants X amount of years experience, long hours, for a mothers help wage or advertise for an au pair / nanny ( ) for sole charge of 2 young children and want to pay £70 a week.

I'm sure if you advertise you will find a decent nanny. It is an employers Market at the moment so nannies are having to compromise. Not all nannies expect rewards but the occassional early finish or a thank you goes a long way. Good luck in your search.

Tbh, I haven't seen that many posts on nannyjob complaining about bonuses and perks - most nannies don't get cars, gym membership and £1000 bonuses, so it's not expected.

However, as Ebb says, nannies do hate seeing nanny jobs advertised on au pair wages.

Yes, most nannies will want more than minimum wage. It IS very different to shop work - a lot of nannies have trained for two years, taken additional courses like First Aid, work very long hours and have a lot of responsibility.

If you can find applicants willing to accept what you can afford, why are you disappointed? Is it really that shocking that annies want to be paid well? I don't think you can blame nannies because childcare is expensive.

i havent read on that forum that nannies expect a £1000 bonus - one said she got one for that amount but no one assumed and demanded one(though sure all want £1000) or gym memberships etc

As said on another thread on MN in dec about bonus's - if you have always had one, you do kinda expect one but thats another thread

I do though expect a car - not full time - just working hours - many nannies do not have a big enough car to take 3 children without one being in the front ( a no no as far as i am concerned) and it saves keep changing car seats/buggies etc over and also wear and tear - many nannies i know work hard to afford a car, to then have muddy footprints/food/sick in it annoys them

most nannies want to work for a nice family, one who appreicate them and are home on time and pay them on time - something that sure all you employers get from your jobs

thanks for your thoughts....I guess I need a realistic nanny.

We are offering a short working day, expect no cleaning or cooking ( bar making a sandwich or soup at lunch)and offering around £7 p/h gross.

The car thing is impossible - I'll need the car for work and DH has company car. I wouldn't expect nanny to take then anywhere in her car either. Lots to do in our village and regular buses/ trains. As for bonuses I think a £20 M&S voucher would be the most we could stretch to

oh I dont know....Im not complaining about the cost of childcare just the fact I can't pay a nanny £12 p/h when I am earning £14 p/h

Outside of London £7 gross is not a bad wage for a younger or less experienced nanny at all. Someone who has been working in a nursery for £6 and wants to make the jump to nannying would be happy with that I'm sure, or maybe a recently qualified nanny.

If you don't need the nanny to drive anywhere, then you don't need to provide a car.

£12 an hour is top end wages for an experienced nanny - few outside London are going to be earning that. In my area £7 to £9 gross is much more usual.

would it help to have a nanny who is registered so you can use vouchers to help the cost?

Employees will always like to have a bonus, perks, etc. Just consider the Bankers and their bonus schemes.
London nannies may well get a lot of perks... they also have to live in London and put up with the London traffic, black snot, etc.
Outside of London nannies will not be expecting as many perks, many won't get any perks, so if their employer feels able to give a bonus at Xmas, then the nanny will be delighted, but it won't be expected.
In my last nanny job I didn't get a money bonus at Xmas... in my current job, I did (thank's boss ) and I've now spent it on a weekend break away and a top of the range baby carrier - which my boss's youngest will use for the next year I expect.

I'm surprised that a nanny is wanting £12p/h... in the past I've had nanny jobs varying in pay from £7 to £10 Gross per hour. £12p/h sounds like a London figure to me... not an outside of London.

conniedescending - your profile says you are in the Midlands... so surely nannies there are not wanting £12p/h. I would expect that you could find a nanny for £7-£8 Gross p/h - depending on experience.

Soup/Sandwich is boring for lunch... give the nanny the bonus of being able to make whatever lunch they decide. That way your children get a healthy filling lunch, as does your nanny. Tea can then be Soup/Sandwich style. Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince, Tea like a Pauper.

I wouldn't get too anxious about nanny expectations - as long as you are not expecting 'supernanny' and are perhaps prepared to consider less experienced nannies then there is no reason why you can't negotiate a more realistic deal. If you can't find a suitable nanny for the price you can afford then maybe its worth considering a nannyshare arrangement?

when i went back to work 3 days a week after our 2nd child, I was earning about the same as we were paying in childcare (nursery), which was more than our mortgage

good childcare is expensive so wouldn't expect to "make" much going back to work - the £12/hr and £14/hr analogy - esp with 4 children. they are (kids) expensive.

could you look at childminders?

I am doing the same as you - looking for my first nanny on Gumtree/nannyjobs.

I know what you mean about the nannyjob forum being alarming at times, but I also saw lots of threads where carers said how much they loved their charges, which was reassuring. And you hear from lots of nice, sensible nannies on mumsnet too.

I too am a NORMAL employer without wads of cash, bonus schemes to offer etc. When you have enough children to make nursery/cminder unaffordable, a nanny is only JUST affordable so you can't possibly offer crazy salaries.

But I've offered what I could afford and been as nice and friendly as I can, and the candidates I've interviewed have also been nice and friendly, and seemed more interested in whether they LIKED the job than the salary. After all, they have to like the children as they are stuck with them all day!

I get the impression that keeping the hours short if possible (difficult for us) and not demanding lots of babysitting is almost more appreciated than a high salary, as being a nanny = a long day with no real breaks.

So we've emphasised that we won't take advantage and try to stretch the hours/demand loads of extra work from them.

The car issue has also come up for us but we only have one and my husband drives it to work, so it's not available. We're on a bus route and school/preschool are nearby so driving isn't necessary (I don't) and for most candidates that hasn't been a problem.

So stick to your guns. I'm sure you'll find someone who suits you.