HI, I know it has been done before but am I asking too much from a nanny? I would appreciate your input!

[DailyMailNameChanger]

I am thinking of employing a Nanny-Housekeeper for my older children (ie all in school, some primary/junior, some high school)

Basically, in my vision, it would go like this...

Monday;
Start Noon.
Let dog out.
Spend 2hrs on house in communal and childrens areas, washing/ironing childrens clothes etc.
Hour break.
Collect younger children at 3.
Be home for older children arriving at 3.45.
Supervise homework and chores (ie read with younger dc, help older dc and ensure jobs from pre agreed list are done - tidy own room etc)
Prep and serve dc food
Finish at 6pm

Tuesday, as above.

Wednesday, as above but take younger dc to park/soft play for an hour ish (or do painting or other fun thing!) instead of homework/chores time.

Thursday, as Monday but drop older dc at a club after school (no need to collect) leave plate of tea for her to have later.

Friday, as Wednesday.

Babysitting once per fortnight from 8pm to Midnight, day to be arranged but likely to be either Friday or Saturday.

They would have to be Ofsted registered but I could help with that if needed.

It would work out as 30hrs per week and 34hrs on the weeks including babysitting with an hour break each day before collecting the dc from school. To be paid at a full time wage of (approx) £500 per week gross.

Is that too much? Too little....? Too demeaning...erm... I am so new to this, employing someone has never even crossed my mind before and I am terrified of asking too much or the wrong thing - and also aware that feeling like that could lead to me being taken advantage of by the wrong person

Please help!

Do you mean you'd pay £26k or that you'd pay £26k pro rata?

I've no idea what the market is like in your area but this does seem a lot. Don't newly qualified teachers earn less than that?

But hey, what do I know? I don't employ a nanny. If I did, I think I'd want a similar list of tasks done.

What about an au pair?

An au pair is no good for a couple of reasons, one being left alone with the dc for long periods, two driving various places and three we do not have room for live in...

Oh, yes, the nanny position would be live out.

Do the wages seem high? It comes out at just over £10 per hour net which seems to be the going rate for a Nanny-Housekeeper. (although I am prepared to be corrected of course!)

Sorry, I forgot to say thanks for your input llareggub! It is such a massive field to enter into, I am very scared of getting it wrong!

O.k as an ex nanny housekeeper to school age children my day would go like this.
(they had a cleaner)
Start at 9am-12pm let dog out
Tidy up kitchen unload dishwasher,
change all bedding on a monday,
family washing,ironing twice a week
put clothing away
sort out cupboards - my favourite
Take dog for a walk 1/2hr everyday
Do a weekly shop
Run any errands ie dry cleaning, post office,
pay gardener,buy any clothing ,schoolstuff.
make a dinner for family 3x week.

Start back at 3.30 collect children from school,supervise homework do an activity time permitting, wash over floors/hoover finish 6.15pm

School holidays do as above in morning, take children out/activities after.
My boss was fantastic and couldnt have asked for better, they let me basically run their house for them.

I was on 10phr nett, so thats about right that you are quoting, I was just outside london(Surrey).
You would need to look for somebody who is a very organised person, can use there initiative and knows exactly what the job would entail, defo not an au pair.

oh and the babysitting I would not add into the job description especially as a live out
postion. Maybe give the option for babysitting which would be extra pay.

Would the wage and hours be the same every week ie holidays.

My pay would be 7.50phr in the holidays for the extra hours 12-3.30pm

The job sounds fine by the way very basic housekeeper duties, maybe a bit hectic in the afternoon.
Maybe the finish might need to be a little later to get everything done with the children?

It isn't a job that will appeal to everyone... some will like the late start, others will want more of a full-time job (which in nannying can be 40-50 hours per week).

Paywise it looks about right given it isn't 40-50 hours. You need to attract candidates, it won't appeal to all.

I feel you are right to call it a housekeeper style role... as 1/2 of it is non-contact time with children. The more clear you can be in adverts with regard to the duties expected the better I feel.

As it is a live-out job, I'd pull out the babysitting requirement. That is an extra which can be paid on-top as and when required.

that looks like a very fair job & pay to me!

Nothing in their is unreasonable and your pay seems positively generouse! Id consider it if i needed a job!

that looks like a very fair job & pay to me!

Nothing in their is unreasonable and your pay seems positively generouse! Id consider it if i needed a job!

Sounds very generous to me, but fair for London if that is where you live.

I agree that you should NOT include the babysitting - given that some of your children are older (and all in school) I would just try to find a local A level student or similar to do the babysitting - otherwise you limit your possible nanny market.

Ok, removing babysitting sounds fair - tbh it was in there mostly to get the hours up to a more full time role IYSWIM. I could change it to starting an hour earlier each day and then can the sitting alltogether but that would mean making it even more house orientated than it currently is. I suppose they could use that extra time to prep dinner.... Is it ok to ask someone to make packed lunches for the following day?

I think it is important that the housekeeping side of things is recognised as I cannot afford a cleaner and a nanny given that the dc are only around after school hours. IF the person taking on the role is not happy to be in charge of the house too (although obviously not my space/washing etc) then the whole system will fall down!

We are not in London but the figures around here (housing, working etc) seem to be about the same as London.

During the school holidays the hours would be the same but with (some of) the dc around the whole time so the house duties would have to be shifted around to accomodate that. I would hope that the right person would be able to look at what needs doing and work out what was best during holiday times.

Finishing at 6 because that is when I would be home. Is it ok to ask someone to make me the same as the dc have and leave a plate in the fridge for me? Or does that cross the "for dc only" boundary?

NannyL - feel free to CAT me if you are ever looking

Oh, sorry, forgot again!

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and ideas

I don't think it is unreasonable to ask the housekeeper to make a bit extra to plate up for you, maybe not every night as you might not want what the kids are having.

lol

sorry i have a new job to start next week!

not unreasonable to ask for a plate of what the kids are having IMO.... I often make things like lasagne / casserole etc etc and always offer the other half to my bosses... either they eat it that night or its frozen for whoever gets it first a different night.

I also LOVE baking, so if ever my boss is having or going to a party at the weekend, they often ask me to bake cakes etc for them, and i happily oblige! (not sure that all nannies would be happy with that but I personally dont mind!

I cannot believe how much cleaning you are asking her to do.

I don't know about nannies or what's normal so can't comment there but seriously - 2 hours a day?!

I must be a slattern

Make clear it's a nanny-housekeeper role and the amount of cleaning and making you an extra portion of dinner is absolutely fine. A nanny wouldn't do lots of cleaning/cooking for parents/errands etc but given the children are in school it's not a traditional nanny role.

Given the hours, I think the wage is fair since the housekeeper wouldn't be able to find another job to fit round it.

My only word of caution would be, it's a 50/50 cleaning/childcare role, but ime people tend to be good at/interested in either cleaning or childcare rather than both equally. Decide if it's more important to you to have someone who is fab with the children but who may not be the world's best housekeeper, or someone who's great at the domestic stuff but unlikely to go all out on doing fun and stimulating things with the children. I'm not sure exactly how old your children are, but if they're school age then maybe you're better off with a great housekeeper who will keep them fed and safe rather than a great nanny who's prepared to do housework.

Branflake, it is a lot but it would include things like washing and ironing which takes a fair amount of time on its own, I think....

I suspect 10 hours a week is what would be needed to keep on top of the house properly (which I don't manage, I am a slattern ). It would be my intention to work out a timetable of chores first and run the system for a couple of weeks so I have a good idea of what can be fitted in the time and to what standard so it can all be tweaked around if it is not realistic!

NannyL, I knew I should have posted this sooner

DailyMail, where are you??!! This sounds my ideal role and I am looking... Very fair wages and clearly defined job!

Gruber - CAT me!