Am about to change from live out nanny to au pair plus.... am I being a bit ambitious?

[orangina]

Hi there.....

Currently we have a live out nanny who works 4 full days a week (monday-thursday), who is leaving us at Christmas because she really needs work for 5 days a week. From January, dd (4.5) is going to reception (9-3:30) and ds (nearly 3) will be in nursery 2 mornings and 1 afternoon a week. It seems slightly mad to be spending all that money on a nanny who will have rather a lot of time with not much to do, and so dh and I have decided to probably move to a live-in au pair plus (up to 35 hours/week), on the basis of the au pair plus being able to do some additional holiday work (for extra pay of course).

Apart from the whole issue of having someone living in with us, does anyone think we would expect too much of an au pair plus (who will need to have been in this country for a few years, have decent english and 2 checkable references.....) to be in sole charge of either or both of them for 4 days a week? We live in London, have a pretty good community of nannies and au pairs around us, established playdates, etc, etc, so from that pov, it wouldn't always be "sole" charge....

It's just that once you start doing the sums, it makes so much sense...

All this childcare stuff is doing my head in. All happy positive stories of au pair pluses being marvellous gratefully received. Though of course if anyone thinks it's truly too much to ask/expect, I'd like to hear that too....

Thanks

Would welcome your "hideous" questionnaire Athene, thank you! If you are on CAT, perhaps you could send me a message?

SnailWhaleTail, your AP+ sounds v much like the sort of person we would hope to find. TBH, if we don't find someone who fits the bill, we will have to go back to a nanny until we do, I am not really willing to compromise, too much at stake really.

argento, quite like the idea of a part timne live in young nanny.... sort of half way between the AP+ and a full time person (which I definitely do not want or need...). Didn't know there were many like that around though....

orangina.. i am currently au-pairing abroad. looking for live in nanny position. but return to england before the new year..i could be interested if you wnated to private msg me

I have an AP+ who looks after my two youngest dc aged 1 and 2 years while im at work (9-5). DH works mostly from home now but there are days when he has to be out of the house and AP copes perfectly well - actually she says it is easier when DH is not there to upset her "routine".

Like the other posters have said you need to decide on what you want regarding childcare experience, previous au pair experience, language skills etc and dont compromise. And make sure you do thorough reference checks.

There are a lot of AP with more experience and qualifications than some of the nannies/childminders I have interviewed, the main lure for them is the experience of living abroad and improving their English.

My DCs (and I) have adored all but one of our AP and overall it has been a great arrangement for us.

I think you could definately move to an AP+