Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Flip

Original poster

Is advertising for help on Gumtree lunacy?

20 replies

dizzydixies · 30/11/2009 21:15

am I going to be inundated by nutters?

our lovely CM has given us her notice after only working with us since Aug the girls were finally settled, she provided us with the flexibility we needed and took them to their classes if we weren't able to do it

we thought she was happy with the arrangement as we could be fairly flexible, she seemed very fond of the girls, we paid on time and made sure she had what she was owed, if not more but she's decided she no longer wants to childmind

I've now got to find someone new over the sodding Christmas period which is a pita and get the girls settled in somewhere else

I phoned on CM today and without even discussing it with me she told me she couldn't help as our CM had been asking about on our behalf and she wasn't prepared to provide us with 2 days a week that we needed - we unfortunately need different days each week - but she wouldn't even discuss it with me

the other names our CM gave me aren't people that I would be happy leaving the kids with, for one reason or another, so I've put an advert on Gumtree - its not very well used in our area though (NE Scotland) and I'm a touch nervous about the kind of responses am going to get

can someone please reassure me that they've had a good result this way [meep]

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

frakkinaround · 30/11/2009 21:24

No you're not. I've had a couple of lovely jobs from Gumtree.

Have you tried your local [whisper] netmums too?

Why has CM given up childminding? Would she consider becoming your nanny?

Original poster

dizzydixies · 30/11/2009 21:30

thanks frakkin, she's just said she's been childminding for ages now (which she has) and her husband and kids are fed up with it now

to be honest she was very ill last year and only wanted to come back part time which was great as it suited us both but she has been doing computer courses and wants to work in an office or a shop now

I hadn't considered asking her to nanny, I didn't think it was an option and to be honest am not sure I would, if she doesn't want to look after them in her own home would being at ours make a difference?

DH and I also need to sleep off night shifts and although I think he'll manage to do it with the kids in the house I'm not sure I will

OP posts:

frakkinaround · 30/11/2009 21:34

Well if her husband/kids are fed up location might make a difference but if she wants a change of scene you can't argue with that. TBH you're going to come up against the sleeping issue with Gumtree anyway because most people you find on there are nannies.

Millarkie · 30/11/2009 21:37

The difference between nannying and childminding is that she won't have to fill out all the paperwork - just look after the children - but that won't help you sleep

I've found someone great from a gumtree ad, and I've put on gumtree ads and had a few good candidates but yes, the majority are poor, but hey, you don't have to post your email address so the strange ones can't contact you again if you don't contact them - and by strange my weirdest one was a chap who was a chauffeur for a diplomat who wanted to be an au pair because he had good computer skills .
Nothing ventured, nothing gained and all that.

Original poster

dizzydixies · 30/11/2009 21:39

I appreciate why she wants a change, am just a touch devestated as DD2, who is slow to trust, now adores her and asks for her every morning - its going to break her heart when she doesn't get to go back after Christmas

I'll be (hopefully) changing jobs in March/April so I'm not bothered about the sleeping aspect and I think DH will get over it

my main concern is that by having a CM, we had her 2 days a week even though some weeks we didn't need childcare due to opposite shifts - when we took her on that was the deal so she knew she was getting 2 days work each week

now we've found we got used to it because as much as we enjoy our girls, we have no other support from family etc and those 2 days allowed us to catch up with housework/sleep or just have some time - if we had a nanny then that would change too wouldn't it?

OP posts:

Shelley33 · 30/11/2009 23:38

I got my nanny job off gumtree, and it's worked out great!

dobby2001 · 01/12/2009 00:02

As someone mentioned in another post, you could also put a post for free on childcare.co.uk and any cms who are gol members can contact you direct

Original poster

dizzydixies · 01/12/2009 10:05

thanks guys, I've had one reply so far and it was only put on last night

dobby will have a look at that site thank you

OP posts:

megonthemoon · 01/12/2009 10:13

i found our wonderful nanny on gumtree!

we got loads of crazy people contacting us (including someone who loved children so would look after my DS if i sponsored her for a visa to come over from india!) but i just ignored them and managed to find 4 nannies to interview and found our lovely nanny that way.

so, yes it does work! we are in london though which probably upped the number of suitable candidates (although did probably up the number of craxy candidates too!)

Original poster

dizzydixies · 01/12/2009 10:37

the only reply I've had so far is from a young student nurse with little/no childcare experience and the words worshipme in her email address - I'm desperately trying not to be a snob but I can't help it with the

I was hoping for a modern day mary poppins/Nanny McPhee

OP posts:

SuperDuperJezebel · 01/12/2009 11:54

Oh dear - first rule of applying for jobs online is to use an appropriate email address! I have used the gumtree quite often to find nanny jobs and currently checking it daily as I have recently been made redundant... Maybe if everyone else is a nutter it might increase my chances of getting interviews!

Best of luck!

Original poster

dizzydixies · 01/12/2009 11:58

thank you SuperDuper - sorry to hear about your situation, hope you get something soon

OP posts:

andagain · 01/12/2009 11:58

I got both my nannies so far on gumtree and they were both great. And yes I got lots of completely unsuitable candidates but you can't avoid that.
Try to be as specific as possible in your post and put things like "please do not apply unless you fulfill the following...."

Good luck!

SuperDuperJezebel · 01/12/2009 13:13

Thank you Dizziedixies, I am in the fortunate position of having had two long term positions which were quite full on, which has given my cv a good boost, and I've had some positive responses thankfully! Whereabouts are you in Scotland? My oh is from up there so I guess there's a tiny chance I might know of someone they could recommend.

Original poster

dizzydixies · 01/12/2009 13:19

SupDup thank you, we're from Fife right up at the top

OP posts:

Original poster

dizzydixies · 01/12/2009 14:08

nothing new today yet but I suppose I only put it on last night

OP posts:

SuperDuperJezebel · 01/12/2009 20:16

Ah okay, i have a nanny friend from Kirkcaldy, i shall mention it to her just on the off chance!

dizzycringles · 01/12/2009 20:21

we're an hour from Kirkcaldy

SuperDuperJezebel · 01/12/2009 21:11

Thats a shame - sorry i am an antipodean who has no concept of the size of Scotland!
Best of luck!

dizzycringles · 01/12/2009 21:18

please don't apologise, I've no idea either!!!

thank you for your help anyway

Flip