2 under 2 Nanny? Just need to ramble to get some clarity. Your thoughts appreciated.

[justlookatthatbooty]

We have just started working with a self employed young lady (as is allowed over here in Europe) who is fab, to come and help me out at home with my four month old and 2 year old. Mostly we're all at home together or, at most, so far, she;s been at home with only one child at a time for couple of hours max whilst I'm out with the other. I'm self employed too so I'm planning to just slowly build up my own working hours by popping out to meet a client for an hour before coming home and then building up to two hours etc. Obviously it's not a sole charge position and my reasons for working with her are primarily to get more quality time with the kids as I felt that was really compromised having 2 under 2. Now I can take my toddler to the pool or to an activity and be back in time to Breastfeed my 4 month old, who refuses the bottle. Tomorrow I'm working with a client for an hour whilst she's home alone with both of them. So we're just building up step by step. She doesn't have a lot of experience but is very sensible and down to earth. It's just the 2 under 2 thing which has made me want to take it really slowly esp. as DD refuses the bottle. If they both go off at the same time it's mayhem! I'm particularly interested to hear from nanny's and family's with 2 under 2 experience. How much should i expect from her when she hasn't had much experience in childcare but is clearly competent at dealing with one at a time so far. How much responsibility is enough/too much? I have been going on my own feeling and will continue to do so but it's still interesting to here other's experience.
How much do you let your nanny go out with the kids and for how long? We live two floors up in a super urban spot, pedestrianised street so getting in and out with both kids is REALLY challenging, if not dangerous as DS can't walk down the stairs yet which means she has to carry both at the same time and the stairs are really steep. She then has to leave DS on street whilst she turns her back to assemble pushchair (which hangs on the wall whilst not in use) because there is not enough space to do it with him at the bottom of stairs which has to be dismantled each time. Obviously there is no car outside front door so we rely on pushchairs and bikes. For this reason I am nervous about her going in and out with both kids but maybe I'll get used to it or I just let her go out with one at a time and the occasions when I'm out at work, she stays home with them and then we can go out together or help each other on the stairs.Or am I being paranoid?
This is a first time experience for me so any tips or advice is helpful. I realise that I'm being very careful but I'm not the walk out the door and leave her to it type!
We also haven't made any sort of contract, just agreed on a month's notice both ways and on a number of hours each week.
I want to sit down and put a contract together and welcome your suggestions or tips as to what to include.
Many thanks!

Not quite 2 under 2 but one 3.5 months and one 2.5; but v experienced Nanny and not sure I would do anything else with such young ones but then I work full time.

My 2.5 year old walks, runs, climbs etc. and had to grow up fast when DD2 arrived; she tends to go most places on a scooter or buggyboard and has learnt that she needs to stop when we tell her etc. So much so that she now tells me when cars and coming etc. and makes me stop at entrance ways as well as roads.

I do also (as does my Nanny) carry both kids up and down the stairs when they are whinging; DD1 is perfectly capable and generally walks on her own or with hand held. I would have thought a 2 year old could do this. Also suggest a carrier, baby bjorn or similar for baby; then really secure and able to sort out the eldest; could be used to get up and down stairs etc.

BTW, you have my sympathy on the bottles, we had to go cold turkey in the end. 2 horrid days but all well now and much more freedom.

Happy to help with any other specifics.

last job was 2 under 2 - they were 5weeks and 14mths when i started and 5 and 6 when i left (now 9+10)

tbh i coped fine, though ex mb didnt at times, think this was due to me being organised as it is my profession and have had tons of nb baby exp - ex mb very high up in job and a whizz at her job but no common sense

i can understandd your concerns as your nanny hasnt any /lots of exp but if you dont think she can cope with 2 under 2 alone, then there is no point in employing her - tough but true

Can your eldest sit on the bottom/second step whilst nanny is assembling pram? At least that way, there is no danger of him running away.

When I was 19, I looked after 2.2 year old and 1.2 year old, who had just lost their mummy, that was tough but I (and more importantly, the children) survived, they are now 24 and 23 now. I was thrown in at the deep end in this job as Dad had to go back to work after 3 months bereavement leave, it took him almost 6 weeks to get out of bed! Looking for someone to care for his children was not top of his agenda. Therefore, I was offered the job on thursday, spent 2 hours with the boys (and grandparents (6 of them!! Some step) and aunts and uncles! All vetting me!) on friday and started on monday, dad went to work on Tuesday, the 2 year was a bit of a mess, mum had left the house and not come back and now dad had left! Hardest (but most rewarding) job I have every had, stayed 4 years!

But! They are your children and if you are only going out for an hour and you'd rather she stayed home, just say so! Or get everyone organised so that you can all go downstairs together, then she could watch the children while you get the pram ready or vise versa. I am guessing you have a double buggy, imo an under 2 year old is not old enough to walk (or behave and listen) if you also have to concentrate on a baby in the pram too, especially if the baby cries.

Being out for a walk with them might be easier for her too as, I find, that they are more distracted, than at home.

Sorry about the mid post ramble, the point I was trying to make was that some younger nannies can manage a tricky situation with more than one charge!

As a nanny I've always been allowed to do whatever I want re: outings within reason. With two little ones in the urban setting you describe then I'd use a sling for baby and either have the older one walk or use reins/a wrist strap whilst assembling the pushchair to keep them in check! Can she spend some time teaching your older one to come down stairs safely? Then once the buggy is assembled she can pop them both in.

In some ways there's no way she'll learn to cope with 2 under 2 on her own without actually doing it, IYSWIM, and every nanny (and mother) does have a moment when they think 'I can't cope with what's happening!' but you have to so you get through it and that gives you a lot of confidence to go on. But it's really easy for me to sermonise about that and difficult for you to go out and leave your children with someone quite inexperienced knowing that it's likely that moment will happen at some point with your children. A more experienced nanny will probably have come through that and feel more confident about dealing with anything that's thrown at them.

Agree with blondes though - if you think she can't cope alone and you need that then, no matter how nice she is, it's pointless having her.

Contract wise:

Pay, hours, notice, disciplinary procedure, what count as gross misconduct for immediate dismissal, holiday (not for self-employed though, just including it for anyone else!). You may want to google what is needed for a contract where you are - there are things I've had in my contracts when working abroad that I wouldn't have had here because it's a legal requirement. There are sample contracts online but mostly for employed nannies or I can CAT you and send you the one I use when I work self-employed (temp/maternity work) for you to see.