Time for a change ?

[vivat]

We have had the same nanny for 8 years for our three children 8, 4 and nearly 3. My youngest is about to go to nursery five mornings a week. I think it's time for a change as I'd like someone to help me out with the house stuff rather than specifically child related ironing etc - as I work full time. Would a nanny be prepared to do this ? I'd probably keep my cleaner, but while all kids at school/nursery would want help with light cleaning, ironing adult clothes, other chores which my current nanny won't do. I basically want a fun Girl Friday who will be a general help rather than specifically child related. I'd pay £9-10/hr depending on experience. What do you think - I'm not bothered about qualifications, experience more relevant for me.

from your post it doesn't sound like you're too attached to your current nanny of EIGHT years

You would be mad to let a trusted nanny of 8 years go without a very good reason. You obviously have been very lucky with your childcare arrangements so far but you may find it difficult to find a new person who is as good, even if they say they are willing to do more around the house. Why not talk to your nanny and explain that you want more help around the house? Tbh a few hours at nursery in the morning does not leave a lot of time, unless you want someone to get on with jobs while the children are around. Could you offer her fewer hours and employ your cleaner for longer if she is resistant to taking on extra housekeeping? With all the school runs etc this is already a pretty busy job and I don't think I would want housekeeping to do on top.

Talk to current nanny and see if they would add any tasks on those occasions when all 3 children are at school/pre-school.
Consider if such addional tasks are really vital or not, as if they are then would you in effect be making your current nanny redundant? They have been with you 8 years, so would get 8 weeks I think redundancy pay (there may be a max amount, you will have to check).

By the time a nanny drops of the children to school, gets back home cleans up from breakfast would there be much time to fit in the additional chores you would like done?

I worked for a family who had had nannies since the children were born and I don't mean to be offensive when I say this, but the parents had no idea how long things took. ie walk to school get child, walk home give snack, 1 hour. Mum thought 20 minutes max .

I personally stopped nannying as I hated having to say to children, "sorry x can't do this have to clean your shoes, iron the tea towels and write out a menu for next week", so personally I wouldn't do that job. You may find a new nanny looking for experience but I can't imagine they would stay for long.

*off

why don't you get the cleaner to take on more jobs? By the time you've done the pre-school run there and back you don't gain much extra time?

I worked for a family who had no concept of the time it took to do things either - I used to have a 3hr 45 min window to take my charge to pre-school, come back, clean an entire floor of the house top to bottom (eg front room, dining room, kitchen, toilet, hall etc), pick up child from pre-school and maybe if I was lucky, have 20 mins for lunch... sometimes, things got left and once DB asked me why I couldn't get everything done in the 4 hours they had given me

anyway - have you thought of maybe splitting the role?
nanny/HK doesn't work, for the reasons outlined by navyeyelasH and tbh I'm always weary of people who seem to place more emphasis on HK than nannying because there really is no happy medium for one person to do the two together, something has to give and dadly I've found its the childcare side of things, which is a shame!

There's obviously quite a lot more to this - there has been a lot of flexibility and support from our side in terms of lots and lots of paid time off especially over the last year, which I feel is not being reciprocated. All good things have to come to an end eventually. She also can't drive and I really need someone who can now. We have offered to pay for her to learn but she doesn't want to. She has got lots of good points but also quite a few limitations too.

I just want someone to help me out with chores such as - helping to arrange having the carpets shampooed for example, putting the toys away at the end of the day, helping with our washing/ironing, keeping house tidy etc etc. Maybe I'm asking for something unreasonable ?

Thanks for all messages by the way - we have been really loyal when there has been quite a few problems, but we are getting to the point when enough is enough. I am still keeping my cleaner, it's just help with all the other stuff I need ! She will tidy the kitchen after breakfast, but will leave one dirty plate on the side if it's been used by me or my husband - it drives me nuts !

I think you do have the opportunity to write a new job description and give her first refusal.

You need to check that through that you can do it though without unfair dismissal being claimed.

You do need to think through exactly what you the job to be and realistically how much time the pre-school and school run take.

For example a trip to the supermarket for large shop, get home and put it away is probably a full pre-school slot. However you still need afternoon and after school childcare which does sort of leave you needing a nanny who is happy to do HK role as well but you need to be realistic about how much time they will have to HK stuff in.

I do think your current nanny should be tidying up toys at the end of the day though

I think nanny-housekeeper positions can be problematic, as generally you either have nannies who are prepared to do a bit of housework, or housekeepers who will keep an eye on the kids. It's probably a good idea to decide which part of the role is most important and hire accordingly.

Maybe it would be possible to hire an after school/nursery nanny, and then beef up the cleaner role to include ironing.

A nanny should keep the rooms she works in tidy and clean up after the children though.

I agree now that the kids are older she needs to be able to drive to do pick ups etc
How has she managed before?!!

x-posted just read about the plate thing, that is ridiculous!!!!!!!!! I think most decent nannies are not like that.

Hi Compo - we have to do some pick ups ourselves, which is not always convenient. The problem is my cleaner isn't that great either, but I keep her because I like her and I"m loyal. Maybe too loyal ! I also don't want to have to pay more to a cleaner when I"ve got someone here full time who will frankly watch tv when the kids aren't around...

Why do you leave your dirty place anyway. Instead of putting in the sink put it in dishwasher. Hope you will find what you are looking for. But as someoen already it can be very difficlut to find the right! person but that doesnt mean there is no roght person.

Good luck.

I have done this kind of position in the past and I really enjoyed the variety. The children were much older than yours though and could entertain themselves whilst I had cleaning to do if it was school holidays.

It usually included lots of driving as the children went to activities and playdates etc so I think your nanny should learn to drive. Also ask her if she is willing to do more duties whilst your youngest is at nursery but keep a cleaner aswell.

I was a maternity nurse for a family whose nanny wouldn't put the recycling in the garage or put the rubbish out as "its not my job" was her reply. It wasn't mine either but the boss has just given birth FGS. Help her out.

I don't know if this will help but I consider myself to be a "much in with most things" nanny, I would for eg put your plate in the dishwasher!

I would happily, do children's laundry and ironing, sort through their clothes now and again (weeding out anything that's too big, too small, too worn) clean toys at end of day and periodically bin or out aside anything broken/not been played with, do a weekly shop, cook for the freezer, organise other people to come to house to do things like clean carpets/unblocks drains, pick up dry cleaning and probably some other things I've forgotten. Obviously cleaning up behind myself is a given.

I would prefer to do these things on my own time-scales though, if for eg if I think the ironing can wait till next week as X will be at a playdate/I wont be cooking a stew/the weather will be nicer etc and nothing is needed 'urgently" (ie uniforms)then I would prefer to leave it. (this assumes the pile getting bigger isn't causing anyone else any issue, such as being in a utility room).

I would not clean anything related to parents (one of items fine, regularly going through your laundry is not), ironing never (maybe something super urgent), cleaning (beyond after myself, I will hoover up glitter that may have been spilt but not the whole house). I'm not precious I just hate doing these sorts of things and love playing with children hence being a childminder (was a nanny) not a cleaner.

Having said that I would be flexible to some degree, if say you were selling your house and hadn't had time to hoover/clean something and asked me to give it a quick whip round just for effect that would be fine.

Could you get an Au Pair? Or what about shortening the nanny hours (or getting a new nanny who better matches what you need now) and getting a separate housekeeper.

Anyway, childcare.co.uk is great for finding childcare - I'm sure someone somewhere would be happy with this role. You just have to find them.

i dont beleive you can have a nanny/hk you need one or the other, esp with young children - a professional nanny doesnt want to clean (or they would be a cleaner) and you say that your cleaner isnt that good anyway

5 sessions at nursery isnt a long time, average session is 3hrs so if she doesnt drive and walks there and back, you are prob looking at mabe 2hrs free time

can your cleaner not do extra hours/do the ironing or you take to an ironing shop - or get a new cleaner who actually can clean ours is fab and irons and she is a true godsend

redundancy pay is now a weeks wages up to £380 here so you are looking at £3040 redundancy pay out to your nanny

yes she should tidy up toys at the end of the day,and yes she should be able to put a plate in the dw, but then again so should you or your dh

does sound like that you need a driver and seems very weird that she wont take lessons, even if you pay for them (silly girl, doesnt she know it costs £1000's)