finding a nanny - do i really *need* a someone who can drive?

[bossykate]

hi everyone

i'm trying to find a nanny at the moment and am finding it tough going. i need after school and holiday cover and i suppose there aren't so many people in this market. i've found that a number of otherwise interviewable candidates can't drive - so i'm asking myself do i really need a driver?

The issue is how can picking up dd from nursery on public transport/walking be integrated with ds's school pick up? There are 2 possible scenarios.

(1) 2.30pm pick up dd from nursery, walk or get bus from nursery to school to pick up ds at 3.10pm.

Major disadvantage of this option is that dd will be picked up at 2.30pm - we are paying for the whole day at nursery! Doesn't seem like a good bargain to me.

(2) 3.10pm pick up ds from school, walk/get bus to nursery, arrive nursery 3.40pm. Pick up dd. Leave nursery 3.50pm. Walk/get bus home - get home 4.20/4.30pm.

the major disadvantage of this option is that poor ds is spending nearly an hour and a half going to and fro dd's nursery, when he could be in the park or doing something more fun.

dd's nursery pick up is the only reason we might need a driver - there are plenty of activities within walking distance or easily accessible by public transport. ds's school is 5min walk from the house.

dh says he can always pick up dd himself (he does the pick ups at the moment) but i feel if we are still going to have the bother of picking dd up we might as well go with a childminder.

any advice appreciated - this is doing my head in and i need to update my ads on monday!

thanks in advance

whats the latest dd can stay at nursery?

so ds's school is 5 min from home, and it's 30min walking or bus ride to nursery?

WHatever the scenario I'd go with a childminder not a nanny, simply because I'd imagine you'd end up paying less.

I don't think either is a problem - you could always rotate it so that dd gets picked up first some days and ds others. Plus walking /bussing home is kinda fun. They could always stop at a park on the way.

dd can stay at nursery till 6.00pm... but we like to have them home for tea no later than 5.45pm - very latest. in the ideal world i'd have her home by 5.00pm.

we are looking at childminders too... but i v. much doubt i will get a cm to pick up dd...

get a CM near your house. They can pick up ds at 3.10, get him to theirs in 5 min, and do some fun stuff with him, then leave later and go pick up dd, and drop both off at your house??

I'd do that.

What I'd do (as a CM) is charge for the time I have ds (I charge a minimum 3 hours a day, which balances out as one hour before and 2 after.) plus the travelling time to and from dd nursery,

so around here that would be around £24 a day.

lunavix, that is a good idea if i can find someone who will pick up dd. believe me, i am also looking at cms and could start a whole 'nother thread on the "joys" (hoho) of that process... just finding someone who would actually be in at the time arranged for me to visit would be a big step forward!

lunavix, where are you based and do you have a vacancy

Whereabouts are you? From memory not near me

I take it you've tried the usual vacancy coordinator/CIS routes?

i'm in london sw2 and have tried cis, simply childcare, gumtree, nannyjob and have advertised in the school newsletter!

oh dear

door knock?? Approach mums at school gate??

maybe i can hang around the school gates and kidnap any likely looking candidates at the beginning of terms!

maybe senorapostrophe is right and the not driving thing just isn't such a big deal...

any other views

sorry, my typing is really pants today.

quick bump before everyone goes home/starts tea etc.

Drastic but could you change nursery so it's nearer ds's school and less of a walk? No, that's a rubbish idea. Lunavix's idea sounds good but involves dragging ds on a bit of a walk at a rubbish time doesn't it? Or, can you get the nursery to agree a 2.30 pick up is a half day? Are they oversubscribed? Sorry, another rubbish idea. Massive sympathy.

prob a daft idea, but could you pay for a cab from nursery to school? then walk home from school?

if you are paying for both nursery and nanny, why do you prefer to have dd in nursery and not earlier collection by nanny? or is it just the time wasted on buses?

i'd get dd first, and not have ds doing all that travelling.

or combine - one day cab, one dd first, one ds first, one dh gets ds....

or get nanny to start at lunch time and drop dd's nursery place to half-days, again, you could do this on just one or two days.

bossy kate I think this is a time/money thing - your money and your kids' time

I can't make that call for you.

BK - what will you end up doing in holidays (or rather what do you want your nanny to do in holidays?). Are all your activities walkable? For example I have to drive to swimming and lots of playdates (ds1's "best friend" lives 4 miles away).

thank you for these responses

lm - i honestly don't think a car will be needed for holiday activities. swimming, park, friends, soft play - all within walking distance. local public transport is very good, so provided the person was willing to use it for outings in the holiday, it should be fine. i really think the car would only be a bonus for dd's nursery pick up by car it's a 20/25min round trip, but as i said getting on for 1.5hr round trip on foot/by bus.

will come back to this later today, but in the meantime i'd be delighted to have any more advice.

thanks again

I think there are many more important considerations in choosing a nanny/childcare than the ability to drive, tbh. If you can get the right person then not getting a "bargain" / value for money at nursery is surely going to be a really small consideration? I think the idea of taking turns is a good one.

a bump for the evening crowd

one more bump as i am going to bed shortly - utterly exhausted atm.

having mulled it over a bit more...

(1) should i just hold out for someone who can drive, on the grounds that it's not a particularly unusual/unreasonable requirement for a nanny?

(2) should i just start interviewing non drivers as well because otherwise i mightn't find anyone at all? getting increasingly worried about this i think it could work although it is not ideal.

(3) is there any chance i might find a cm who would be willing to pick up dd?

(4) should i just resign myself to the fact that ds will be at a cm and dd will be at nursery and our lives are going to get even harder than they are now?

thanks to those who have posted useful constructive comments up to now and hoping to here more views

BK - TBH I'd mix it so that they both get a fair deal IYSWIM.

M,W, F do option 2, T, TH do option 1. Or the reverse if you like!

Don't see why it has to be the same every day!

thank you

i have really got tied up in knots over this - this is what happens when i have a very clear idea of what i want and am faced with the grim reality of compromise...