Nanny / housekeeper hybrid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a nanny who does this for a couple of families. I certainly don't charge $50 an hour, though I am paid above market for a nanny. Look for an older nanny who got burned out with the extra workload during covid. I pop my AirPods in and listen to library books or podcasts and do a deep dive into 6 loads of laundry every week, then I clean the kitchen (which is usually a hazmat zone), do the recycling, and break down any boxes that came into the house that week--basically the stuff they hate doing. They usually have the laundry washed, and I fold/put away/transfer anything from the washer to the dryer if needed.

Last week I went through the house with a magic eraser and cleaned the walls. Another time I cleaned the fridge. I'll go through the clothes and pull sizes that are too small. I'll make the kid's beds, tidy their rooms, organize toys in the basement and make sure they're put away right, take crib rails off, install new carseats etc. I also do a date night for them once a week, and if the kids are out of school, I might help out here and there with that. Whatever comes up, I'll do it.


I work part time on a salary for a single mom who's a doctor with a varying schedule, and I help out with that type of thing for her as well, since her kid is in school.

Yes - this is exactly what we need!! We pay $25
But can most definitely up that if
Need be. $30?

OP you can absolutely find someone for this. My situation is very flexible in terms of which day I go. Maybe consider a PT for the childcare days and a separate person for the organization/cleaning days if you're having a hard time selling it as all one job--but I guarantee you will find someone who likes this set up. Just be clear about what you're looking for, be patient as you each settle into the role, be flexible (if she has to take a day off here or there, be cool with it.) Also be prepared to pay a little more, but not excessively more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a nanny who does this for a couple of families. I certainly don't charge $50 an hour, though I am paid above market for a nanny. Look for an older nanny who got burned out with the extra workload during covid. I pop my AirPods in and listen to library books or podcasts and do a deep dive into 6 loads of laundry every week, then I clean the kitchen (which is usually a hazmat zone), do the recycling, and break down any boxes that came into the house that week--basically the stuff they hate doing. They usually have the laundry washed, and I fold/put away/transfer anything from the washer to the dryer if needed.

Last week I went through the house with a magic eraser and cleaned the walls. Another time I cleaned the fridge. I'll go through the clothes and pull sizes that are too small. I'll make the kid's beds, tidy their rooms, organize toys in the basement and make sure they're put away right, take crib rails off, install new carseats etc. I also do a date night for them once a week, and if the kids are out of school, I might help out here and there with that. Whatever comes up, I'll do it.


I work part time on a salary for a single mom who's a doctor with a varying schedule, and I help out with that type of thing for her as well, since her kid is in school.


OP you can absolutely find someone for this. My situation is very flexible in terms of which day I go. Maybe consider a PT for the childcare days and a separate person for the organization/cleaning days if you're having a hard time selling it as all one job--but I guarantee you will find someone who likes this set up. Just be clear about what you're looking for, be patient as you each settle into the role, be flexible (if she has to take a day off here or there, be cool with it.) Also be prepared to pay a little more, but not excessively more.

Yes - this is exactly what we need!! We pay $25
But can most definitely up that if
Need be. $30?

[Anonymous]

OP - I’d actually prefer that this person would
Speak to our children exclusively in Spanish

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - I’d actually prefer that this person would
Speak to our children exclusively in Spanish

Okay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You want a housekeeper who babysits. You’ll find one. I’m a nanny and the family I work for has a housekeeper who babysits when I can’t and works as a nanny in the mornings before I get to work (the mother had twins after my older charge). The housekeeper doesn’t have a degree or anything but she’s good with the babies and actually raised twins herself.

How many Nannies in this area have degrees in childhood education? That becomes more important when your kids go to preschool. Most have a high school diploma at most and are immigrants from another country. Which doesn’t have much to do with their ability to be good caregivers and housekeepers.

We had a nanny for 7 years and for the first 3 years her duties were exclusively childcare and folding all household laundry (including adults). She spent more time cooking and cleaning after my older one started preschool. A long-term nanny will have duties that evolve over time unless you keep popping out babies. And many Nannies would rather stay with a family they like working with than fussing about whether they’re folding laundry for an adult vs a kid.

Actually a lot of nannies now have degrees and/or preschool teaching experience. Yes, there are plenty of foreign-born nannies who can double as housekeepers but many parents want more for their very young children.

Our first nanny when my oldest was a newborn couldn’t read in English which I quickly realized was a huge drawback. We switched to an educated nanny and she’s been with us for four years.

+1. It was a priority for us, too. But OP is only working part time so a housekeeper-who-babysits could work out for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re looking at $50 + per hour sounds like a nightmare job good luck

Ummm ok?

It's 3 different jobs. More like $75/100/hr. Only a fool would take this job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re looking at $50 + per hour sounds like a nightmare job good luck

Ummm ok?

It's 3 different jobs. More like $75/100/hr. Only a fool would take this job.

You haven’t got a clue.

[Anonymous]

We recently hired someone like this, 4 hrs per day house stuff, 4 hrs per day kids stuff. They will do all household tasks other than deep cleaning.

We are paying $30/hr. Found her through an agency.

[Anonymous]

We also found a similar candidate through an agency at $32hr

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We recently hired someone like this, 4 hrs per day house stuff, 4 hrs per day kids stuff. They will do all household tasks other than deep cleaning.

We are paying $30/hr. Found her through an agency.

Thank you - can you share what agency you used please?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You want a housekeeper who babysits. You’ll find one. I’m a nanny and the family I work for has a housekeeper who babysits when I can’t and works as a nanny in the mornings before I get to work (the mother had twins after my older charge). The housekeeper doesn’t have a degree or anything but she’s good with the babies and actually raised twins herself.

How many Nannies in this area have degrees in childhood education? That becomes more important when your kids go to preschool. Most have a high school diploma at most and are immigrants from another country. Which doesn’t have much to do with their ability to be good caregivers and housekeepers.

We had a nanny for 7 years and for the first 3 years her duties were exclusively childcare and folding all household laundry (including adults). She spent more time cooking and cleaning after my older one started preschool. A long-term nanny will have duties that evolve over time unless you keep popping out babies. And many Nannies would rather stay with a family they like working with than fussing about whether they’re folding laundry for an adult vs a kid.

Actually a lot of nannies now have degrees and/or preschool teaching experience. Yes, there are plenty of foreign-born nannies who can double as housekeepers but many parents want more for their very young children.

Our first nanny when my oldest was a newborn couldn’t read in English which I quickly realized was a huge drawback. We switched to an educated nanny and she’s been with us for four years.

Just because you encountered one person who couldn't read in English doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of foreign born nannies who are competent in more than one language. There's something just a tad...off about your post. As if only American nannies are quite good enough.

No, dear, I just wanted an educated nanny who could speak, write, and read fluently in English.

Why? My kids’ nanny spoke English but her Spanish was far superior and part of the reason I hired her was so that I could expose my kids to a second language at a young age, rather than struggling to learn a language later in life. They’re older now and have beautiful accents and do very well in their language classes which I credit to their nanny. (And they read well now in both English and Spanish.) As for wanting an educated nanny, I don’t think that matters as much as having someone who is good with children, reliable and well-organized particularly in the early years. They go to preschool soon enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You want a housekeeper who babysits. You’ll find one. I’m a nanny and the family I work for has a housekeeper who babysits when I can’t and works as a nanny in the mornings before I get to work (the mother had twins after my older charge). The housekeeper doesn’t have a degree or anything but she’s good with the babies and actually raised twins herself.

How many Nannies in this area have degrees in childhood education? That becomes more important when your kids go to preschool. Most have a high school diploma at most and are immigrants from another country. Which doesn’t have much to do with their ability to be good caregivers and housekeepers.

We had a nanny for 7 years and for the first 3 years her duties were exclusively childcare and folding all household laundry (including adults). She spent more time cooking and cleaning after my older one started preschool. A long-term nanny will have duties that evolve over time unless you keep popping out babies. And many Nannies would rather stay with a family they like working with than fussing about whether they’re folding laundry for an adult vs a kid.

Actually a lot of nannies now have degrees and/or preschool teaching experience. Yes, there are plenty of foreign-born nannies who can double as housekeepers but many parents want more for their very young children.

Our first nanny when my oldest was a newborn couldn’t read in English which I quickly realized was a huge drawback. We switched to an educated nanny and she’s been with us for four years.

Just because you encountered one person who couldn't read in English doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of foreign born nannies who are competent in more than one language. There's something just a tad...off about your post. As if only American nannies are quite good enough.

No, dear, I just wanted an educated nanny who could speak, write, and read fluently in English.

Why? My kids’ nanny spoke English but her Spanish was far superior and part of the reason I hired her was so that I could expose my kids to a second language at a young age, rather than struggling to learn a language later in life. They’re older now and have beautiful accents and do very well in their language classes which I credit to their nanny. (And they read well now in both English and Spanish.) As for wanting an educated nanny, I don’t think that matters as much as having someone who is good with children, reliable and well-organized particularly in the early years. They go to preschool soon enough.

My kids are addicted to books. There is no way we could find enough second language books for them. Our nanny does speak French and taught them to speak in fairly decent French but being read to in English was a priority as was an extensive English vocabulary.

Glad it worked out for your kids. You and I just wanted different things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You want a housekeeper who babysits. You’ll find one. I’m a nanny and the family I work for has a housekeeper who babysits when I can’t and works as a nanny in the mornings before I get to work (the mother had twins after my older charge). The housekeeper doesn’t have a degree or anything but she’s good with the babies and actually raised twins herself.

+1. Same with my high profile employers. Our housekeeper/house manager often steps in to help with the children.

[Anonymous]

I am a nanny and I would be exhausted after doing housekeeping work for 4 hrs before my 4 hr "kids" shift. You need more energy for the kids than for housework. I would consider separate days, yes, that would probably work, and even 4 hrs after I am done with kids' duties, but before? No way. I would need my fresh energy for the kids, first and foremost. You can't do food prep or folding laundry for hours and then go take care of the baby. The babies need happy people, haha!

[Anonymous]

OP here - thank you to everyone who replied. I’ve been reading all the responses. My biggest takeaway is that I’ve been thinking about the job as ‘can this be done in 40 hours’ versus would I want to do this job for 40 hrs and do it well. The person that brought up needing fresh energy for the kids - great point - hadn’t considered that. I’m still reticent to hire 3 people - cleaning person (non-negotiable), nanny, and housekeeper but it may be what we need to do until we find someone that is actually into a housekeeper / sitter set up.