Anonymous
04/29/2022 09:50
Subject: Full time nanny with kids in school?
It may be easier to find someone who would take your nanny say 8-2:30 to take care of smaller kids b/c it's easier to WFH. You'd need people who would be willing to finish their work after kids are in bed. (It's common enough that NYTimes had an article about it today) Then you'd have to handle the mornings.
OR if you REALLY luck out, find a partner family very nearby, see if you can get nanny to do your family 7:30-9, then neighbors 9:15-2:30, then come back. You might pay a premium on the morning hours and pay drive time but if it's worth it to you, it's worth it. We do something similar w/another family. But you have to make your nanny really love your kids so much she's willing to work a schedule like that.
OR if you REALLY luck out, find a partner family very nearby, see if you can get nanny to do your family 7:30-9, then neighbors 9:15-2:30, then come back. You might pay a premium on the morning hours and pay drive time but if it's worth it to you, it's worth it. We do something similar w/another family. But you have to make your nanny really love your kids so much she's willing to work a schedule like that.
Anonymous
04/25/2022 20:05
Subject: Re:Full time nanny with kids in school?
24/7 live-in nanny, one child with sn, full time school. Parents work out-of-state, join the below schedule when they're home, do not interrupt or change the schedule.
M-Th
6-6:30 get myself ready for the day
6:30-7 finish prepping for child's day, get dog around, throw in laundry, start crockpot
7-7:30 child gets up, dresses, brushes teeth
7:30-8:30 drive to school: breakfast, audiobook, spelling practice, SEL
8:30-2:30 stay near school, dog park with family's dog, train dog
2:30-3 homework and tutoring in the school parking lot
3-4 drive home: reading aloud, audiobook, SEL, spelling practice
4 drop off dog, switch laundry
4-5:30 drive to/from exercise, exercise
5:30-6 finish tutoring at home, play with dog
6-6:30 child showers while I get dinner around
6:30-7 child and I eat together, teeth
7-8 call with parents when away, call with grandparents, audiobook, listen to music, etc
8 bedtime
The child has intense anxiety and can not fall asleep unless voices are in the living room, so I sit on the couch for an evening call every night 8-9, sometimes as late as 9:30.
Friday afternoon's schedule changes to accommodate dinner out if earned through good behavior over the course of the week. Some weekends are spent on call while the child is with the grandparents, other weekends are 6 am to 8 pm non-stop, because the child who sometimes has to be lifted out of bed on weekdays can be up at the crack of dawn when there's no school.
With previous families, I was 40-60 hours per week even when all the children were in school, because I took on household errands, laundry, cooking and pet care. I do not do full cleaning, but I do organize, and I teach children to keep areas tidy.
M-Th
6-6:30 get myself ready for the day
6:30-7 finish prepping for child's day, get dog around, throw in laundry, start crockpot
7-7:30 child gets up, dresses, brushes teeth
7:30-8:30 drive to school: breakfast, audiobook, spelling practice, SEL
8:30-2:30 stay near school, dog park with family's dog, train dog
2:30-3 homework and tutoring in the school parking lot
3-4 drive home: reading aloud, audiobook, SEL, spelling practice
4 drop off dog, switch laundry
4-5:30 drive to/from exercise, exercise
5:30-6 finish tutoring at home, play with dog
6-6:30 child showers while I get dinner around
6:30-7 child and I eat together, teeth
7-8 call with parents when away, call with grandparents, audiobook, listen to music, etc
8 bedtime
The child has intense anxiety and can not fall asleep unless voices are in the living room, so I sit on the couch for an evening call every night 8-9, sometimes as late as 9:30.
Friday afternoon's schedule changes to accommodate dinner out if earned through good behavior over the course of the week. Some weekends are spent on call while the child is with the grandparents, other weekends are 6 am to 8 pm non-stop, because the child who sometimes has to be lifted out of bed on weekdays can be up at the crack of dawn when there's no school.
With previous families, I was 40-60 hours per week even when all the children were in school, because I took on household errands, laundry, cooking and pet care. I do not do full cleaning, but I do organize, and I teach children to keep areas tidy.
Anonymous
04/23/2022 07:10
Subject: Full time nanny with kids in school?
I am a nanny for kids who are in school. The parents work demanding jobs with unpredictable schedules. The youngest in in 1st grade.
On a typical week I arrive at 7:30 in the morning and get the kids fed and ready for school, then clean up from breakfast and packing lunches.
One day per week I go grocery shopping for the family.
The next day I do my big cooking for the week—I pack salads for one parent’s lunches, the other parent prefers canned soup for lunch but I cut up veggies for his snack, I bake muffins or something along those lines for the kids’ breakfasts and freeze it. And I prep two family dinners and 3 kid-only dinners.
Then one day per week I do all the kids’ laundry (including their sheets and towels).
The last two days are my choice. Sometimes I take on projects like organizing the playroom or packing for an upcoming trip or sorting through clothes and ordering the next size up, sometimes I do things like volunteer at their schools and sometimes I just take me time. It depends on the week.
Then I do pickup and take everybody to any after school activities and make sure they do homework and practice reading and piano and take a bath. I hand kids off in pjs either fed at 6:30 or with family dinner on the table at 5:30
I work 53 hours in a typical week. I cover all sicks days, school closures, etc. kids do about 4 weeks of camps to break up the summer but other than that they are with me. I usually take the kids camping one week and the parents pay for gas and food and the campsite fees and one week the kids and I stay with my family who live near the beach and the parents pay for gas and food plus one night of nice takeout to thank my family.
On weeks when we are home I still do my normal duties but I order groceries for delivery rather than shopping myself, and if the kids and I are traveling I obviously don’t cook for the parents that week.
On a typical week I arrive at 7:30 in the morning and get the kids fed and ready for school, then clean up from breakfast and packing lunches.
One day per week I go grocery shopping for the family.
The next day I do my big cooking for the week—I pack salads for one parent’s lunches, the other parent prefers canned soup for lunch but I cut up veggies for his snack, I bake muffins or something along those lines for the kids’ breakfasts and freeze it. And I prep two family dinners and 3 kid-only dinners.
Then one day per week I do all the kids’ laundry (including their sheets and towels).
The last two days are my choice. Sometimes I take on projects like organizing the playroom or packing for an upcoming trip or sorting through clothes and ordering the next size up, sometimes I do things like volunteer at their schools and sometimes I just take me time. It depends on the week.
Then I do pickup and take everybody to any after school activities and make sure they do homework and practice reading and piano and take a bath. I hand kids off in pjs either fed at 6:30 or with family dinner on the table at 5:30
I work 53 hours in a typical week. I cover all sicks days, school closures, etc. kids do about 4 weeks of camps to break up the summer but other than that they are with me. I usually take the kids camping one week and the parents pay for gas and food and the campsite fees and one week the kids and I stay with my family who live near the beach and the parents pay for gas and food plus one night of nice takeout to thank my family.
On weeks when we are home I still do my normal duties but I order groceries for delivery rather than shopping myself, and if the kids and I are traveling I obviously don’t cook for the parents that week.
Anonymous
04/22/2022 10:46
Subject: Full time nanny with kids in school?
For driving, I paid a retired neighbor. She certainly did not need the money but I wanted it to not just be a favor here and there but a firm commitment.
I had a lot of work flexibility but 2x a week neither I nor dh could not get dc to practice and so we asked our neighbor. We had spent many years establishing a relationship so it was not someone random.
She loved spending time with our dc for that year and he liked it as well as they had great conversations. They would both tell me this! Unusual I am sure but wanted to share as an idea.
I had a lot of work flexibility but 2x a week neither I nor dh could not get dc to practice and so we asked our neighbor. We had spent many years establishing a relationship so it was not someone random.
She loved spending time with our dc for that year and he liked it as well as they had great conversations. They would both tell me this! Unusual I am sure but wanted to share as an idea.
Anonymous
04/22/2022 10:21
Subject: Full time nanny with kids in school?
I don't know a single person that has had a successful long term (i.e. lasting one whole school year) after school babysitter.
Anonymous
04/22/2022 10:16
Subject: Re:Full time nanny with kids in school?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks, all. Keeping a nanny on for elementary school years sounds wonderful, though I was really hoping to reallocate the cost to private school, which we're considering. Presumably at some point, though, the kids really do not need a nanny anymore. For those that still have nannies or have older kids, what do you think that age is? 10? 11?
The challenge here is driving to the myriad of afterschool activities. Can you or DH take that time off in the afternoons for drop off and pick ups or just running around the park? Plus in private school, how will your 11 year old get home after school? Will you just expect them home on screens till you are done working? I have teenagers and there is still a ton of driving and logistics every afternoon.
OP again--thanks, good point. I work from home and have flexibility so could handle pick up, but I guess I was thinking as they get older they'd have activities on campus/enrichment or could carpool with others to activities. And by 10/11 the random days off and sick days aren't as big of a problem because they can occupy themselves pretty well (I hope) by that age. Alternatively, I was thinking we could hire a babysitter for the pickup/activities shuffle that wouldn't be full time. Do people have success with a reliable afterschool babysitter (rather than a full time nanny)?
No. I have never found a good babysitter for pick up and activities and we went through 3 four years ago for one child at $25 an hour. They were all flakes. I had a second child and got our old nanny back.
I have one friend who had good luck and got a teacher who needed the extra income. She’s still with them but up to $35 an hour now. All the rest of my friends had to change their schedules or suffer the parade of after school sitters.
Anonymous
04/22/2022 10:12
Subject: Re:Full time nanny with kids in school?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks, all. Keeping a nanny on for elementary school years sounds wonderful, though I was really hoping to reallocate the cost to private school, which we're considering. Presumably at some point, though, the kids really do not need a nanny anymore. For those that still have nannies or have older kids, what do you think that age is? 10? 11?
The challenge here is driving to the myriad of afterschool activities. Can you or DH take that time off in the afternoons for drop off and pick ups or just running around the park? Plus in private school, how will your 11 year old get home after school? Will you just expect them home on screens till you are done working? I have teenagers and there is still a ton of driving and logistics every afternoon.
OP again--thanks, good point. I work from home and have flexibility so could handle pick up, but I guess I was thinking as they get older they'd have activities on campus/enrichment or could carpool with others to activities. And by 10/11 the random days off and sick days aren't as big of a problem because they can occupy themselves pretty well (I hope) by that age. Alternatively, I was thinking we could hire a babysitter for the pickup/activities shuffle that wouldn't be full time. Do people have success with a reliable afterschool babysitter (rather than a full time nanny)?
Anonymous
04/22/2022 09:50
Subject: Re:Full time nanny with kids in school?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks, all. Keeping a nanny on for elementary school years sounds wonderful, though I was really hoping to reallocate the cost to private school, which we're considering. Presumably at some point, though, the kids really do not need a nanny anymore. For those that still have nannies or have older kids, what do you think that age is? 10? 11?
The challenge here is driving to the myriad of afterschool activities. Can you or DH take that time off in the afternoons for drop off and pick ups or just running around the park? Plus in private school, how will your 11 year old get home after school? Will you just expect them home on screens till you are done working? I have teenagers and there is still a ton of driving and logistics every afternoon.
OP again--thanks, good point. I work from home and have flexibility so could handle pick up, but I guess I was thinking as they get older they'd have activities on campus/enrichment or could carpool with others to activities. And by 10/11 the random days off and sick days aren't as big of a problem because they can occupy themselves pretty well (I hope) by that age. Alternatively, I was thinking we could hire a babysitter for the pickup/activities shuffle that wouldn't be full time. Do people have success with a reliable afterschool babysitter (rather than a full time nanny)?
Anonymous
04/22/2022 09:22
Subject: Re:Full time nanny with kids in school?
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks, all. Keeping a nanny on for elementary school years sounds wonderful, though I was really hoping to reallocate the cost to private school, which we're considering. Presumably at some point, though, the kids really do not need a nanny anymore. For those that still have nannies or have older kids, what do you think that age is? 10? 11?
The challenge here is driving to the myriad of afterschool activities. Can you or DH take that time off in the afternoons for drop off and pick ups or just running around the park? Plus in private school, how will your 11 year old get home after school? Will you just expect them home on screens till you are done working? I have teenagers and there is still a ton of driving and logistics every afternoon.
Anonymous
04/22/2022 08:19
Subject: Re:Full time nanny with kids in school?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks, all. Keeping a nanny on for elementary school years sounds wonderful, though I was really hoping to reallocate the cost to private school, which we're considering. Presumably at some point, though, the kids really do not need a nanny anymore. For those that still have nannies or have older kids, what do you think that age is? 10? 11?
Even though a 10/11 year old might be able to stay home by themselves, if they are involved in sports, music lessons, or other activities, it can help to have an extra driver.
+1. It’s the driving. Not just sports and music lessons but our school doesn’t have a bus. And the kids still have laundry, groceries, errands, etc.
Anonymous
04/21/2022 21:43
Subject: Re:Full time nanny with kids in school?
Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks, all. Keeping a nanny on for elementary school years sounds wonderful, though I was really hoping to reallocate the cost to private school, which we're considering. Presumably at some point, though, the kids really do not need a nanny anymore. For those that still have nannies or have older kids, what do you think that age is? 10? 11?
Even though a 10/11 year old might be able to stay home by themselves, if they are involved in sports, music lessons, or other activities, it can help to have an extra driver.
Anonymous
04/21/2022 21:31
Subject: Full time nanny with kids in school?
Anonymous wrote:If you can afford it, having a full-time nanny is still awesome. As you say there are SO many days off: holidays, teacher workdays, sick days, etc. Would she be able to switch to being more of a house manager at other times? Someone to make meals for the kids, buy stuff for school projects, swap out the old clothes, etc? That's the dream
We switched to an au pair for a few years, which was good (but has its downsides). As the kids get older they need a "driver" more than a babysitter. But lots of families organize carpools too.
+ 100 no brainer – keep her if you can. She drives them to preschool/school, picks them up after school, takes them to sports and activities etc. Helps them
with homework in the afternoon. Does cooking cleaning laundry kid paperwork errands. Can stay overnight so you can go out of town or have a date night on the weekends. Can go with you if you want on trips. The best. I don’t have it but I see it!
Anonymous
04/21/2022 21:23
Subject: Full time nanny with kids in school?
I’m a nanny to kids that are in middle school. I work 5:30am until about 9 am once kids are at school I go to the grocery store, run errands. I also do laundry I start again around 2 pick up kids at school make sure homework is done make dinner and take to activities . I’m off anywhere between 6-8 pm. My employers don’t have to worry about errands, laundry, dinner or children.
Anonymous
04/21/2022 21:22
Subject: Full time nanny with kids in school?
Anonymous wrote:Most families shift the role to a nanny/household manager hybrid to ensure they have back up coverage for sick and no school days
most *rich* families. No one I know has a household manager.