PT / flexible hours during the day?

[Anonymous]

Do you think it is possible to find a nanny who would be interested in working mornings and having free time for the early afternoon (for classes, school, their own activities?) and being back on the clock for the school pick up, dinner routine?

My children will be in school this coming year - one full time 9-3 and one in preschool for afternoons only 12 - 3. We are torn about how to work the childcare options.

If you have a full time nanny, what do they do while your kids are in school for much of the day? I notice many posters on the job forums give up the nanny care when the kids are in school but we are not really in a position to do that entirely yet and I am wondering how others deal with this dilemma and whether there are nannies who are interested in this type of flexible schedule for even just some days a week. We would still be guaranteeing 40 or more hours a week.

Thanks in advance - any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

We got an au pair. Couldn't find anyone that we felt was reliable and experienced enough for the hours we needed (basically 7am to 8:30am and then 1pm to 5:30pm).

[Anonymous]

How late would the evening run? If you are offering 40 hrs still and you're done by 5 or 6 then maybe it would be workable for someone since they would still have a normal evneing. On the other hand if the day ends at like 7 and they have to show up really early too then you're asking them to reserve the whole day basically but wanting to only pay them for part of it.
I think it's tough to find people interested in a split schedule since it's pretty hard to fill those gap hours.

[Anonymous]

Have you considered hiring 2 different individuals? The family I work for has a morning nanny who works daily from 7-9 and I work 2:30-9. If not, it could be a good option for you OR would there be housework, errands, etc for an all day person to do in the in-between time?

[Anonymous]

OP here - 8 is earliest possible start if one of us needs to travel for work (which will happen for 2 days twice a month we think) but mostly looking for 8:30 or even 9 am start and 6:30 latest finish (again if one of us is travelling) but otherwise 6 pm finish.

[Anonymous]

we had not (yet) considered two people - we were not sure we truly had enough work to break it down into two jobs that people would want to keep long term

[Anonymous]

I'm a full time nanny but I am in college. There are nannies who would absolutely take a position like this including myself. I have been putting classes in the evenings but next year will no longer be able to. I have to switch to morning/afternoons. I hate that I have to leave my family. And they have been brainstorming many ways to keep me, including hiring an afternoon nanny while I go to class, but I think that would be crazy and expensive. I've talked to two families who are interested in hiring me with a schedule much like what you described and it doesn't seem that uncommon, both of which has at least one child in Montessori and need a schedule similar to yours.

Also idk if you need to still guarantee 40 hrs, that perfect of course, but from the families I spoke to 32-35 hours seem to be what naturally happens with their current nannies, who work this schedule for the whole school year.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the feedback, good to know that there are nannies who might actually want our schedule. Do you mind sharing the rate you are hoping for for the split schedule? Do you have any sense of what rate the other families pay for the 32/35 hr week schedule? (Obviously I appreciate this can vary depending on the experience of the caregiver). We are trying to get a sense of what we need to budget for. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Well right now I average 17/hr. the two families have two children each, right now I care for one child. For me to ability to still go to school and have full time or close to full time is worth not upping my rate for two children. When I cared for two children in the past full time I was paid at least 18 and hour, I think that is probably what most nannies ask for. But for the hybrid schedule I don't mind if I make the same as I do right now. So I have quoted both families 17/hr for 35 hours. If I was offered 40 hours a week I would be happy to take 15-16 hr because I could still take home what is comfortable for me.

Both families were comfortable with the 17/hr quote, but this is not until the fall so I have kept my door open, so to speak. One of the families did tell me they have paid in the range of 16-18 with their previous nannies.

FYI, my current family is in NW, and prospective family is in Bowie, MD and Rockville area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well right now I average 17/hr. the two families have two children each, right now I care for one child. For me to ability to still go to school and have full time or close to full time is worth not upping my rate for two children. When I cared for two children in the past full time I was paid at least 18 and hour, I think that is probably what most nannies ask for. But for the hybrid schedule I don't mind if I make the same as I do right now. So I have quoted both families 17/hr for 35 hours. If I was offered 40 hours a week I would be happy to take 15-16 hr because I could still take home what is comfortable for me.

Both families were comfortable with the 17/hr quote, but this is not until the fall so I have kept my door open, so to speak. One of the families did tell me they have paid in the range of 16-18 with their previous nannies.

FYI, my current family is in NW, and prospective family is in Bowie, MD and Rockville area.

Sorry for the typos, I'm on my phone, and cursed with sweaty hands!

[Anonymous]

Thank so much. If you would like to chat with me offline about what our possible schedule would look like please email me at [e-mail] . We are in Chevy Chase ( walkable to friendship heights metro).

[Anonymous]

Okay, will do!

[Anonymous]

"The family I work for has a morning nanny who works daily from 7-9 and I work 2:30-9."

I'm an MB but that's kind of sad unless it's just a few days a week.