We are going the Au Pair route for exactly this reason. We just don't need the full time care around the clock, but we sometimes need full time care. So the Au Pair is going to be a good solution for us, but hubby and I are a little anxious about the live-in aspect. We just haven't experienced that before, and also the Au Pair obviously has to adjust to the US, our "ways", etc. Still, we're up for it.

Would you and your nanny be open to a nanny share, possibly with an infant? Nanny can stay busy, and it could be better for both of you financially.

Have a weekly list.

Monday: Food shopping, kids laundry, precook dinner so you don't have to rush home and do it, straiten up kids room, pick up.

Tuesday: blah blah blah

Wednesday: reorganize kids room, precook dinner, make lunches for the following day, etc.

Thursday: Check to see if supplies are running low (milk, sandwhich meat for lunches, etc) and go to the store and pick them up.. Kids Laundry.. Etc.

Whatever you can fit in there.. Just keep it mainly based around the kids

+1 on the cleaning and laundry.

Most people switch to a nanny housekeeper, part time nanny or au pair once the kids are in school. Trust me after a few months of paying for your nanny to read a book for 30 hours a week, you won't be as thrilled with this situation. It sounds like your nanny is flexible and willing to do something during the non-childcare hours, so its good to give a try and list out cleaning, laundry and errands that are most useful to you.

Why not cleaning? Cleaning and laundry would be the most useful tasks.

OP here. Thanks everyone. I should elaborate -- our nanny wants to do more. She is always asking what else she can do (our kids are in school half-day now), and requesting that I pull together a list on the weekend so that she can run through it during the week. She also knows that our kids will be in school full-time next year, and I think she's concerned about her job. I have committed that we will give it a try, so now we need to figure out how to keep her happy and busy. I'm just out of ideas and I suggested that she bring a book to which her response was "I don't get paid to sit around." (I know, she's amazing.) She is the only nanny our kids have ever known, and we have a great partnership. I can't imagine starting over with someone else on a part-time basis, so I need to come up with some ideas. Cooking classes sound good.

If allowed to do so (some schools have a "parents only" policy), she could volunteer at your children's schools 1 or 2 days a week.

I think asking her what additional work she will be looking to take on when both kids are in school is your best bet. Have some ideas of your own ready, and see what she's willing to do to keep working for you.

Anonymous wrote:You want her to be available at your convenience and she is so why does she have to do anything more? She can do whatever she wants.

Nanny here, but come on...if the kids are in school the majority of the work schedule, I could see why parents would feel a bit like the nanny is getting it very easy. Personally, I would either tell the nanny to go part-time, ask her to run errands and some light stuff in the house, or get another nanny who would accept part-time if the current nanny doesn't. For days when care is needed full-time like holidays and summers, you can get temporary care (which I have provided) if your nanny isn't available.

Anonymous wrote:grocery shopping, kids laundry, personal errands (like dry cleaning), cleaning toys, organizing toys, sorting through toys to put away unused toys, go through out of season clothes.

I know you said no cleaning, but she might be willing to do lighter things: going through fridge for expired foods, wiping down counters, sweeping up around the table.

This is still cleaning.

You want her to be available at your convenience and she is so why does she have to do anything more? She can do whatever she wants.

grocery shopping, kids laundry, personal errands (like dry cleaning), cleaning toys, organizing toys, sorting through toys to put away unused toys, go through out of season clothes.

I know you said no cleaning, but she might be willing to do lighter things: going through fridge for expired foods, wiping down counters, sweeping up around the table.

We are in the same situation and on her own our nanny started making all the beds, changing sheets every week, doing everyone's laundry, and ironing everything in site. I am sure my son is the only one in his class who has ironed socks... If we decide to stay w/ a nanny we will have her start doing the grocery shopping and dry cleaning.

Let her take a child development course or a cooking class.

I personally don't know if I'd continue a job in which a majority of my hours were spent without the children. Does she take them to school? Why not have her start later and work a fuller day, help with homework?

Besides cleaning/organizing I just don't know what you could have her do? Maybe she can work with one of your children's schools?

Next year our youngest will be in school close to full-time. We would like to keep our nanny full-time, b/c I'll need her full-time when kids don't have school (different schools/different schedules), summer, sick days, etc. Plus, I know that she wants to work full-time and we'll lose her if we cut back her hours. So my question is, what does she do when the kids are in school? She currently runs errands when the kids are in school and helps with meal prep. What are other things I might not be thinking about (cleaning is not an option)? She doesn't like being bored (one day I hadn't left any errands and she organized our wrapping paper -- didn't even know that I had wrapping paper !).