You need to have a conversation with her first to see if she wants to be a housekeeper / errand girl in order to keep her hours. She may only want to be a nanny and would prefer to have another job instead. If she is okay with being a part time nanny and a part time housekeeper then you can look at jobs but first you need to be sure she wants to work in an alternate role.

When the kids I watch started school I turned into more of a household manager. I kept track of the family calendar, scheduled appointments for the kids, planned a weekly menu and did the grocery shopping, and usually dropped off/picked up MB&DB'S dry cleaning in addition to my regular nanny duties related to the kids. I did not and will not become a housekeeper, but that is my choice. Some nannies are okay picking up more cleaning while others aren't so really talk to your nanny and see what she thinks would be appropriate tasks to add to her day and then meet in the middle to make it work for your family. Also, please be aware many nannies will move on when kids age into full - time school because we are first and foremost nannies - not housekeepers, cooks, or personal assistants.

Personally, I'd have her run errands--grocery shopping, dry cleaning, post office, drugstore, returning things, etc. Meal prep. Planning activities for the kids and getting the supplies. Very light housekeeping--dusting, emptying the dishwasher. I assume she already keeps the kids' rooms clean--otherwise, kid laundry and kid cleaning.

All laundry and grocery shopping are the best things that our nanny does every week. The light dusting and vacuuming is also very useful because if its done daily or every other day it keeps dust and dirt from building up.

DS' nanny has two 4 hr breaks during the week. We didn't want her doing any housework/laundry (short of cleaning up after DS) so instead she goes to the grocery store and does hers and our shopping and drops her groceries off at her house and then comes home. She lives about 15 min away but by the time all of this is done, she usually will just have lunch and get together some activity for DS when he gets home.

On the other day she usually researches fun things to do with DS and will usually email me a craft or something similar and say "this looks fun. Think DS would be interested?" and then will go out and buy the supplies.

I'd rather her to stuff like planning activities and projects during the time we pay her than using up her own time doing stuff for our kid!

The OP is structuring a job that involves time without the kids. Nanny/housekeeper positions make far more sense when the kids start preschool.

Ours goes to the farmer's market for us, drops off and picks up dry-cleaning, post office, Target, returns/exchanges kiddie clothes/toys, grocery store, drugstore, etc.

Anonymous wrote:Change bed linens, grocery shop, all laundry, wiping down counters and dusting.

I would never change bed sheets for anyone except the children, nor dust your house. Hiring a nanny does not mean that she does all the things that you don't feel like doing.

Change bed linens, grocery shop, all laundry, wiping down counters and dusting.

Our DD starts school in the fall and we are keeping our nanny part-time. What things/errands do you have your nanny do before your kid gets home? We've discussed cooking, laundry, vaccuuming, etc-- wondering what else other people do.