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View Full Version : Nanny vs cm- pros and cons?



ChocolateChip
11-04-2012, 05:08 PM
As the title says if anyone has seen both sides and has views on this I'd be interested to hear them,
thanks!
Meaning as in being one, not using them btw.

BucksCM
11-04-2012, 06:24 PM
I was a nanny for 2.5 years when I left school(25 years ago!) I loved it then.
I then did accounting for 6 years as I'd met my (now) dh and wanted a break from children before having my own. When my son came along I knew I wanted to go back to childcare and chose childminding.
TBH, the main difference is the fact that you are your own boss. You set the hours, rate of pay, what you do and when you do it.etc. etc. etc (said in a Yul Bryner sp? voice!) Yes,you have the paperwork and stuff but you're your own boss :D

pinkbutterfly
11-04-2012, 07:16 PM
Being a nanny:
-getting paid at least minimum wage
-no expenses to come off your wage
-no mess at own home
-no paperwork
-paid holiday each year

Being a childminder:
-being my own boss

ChocolateChip
13-04-2012, 04:59 PM
Thanks for the replies.
I am in a bit of a rut at the mo and just casting around for some inspiration!

bluechair84
13-04-2012, 08:10 PM
Hi,

I've been both.

Loved nannying, great family, lovely house, pool, car, good salary. They also had a cleaner & ironing lady! I lived out too which suited me. I had my ds when I was a nanny and eventually changed to cm and found it a lot less stressful, so much easier from your own home when you have your own children.


Recently returned to CM. Own boss, messy house! CM fits is better for me now, couldn't go back to nannying with my ds 9 in tow now.

samb
13-04-2012, 09:12 PM
I nannied for 6 years from when I left nursery work through both of my pregnancies and left after having my 2nd. I then took a brief break then started childminding.

Nannying was the right job for me then and childminding is the right job for me now.

The reasons I left nannying were...
1. I had my 2nd child 2 months before the mum I worked for had their 4th meaning 6 children with 2 under 1s and the eldest was 13. The logistics would have been very difficult for me as each of their 3 older children had lots of clubs etc to be ferried around between, 1 of the children had Asperges Syndrome and had tutoring for social situations which I was involved in too which would have been more difficult with the younger ones around too. Most term time afterschool times would have been so busy that the 3 youngest - my 2 and their youngest - would have literally sat in the car for almost 3 hours with short breaks getting out to drop off others etc and only had a speare 20 mins to feed them - and how on earth do you feed 2 babies and a toddler in that time?!
2. My dd would have been starting a state school local to me and the children I nannied for went to a private school a 20 min drive from me so that wouldn't have worked as i would have needed childcare for my dd.
3. The equipment side of things would have been very difficult. When I just had 1 child to bring with me I used some of their items (like highchair) and took my own things (like buggy). When I had my son they also had a young baby similar age and so would have needed thier highchair etc so I would have had to taken my own things daily which would have been very stressful and extra time etc. Also I couldn't expect them to buy a double buggy just because I had my son too so I would have had to buy equipment out of my own pocket. At least with childminding you are buying it for your business and can claim as expenses for tax purposes.
4. I began resenting the extra things asked of me (like collecting the Grandma from the airport - 30 min drive) or collecting their dry cleaning etc. It was just awkward with lots of children doing this sort of thing and although I spoke to them about it they viewed it as my responsibility.

I think nannying work is great if you are lucky enough to find a good family to work for. (I am still in contact with the family nearly 4 years on and our children are great together and I love seeing them all growing up) It really depends on your children and their children - how would it work logistically with schools etc? What if your children wanted to do a club or swimming lessons etc? Would the family mind you doing runs for your children? How would you feel if your child had to sit and watch swimming lessons, music lessons etc? What would you do about equipment you might need to use whilst at their house? What about food - would you take your own for your child and therefore have to feed the children different foods or would they be ok with you using their food and cooking just 1 meal at a time? etc... I guess if you don't have children to take then this is all just waffle?!

I must say that by the time I left I did call myself a glorified cook and taxi driver as this is what I felt I did most of the day. They were 11 hour days 5 days a week.

I much prefer to be able to decide what school runs etc I want to do, what hours I want to work, where I want to take the children, what resources I want to buy and dare I say it ... keep my brain more professionally engaged with things like the EYFS and paperwork!!!

nikki thomson
13-04-2012, 10:41 PM
I absolutely adored being a nanny, I trained to do it, always wanted to do it and loved every minute of being one, I worked for the most lovely families who always appreciated what I did, I was a nanny for over 12yrs prior to me being a mummy myself, in those 12yrs I only worked for 3 families for 3 and a half years , 5 and a half years and 3yrs respectfully and only left when they no longer needed a full time nanny and on the last occasion I was 38 weeks pregnant.
In my last live out nanny job which finished 8 and a half years ago I use to earn net £1400 a month for a 48hr week.
The comparison to cm is so far apart, I always have loved children and looking after children but cm is not something I will do long term, I did it as I wanted to look after my own children and not have to put them in childcare, my dh is a soldier and spends so much time away that I didn't feel it was fair to then stick them in childcare and go out to work.
I would love to nanny now but it's just not practical with 3 children of my own, real shame but that's life. X