Questions about having a nanny/mother's help

[supergolden88]

I have (hopefully) found a nanny who will be helping me with my two month old son a couple of mornings (9am-2pm) a week while I do freelance work at home. She will be coming as and when I need her and will be doing her first morning sometime this week.

I don't have any experience with nannies. Will I be expected to provide lunch/snacks for her if she is at home with me? Is it reasonable to ask her to prepare something herself? I need to devote all the 'free' time to work while she is around - and as my son is breastfeeding that is not very much time.

[Fuschia]

I don't think you'd be expected to be making lunch! I think it would be fine to have some sandwich filling stuff in the fridge and ask her to make a sandwich for both of you, actually. But that's just me!

[redjam]

I've always told nannies that they can help themselves to our food if they're hungry, but within reason - so a sandwich is fine but not tucking into the ingredients for the evening's dinner. I think I've been lucky as both nannies I've had who worked in our house seem(ed) to subsist on air.

Not sure I'd agree with Fuschia about asking them to make lunch for you, as that would fall outside the normal childcare remit. I think you'd need to mention that at the initial interview if you wanted that to be the norm. But you definitely wouldn't be expected to stop your work to make their lunch!

You'll probably find you settle into a comfortable give-and-take routine once your nanny has started, if you are working from home. I'm in the same situation, and my nanny and I offer each other cups of tea if we're making one, but otherwise cater for ourselves. I tend to hide upstairs to eat my lunch if she's here with the kids, so I don't get dragged into whatever's going on downstairs!

[Smiler]

There is a big thread on this in the childcare / nannies section of mumsnet, might be useful.

[ljs]

Having worked as a nanny I would definitely say yes to having tea, coffee and juice available and a sandwich or something to snack on. I'm assuming that your nanny will pop out at some point in the day so that your baby can get some fresh air. I would always grab myself something to drink or eat when out. But otherwise, I would be quite happy to make myself and my boss a sandwich at the same time....