Is a Live-in Nanny Right for You?
The concept of a live-in nanny has a lot of families debating whether or not this kind of childcare is the care they’ve been looking for, as many nannies agree on this kind of work arrangement.
That being said, there are far too many families that underestimate the live-in part of the deal, so if you’re on the verge and debating whether or not you should go for it, here are a few things to know. We’ll discuss how things work, how much it’s going to cost you, and what a live-in nanny’s responsibilities are, so you know exactly what you’re getting into and why it’s something you should consider.
What is a Live-In Nanny?
Typical nannies tend to come over to your home and provide a child care service when you need it. However, live-in nannies are a bit different – they live in the home of the employer, providing child care around the clock.
Of course, this kind of nanny isn’t going to be perfect for every family and every child, but situations could benefit from it. A prime example is an employer that has non-traditional working hours, or one that spends a lot of their time travelling, meaning a traditional nanny service wouldn’t suit them.
To add to this, there are children with special needs that require more specific care, one a regular nanny cannot provide because they aren’t around the child around the clock. There’s also the fact that in expensive cities such as Melbourne, a live-in nanny makes it easier to get immediate care.
With that in mind, what are the costs associated with such nannies? How are they different from a regular nanny?
The Cost of a Live-In Nanny in Melbourne
The price of nannies that live in your home isn’t that different from the price of nannies that commute to and from your home. A lot of families make the mistake of thinking that since the nanny lives with them, they won’t have a lot of expenses and they can get away with paying them less, right? This is a huge mistake, and here is why.
When you’re an employer trying to determine how much to pay your nanny, babysitter, or housekeeper, you don’t use their costs and expenses in the calculation. Instead, you use their experience. You use the fact that they have worked in the role before and can provide childcare like no other. This is the same way you would calculate the salary of your live-in nanny. Do they have training or certifications? Factor that in too.
To clear up another misconception, if you already have an extra bedroom and bathroom in your home (and most do), the cost of having a nanny that lives in your home won’t increase your monthly costs very much.
What Does This Mean for the Nannies?
While both families and children stand to gain much better childcare and a significantly improved relationship, nannies don’t have many reasons to go for a live-in arrangement. They need to eat, sleep, and rest in the same place they work in, and distancing themselves from the job is pretty much impossible. They are surrounded by it, they live at their job, and yet it’s not their home.
Live-in nannies have a bit of a roommate situation – they need to be careful what time they come back to and leave the house, who they invite over, and a slew of other things – it’s a bit of a complex situation. To add to this, it makes it difficult for them to set boundaries in terms of when the job ends and their privacy begins.
Live-In Nanny’s Responsibilities
When you’re considering a live-in arrangement, you are primarily looking for someone to provide childcare as a service. And that’s what you’ll get – nannies will feed, bathe, change and dress your children, help them with school responsibilities (including taking them to and from school) and any before or after school activities. Most importantly, they’ll also provide support and learning through appropriate learning experiences for the children. As you see, your children will be taken care of in every aspect possible, and since the nanny lives in your home, they’ll also provide supervision throughout the night if you are away for some reason.
And of course – children are the nanny’s main priority, but they often take up light housekeeper roles too. This includes household duties that might be completed when a nanny isn’t busy with the kids, such as preparing meals, doing laundry, doing the dishes, making sure the children’s bedrooms are clean, and any other duties that nannies agree on with the family.
Do You Need One?
Well, that does depend on where you live, but a live-in nanny in Melbourne, for example, is a great idea. It’s a large city which makes commuting for nannies difficult, and it’s also a city where most families tend to have a spare bedroom and bathroom for a nanny.
When compared to a regular nanny or babysitter, you’ll be getting someone reliable that lives in your home, knows your family dynamic, and knows your children much better. This is an often overlooked aspect, as your children will be growing up with a trustworthy person that they see quite a lot of, and they’ll look at them as someone to learn from.
If you find an experienced nanny that has worked in the childcare industry and can provide everything your child needs to grow and develop, you’ll realise why a live-in nanny is a great idea.