Love it or loathe it, working from home is here to stay.
But as any parent of young children knows, it’s impossible to fully focus on work and look after children at the same time.
One solution that many parents find life-changing is to have a nanny look after the children at home while the parents work.
If you’ve never had a nanny before (or even if you have), you might be worried that it could feel strange all being at home together. To find out what it really feels like, we chatted to a couple of parents who work from home with a nanny.
What’s it really like working from home with a nanny in the house?
Gemma, CEO of Moverly.com, and mum to two young children, chose to have a nanny 3 days a week and nursery 2 days a week. As she told us, “With two children under three, it’s actually cheaper for us to have a nanny than to put them both in nursery.’’ The mixture works perfectly for her family. Aside from the cost, Gemma told us she loved the ease of the ‘nanny’ days, and how much more she could see the kids, while still being able to work from home successfully.
“The nanny days are our easy days. That’s when we get to see the kids when we want. We don’t have to take them to nursery and ferry them around, so they’re relaxing days. Having a nanny means in the morning I can sit there and have breakfast with them in a relaxed way, and just know that after I finish my breakfast I get to go up and have a shower, and I can get ready to work in complete freedom.”
Avril, a parent of two, hadn’t considered a nanny before a friend recommended Koru Kids. Avril’s eldest was starting school for the first time so it sounded like the perfect solution, as the nanny could also do the school pick ups. Avril’s nanny, Reyna, picks up their son after school around 3pm, so Avril can continue finishing off the last few hours of work at home. Initially she was nervous about the dynamic of working from home with a nanny in the house, but she told us how well it’s worked out. Avril’s son quickly understood the different roles his parents and Reyna have during after school time which, Avril said, he’s “very comfortable” with.
Do your kids hassle you even when the nanny is there?
A common worry is that kids will find it confusing having their parents at home but unavailable. If anything though, Avril finds her son wants her to leave him alone when Reyna’s around. “He just loves spending time with her”, she told us. “I say hello when he comes home, we hug, kiss, then they head off to another part of our flat”. We often hear similar stories — the parents set boundaries which the children quickly became used to, and look forward to their time with their nanny. Avril told us his son is very aware that while his nanny is there, it’s after school fun time to spend with her, while his parents focus on work. “There’s a very clear distinction!”
One of the best things about having a nanny is the ability to tailor care to exactly what the child needs on that particular day. At first Avril was worried that her son would be overloaded with activities, but with a nanny, they’re able to do things that are the perfect balance for him. They play, read, and sometimes Avril pops in if she’s having a quick break (and her son asks, “What are you doing here?”).
They get out of the house too! Reyna picks Avril’s son up at 3pm and if she’s not bringing him home immediately, they go to a park or hang out with friends – something Avril told us she really appreciates, as she and her partner are less able to do this after school.
They can finish off work knowing their son is getting one-to-one attention, having fun in his own space or getting some fresh air – whatever he most needs – with someone he’s formed a wonderful bond with. “For our family, it works amazingly”.
If you would like to investigate further, check out the nannies on Koru Kids. You can find a full-day nanny, ready to look after your child all day while you work, or a part-time nanny ready to help with wrap-around for nursery or school.
