The fresh, new installment in our 24 hour career series sees us chatting with Hailey* who is a 32-year-old nanny who lives in Belgium, close to the family she looks after.
She’s been in her current role for seven years, and prior to that worked as a nanny for a different family in Paris.
Hailey* earns around £52,000 per annum before tax and often starts work as early as 7am and often ends a day at 11pm. This is what a day in her shoes looks like…
6.30am: “I roll out of bed into workout clothes and then drive the five minutes to where I work. The children I look after are currently 10,12 and 14 and I usually eat with them before school. I have crunchy
(Lotus spread in the UK) on bread (the breakfast of champions) and some fruit and then I take the dog for a walk and have a coffee. Caffeine is essential in my job! Some days I go for a short run with my boss (mom of the children) in the local park. It’s something we started during the very first lockdown and have now continued to do.”
7.55am: “The kids are driven to school by their parents, but I have to answer a barrage of questions before they leave. Things like ‘Where can I find my swimming costume? Do we have any headphones?’ or that their teacher has asked them to bring in an empty glass jar, a candle, and a plastic bag for a craft. I answer these whilst reminding them not to forget their lunch or their homework.”
10am: “I spend the mornings completing any errands for either myself or the family. I will also do the food shop whilst the children are at school, swap any washing over or fold clothes to be put away. A typical day includes jobs like such collecting parcels, or dropping things off at the post
office. I might also go and buy things that the children need if necessary like new football boots or
shoes etc. I walk the dog a few more times during the day too.”
“Before I got into nannying, I studied Sociology at University, and have a masters in Childhood in Society. All of my jobs since I was 16 have been within childcare sector – I worked as a nursery assistant and then a deputy manager at a before and after school club. I moved to Paris for six months initially as an au pair and to have a break from studying and then realised I could earn more money so decided to look for nanny jobs anywhere in Europe. Interviewed with the family I work for now and then met them for a weekend, and have been here ever since!”
3.30pm: “I collect the younger two children from school, the eldest comes home on the bus
because being a teenager and having a nanny isn’t cool. We then all have a 4 o’clock snack
together which is usually cookies and fruit. I’ll then supervise their homework. Three children who all need different things can be difficult, as they have got older their schedule has also changed which means more planning and trying to fit everything in to keep them all happy. Managing their (and mine) emotions can be hard too.”
6.30pm: “We eat dinner, sometimes with their parents too depending on the schedule. I cook for us and it’s usually something like spaghetti bolognese, ribs or potatoes with salad. Thankfully the parents, and the children, aren’t opposed to takeaway pizza or fries sometimes either!”
“This is the time when all the stories from school are told, and again asked a lot of questions ranging from football to sex education to would you rather have feet as hands or hands as feet. Over the years I
have become well practised in knowing how to answer questions sensitively and age appropriately,
but also making sure the children know they can ask anything at the dinner table, also something
we have renamed the ‘circle of trust’.”
7pm: “I get home anytime between 7pm and 11pm, depending on how late the parents get home and if I need to babysit. Sometimes I stay later and chat with the parents, after seven years they’re more like friends. Otherwise I come home and either watch Netflix or tidy my own home. The schedule can be tough. Pre-pandemic both parents travelled a lot so I was in charge of three children, a household and everything in between.”
11pm: “I usually head to bed about 11pm. I adore my job, but, for me, it’s not a job I’d want to do forever. After this family no longer need a nanny I am definitely done nannying. I’m not sure of my long-term plan after, but I’d still definitely like to work with children. Teaching in some capacity in Europe would be the dream, but I’d need to study again for a PGCE, but that’s definitely possible to do whilst I am still working…”
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