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Angélique, an expatriate mother who put her career on hold to care for her children, shares her experience with the challenges of finding a reliable nanny in Luxembourg.
Over a period of three years, Angélique received around ten nanny applications. However, only one was suitable. "I know I’m not the only one who struggled", she says.
The mother of two, who responded to our recent survey on the difficulties of childcare in Luxembourg, recalls how the problems began as soon as she arrived in the country. Having lived in both Paris and London, she expected finding a nanny to be straightforward, but Luxembourg proved a different challenge.
"When we lived in London, my husband worked for an investment bank with long hours. He didn't get home before 10pm, and he was exhausted at weekends", she recalls. Fortunately, they had good luck with nannies there: "They were experienced with children, friendly, and happy to do tasks like cooking, doing laundry for the kid..."
However, things took a turn when her husband received an attractive job offer in Luxembourg with the European Investment Bank (EIB), which promised better hours and more holidays. The family moved in 2021, with no prior knowledge of Luxembourg. "My husband is German, I’m French, so we thought Luxembourg would be a good compromise, situated between our two countries," she explains.
Arriving during the Covid pandemic made settling in more difficult. "Belair, our neighbourhood, is very nice and modern. However, it’s not very lively, with few shops or cafés. Coming from cities like Paris and London, it shocked me. Here, I feel like there’s segregation between shopping centres and residential areas without small shops."
Despite this, the biggest challenge was finding suitable childcare for her 4 and 7-year-old children. "I eventually gave up. Today, I manage my children 100 percent."
Giving up
Angélique initially believed Luxembourg’s expatriate population would make finding a good nanny easy, assuming she could find someone similar to those in London – "honest, kind, flexible, and curious, making my settling in easier."
To find the right person, she joined Facebook groups like Luxembourg Parents, Nanny Babysitter Luxembourg, and asked around. "It took us quite a while", she says.
Travailler au Luxembourg et faire garder ses enfants, c'est parfois un vrai casse-tête ! / © Shutterstock
After four years, she admits to failure. "I received about ten applications, and most weren’t suitable. Two were depressed, one left after six months to return home, another took a job elsewhere, and one didn’t speak English", a language she wanted her children to continue practicing.
"After a year and a half, I met one reliable person, but she also left because she wanted more hours with fewer complex tasks", she adds. Her requirements were clear: "Managing my children means taking them to the park, giving them a bath, folding the laundry, emptying the dishwasher, setting the table... so I can focus on other things."
The lack of suitable childcare led Angélique to "give up" the idea of joining a company, opting instead to care for her children full-time herself. She has since launched her own business, trained in coaching, and specialised in preventing parental burnout.
Shift in parental responsibilities
Despite her career shift, Angélique notes a positive change in family life. "The division of parental duties improved when I arrived in Luxembourg. My husband comes home earlier, between 6.30 and 7pm. He joins us during dinner, checks the kids' homework, and reads a story to my daughter", she shares.
Les parents ne doivent pas oublier "les petits bonheurs de la vie avec nos enfants, comme faire une ballade en forêt, avoir une conversation à table" rappelle Angélique. / © DR
However, she remains critical of Luxembourg’s approach to childcare. "Around me, many parents have problems. One of my friends has been trying to find a nanny since July, and she still hasn't found anyone competent", she explains. Angélique believes Luxembourg’s focus on collective childcare, such as nurseries and homes, is more efficient from a state perspective but leaves fewer qualified individuals available for private care.
She points out that many parents, especially those with older children, are looking for after-school care. However, these positions often lack profitability for nannies. "It's not Luxembourg's fault – it's likely the same in other countries."
The rise of digital nannies: a growing concern
Entrusting children to nannies also opens parents up to criticism, especially when it comes to the accusation of being bad parents who choose the easy way out. Angélique addresses this, acknowledging the challenge but adding nuance. She highlights the increasing reliance on digital devices (digital nannies), such as phones and tablets, particularly in Luxembourg’s high-income, fast-paced finance sector.
"In Luxembourg, parents often work very long hours, and children quickly gain access to digital devices", she notes. "In my son’s class, there are ten kids, and already five of them have phones at 11 years old. They have access to devices without their parents necessarily controlling them."
She also advocates for parents to remember "the little joys of life with our children", like reading a book, having a conversation at the table, or taking a walk in the forest.
"My son is friends with a lovely boy whose parents both work. One day, I took them for a walk in the forest, and the boy was so excited, as if he were discovering a family outing. He wanted to build a hut and climb trees", she recalls. "When I asked my son what his friend does with his parents on weekends, he said his friend is usually on his video games, as his dad goes to the gym and his mum goes shopping."
