A nanny for three children costs from 185 kr per hour after RUT (the Swedish tax deduction for household services, taken off the invoice directly): one and two children cost the same, and from the third child it is an extra 20 kr per hour per child. An experienced nanny can manage three children alone if the youngest is over two. With a baby in the group, the person needs to have done exactly that before.
Half past four on a Thursday in a house in Sollentuna. The nine-year-old has football at five, the six-year-old has lost a tooth and wants to show everyone, and the two-year-old has fallen asleep on the sofa too late for the night to go well. Three children are not three times one child. They are a schedule, a logistics operation and a noise that never quite stops. Here is how a nanny works for big families, and what you should expect from the person who takes it on.
What the nanny needs
- Experience with groups. Having worked at a förskola (municipal preschool), fritids (after-school care) or a camp, or having grown up in a big family of siblings. Having looked after one child at a time is not enough.
- An overview. She should be able to stand in the kitchen, hear that it has gone quiet in the children's room and understand what that means.
- Calm authority. Three children test a new adult straight away. Whoever raises their voice has lost. Whoever says the same thing once more, just as calmly, wins.
- Planning. Who goes where, when, in which shoes. A nanny for three children needs an inner clock.
- Fairness. The youngest takes the most time. The oldest notices. She should be able to give the ten-year-old ten minutes at the kitchen table while the little ones look at a book.
Is one nanny enough?
| The children | One nanny | Two nannies |
|---|---|---|
| Three children, all over three | Yes, no problem for an experienced person | Not needed |
| Three children, the youngest one to three years old | Yes, for sessions of up to four hours | For full days, or if activities mean the group has to split up |
| Three children, one baby under one | Yes, if the nanny has experience of exactly that combination | If the older ones have activities during the session |
| Four children or more | Depends entirely on the ages and on how the children get on together | Often the sensible option, especially with two under three |
We say honestly when we think one person is not enough. A session with four children where one is a baby and two have activities is not a job for one person, and trying does not make it any better. Then two nannies, or a session placed while the older ones are at school, is what works.
How the session is planned
What sets big families apart from small ones is that the session has to be planned in advance, not solved on the spot. This is what we usually ask for:
- A schedule for the afternoon. Who goes where and when. Football, swimming school, a friend's house. Write it down, including the things that are obvious to you.
- An order for dinner. Everyone at the table at once, or the little ones first. It shapes the whole afternoon.
- Rules that apply to everyone. Screens, sweets, where they are allowed to be. Three children who hear different answers find the gaps within a quarter of an hour.
- What can happen without asking. Can the nine-year-old walk to the friend's house down the street alone? Can the six-year-old cycle to the park? The nanny should not have to ring you about that.
- Who is in charge when you are not there. The nanny. Tell the children before you leave, especially the oldest.
The oldest child
In families with three or more children it is often the oldest who finds having a nanny hardest. The child feels too big for it, thinks they can manage on their own, and sees the nanny as someone for the younger siblings. It works best when the nanny gives the oldest child a role of their own: helping with the snack, choosing the book, getting ten minutes alone with her while the little ones play. Never tell a ten-year-old that the nanny is there to look after him. Say she is there to take care of the little ones, and that he can help if he wants to.
What it costs
With us one and two children cost the same. From the third child it is an extra 20 kr per hour per child. That means three children cost from 185 kr per hour after RUT with a regular arrangement of 40 hours a week, and fewer hours give a higher hourly rate, up to the one-off rate. Four children from 205 kr per hour. The RUT deduction is 50 per cent of the labour cost with a ceiling of 75,000 kr per person per year, and since two parents each have their own ceiling, it goes a long way even for big families. The deduction applies to children up to and including the age of twelve. We take it off the invoice directly, and there are no start-up or monthly fees. You will find the full price list on the prices page.
Two nannies who both know the children
For families with three or more children and several sessions a week, we recommend two nannies who take turns, or who each have their own days. It sounds like more admin, but in practice it is the opposite: when one is ill the other is there, and the children know both of them. A cancelled session in a family with three children is a bigger thing than in a family with one, and that is what we want to avoid.
How it works with our families
Sanna has a family in Sollentuna with three children aged two, six and nine. She comes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from half past three until six. The routine she has built up: the two-year-old is picked up from förskola first, then the two older ones from school and fritids. At home the nine-year-old puts out the snack while Sanna changes the youngest. On Thursdays the nine-year-old walks to football on the next street by himself; the parents' note says that is fine. Dinner is always ready at half past five, and the six-year-old lays the table. It sounds simple. It took four weeks to get there, and it was having the same nanny every time that made it possible.
Would you like a nanny who comes on the same days every week and whom the children know? Book a free first meeting with the nanny in your home, and we will work out a price for your hours.
Read more: A nanny for twins · Sibling fights · How much does a nanny cost in Stockholm in 2026? · Prices
Frequently asked questions
What does a nanny for three children cost?
One and two children cost the same with us, from 165 kr per hour after the RUT deduction. From the third child it is an extra 20 kr per hour per child. So three children cost from 185 kr per hour after RUT with a regular arrangement, and four children from 205 kr.
Can one nanny manage three children alone?
Yes, if the ages allow it. Three children between three and ten is a normal session for an experienced nanny. A baby plus two toddlers is heavier going and needs a person with experience of exactly that. At the first meeting we see what is needed.
Do we get the RUT deduction for all the children?
Yes, as long as the children are twelve or younger. The RUT deduction is 50 per cent of the labour cost, with a ceiling of 75,000 kr per person per year. If you have a child over twelve in the family, the deduction still applies to the care of the younger ones.
How do you find the right nanny for a big family?
We look for people who grew up with lots of siblings themselves or have worked with groups of children, and who can keep order without raising their voice. Aleksandra interviews everyone herself, and for a big family she only suggests someone who has demonstrably managed it before.
What happens if the nanny is ill?
The session is usually cancelled and we offer another nanny when we can. For families with three or more children and many sessions we strongly recommend two nannies who both know the children, since the consequences of a cancelled session grow with the number of children involved.