Nanny is 70+

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We wouldn't. We didn't. We had a third floor walkup when our first was born. Carrying a 9 month old up the stairs on a rainy, slippery day with an energetic dog underfoot? Recipe for disaster with an old person.

We hired someone in their 20's and have never regretted it.

I fell and broken my ankle carrying my baby up our stairs with our dog underfoot. Just FYI. I laid on the landing with my baby and the dog until a neighbor heard us screaming. Anyone can fall.

Right but you didn't break a hip.

[Anonymous]

OP - I think with your attitude, you shouldn't. That you would even ask this question. Others would hire her without thinking about her age. She should work for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We wouldn't. We didn't. We had a third floor walkup when our first was born. Carrying a 9 month old up the stairs on a rainy, slippery day with an energetic dog underfoot? Recipe for disaster with an old person.

We hired someone in their 20's and have never regretted it.

I fell and broken my ankle carrying my baby up our stairs with our dog underfoot. Just FYI. I laid on the landing with my baby and the dog until a neighbor heard us screaming. Anyone can fall.

Right but you didn't break a hip.

Older people break hips which causes them to fall - not the other way around. And a healthy woman in her 70’s isn’t going to break a hip.

[Anonymous]

I would.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It really does all depend on the health of the nanny. The most coveted nanny in our neighborhood is 66. She runs playgroups for the toddlers, teaches music, has an extensive child development education and childcare experience, and just has the “it factor” when it try comes to kids.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not.
No matter how great your nanny is she still won’t have the physical energy of a younger woman. It’s asking a lot for her to take care of an energetic toddler full-time. Grandparents may be old but they are also not usually serving as full-time childcare 40 hours a week.

An early 70’s woman can absolutely have the same physical energy as a 20 year old woman for the job! You clearly know some very sickly older people. My mom is 81 and runs circles around me and my siblings!! My mom also takes care of herself, has a quiet and calm home life, which gives her the daily energy she needs to chase after my kids (3 and 8) and always has.

It’s health and attitude, OP, not age. Please don’t give credence to the ageists on this forum.

[Anonymous]

I worked for a family with twins who were about 14 mo old. I just did 1 day a week or so while the parents were in residency. Their other nanny was in her early 70s and it was a disaster IMO. She was from another country, so that could be part of it--different cultural rules. She didn't have the kids on any kind of schedule for napping. They would fall asleep the second I put them in the stroller because they'd been up since 5 am. She expected them to stay awake until a mid afternoon nap which is ridiculous. If they didn't eat as much as she thought they should, she'd shove spoonfuls of peanut butter in their mouths which can be a choking hazard. I went to help with laundry and instead of laundry pods (or any appropriate laundry soap) she was using dishwasher pods. It was just so weird. It got to the point that I'd come home to find dry pans on a hot stove and walk away.

This is definitely something I'd be leery of.

[Anonymous]

Yes, Yes, yes. The older Nannys won't be hanging out on the phones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t. Age is more than just a number.

Not exactly. I'm 77. A lot of would-be 77 year olds are - how do I say it - Dead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t. Age is more than just a number.

No, it really isn’t. Health is everything.

Our first nanny was 29 and had the energy level of a slug. She was sick all the time (never let us know until she was due here) and constantly late (often by a full half hour). And the drama!!! Holy hell, it was always something with her boyfriend or parents.

Give me an older nanny (our amazing nanny is 66) and day of the week!

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t. Age is more than just a number.

Not exactly. I'm 77. A lot of would-be 77 year olds are - how do I say it - Dead.

And a lot are fit, healthy and alive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t. Age is more than just a number.

No, it really isn’t. Health is everything.

Our first nanny was 29 and had the energy level of a slug. She was sick all the time (never let us know until she was due here) and constantly late (often by a full half hour). And the drama!!! Holy hell, it was always something with her boyfriend or parents.

Give me an older nanny (our amazing nanny is 66) and day of the week!

+1

+2. Our first nanny was in her late 20’s too. All the illnesses (hangovers) and phone addiction made her tenure with us very short. Current nanny (hopefully our forever nanny) is late 50’s and amazing. Nanny will be in her late 60’s before we won’t need her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not.
No matter how great your nanny is she still won’t have the physical energy of a younger woman. It’s asking a lot for her to take care of an energetic toddler full-time. Grandparents may be old but they are also not usually serving as full-time childcare 40 hours a week.

An early 70’s woman can absolutely have the same physical energy as a 20 year old woman for the job! You clearly know some very sickly older people. My mom is 81 and runs circles around me and my siblings!! My mom also takes care of herself, has a quiet and calm home life, which gives her the daily energy she needs to chase after my kids (3 and 8) and always has.

It’s health and attitude, OP, not age. Please don’t give credence to the ageists on this forum.

You're just being hyperbolic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not.
No matter how great your nanny is she still won’t have the physical energy of a younger woman. It’s asking a lot for her to take care of an energetic toddler full-time. Grandparents may be old but they are also not usually serving as full-time childcare 40 hours a week.

An early 70’s woman can absolutely have the same physical energy as a 20 year old woman for the job! You clearly know some very sickly older people. My mom is 81 and runs circles around me and my siblings!! My mom also takes care of herself, has a quiet and calm home life, which gives her the daily energy she needs to chase after my kids (3 and 8) and always has.

It’s health and attitude, OP, not age. Please don’t give credence to the ageists on this forum.

You're just being hyperbolic.

NP here and I don’t think PP is hyperbolic at all. If you don’t think ageism exists you’re living in a dream bubble that will burst one day.

And if you don’t know any 70 yr olds who can run circles around 20 year old, you need to get out more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not.
No matter how great your nanny is she still won’t have the physical energy of a younger woman. It’s asking a lot for her to take care of an energetic toddler full-time. Grandparents may be old but they are also not usually serving as full-time childcare 40 hours a week.

An early 70’s woman can absolutely have the same physical energy as a 20 year old woman for the job! You clearly know some very sickly older people. My mom is 81 and runs circles around me and my siblings!! My mom also takes care of herself, has a quiet and calm home life, which gives her the daily energy she needs to chase after my kids (3 and 8) and always has.

It’s health and attitude, OP, not age. Please don’t give credence to the ageists on this forum.

You're just being hyperbolic.

NP here and I don’t think PP is hyperbolic at all. If you don’t think ageism exists you’re living in a dream bubble that will burst one day.

And if you don’t know any 70 yr olds who can run circles around 20 year old, you need to get out more.

You seem oddly defensive about this.