"Professional" nanny vs. one who helps with housework

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I chose #1. These are the most important years of intellectual development in a child’s life. I want my child engaged, playing outside, and learning with a great nanny - not watching someone vacuum.

This exactly. Plus, the #2 type who’ll do your housekeeping usually has very poor English speaking skills. My friend from Spain tells me that the Spanish speaking skills of these cleaning ladies isn’t that great either.

Disagree. My child’s nanny is a former au pair who speaks very good (but heavily accented) English + fluent/grammatical Spanish (I took Spanish through college and spent a semester in Madrid). She helps with housework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There is so much more to bring a nanny than diaper changes. (However, just today I was talking about how to do diaper changes on a 14 month old that prepares him for toilet training). And yes, I draw the line at anything that isn’t directly related to the child. I do anything and everything for the child in my care which includes his/her laundry, cooking, ordering, keeping track of class and teacher payments, his grocery shopping, organizing his closet, etc. It is a very clear line, PP, and very obvious.

Out of curiosity, how does this work once the kid is fully on solids and eating the same meals as his/her parents (which any well-educated nanny should know is the best way to establish healthy eating patterns)?

This is a really good point (OP). DD eats what we eat. Usually her lunch = warmed up leftovers from what we cooked the night before. But I would love if we could reverse that a couple times a week, i.e., nanny makes her lunch while she’s in preschool, but extra portions so that DH and I eat it for dinner too and get a break from cooking ? None of us are picky eaters and would be fine with simple food

I’m an educator-nanny type and I stop cooking for my charges when they only eat what their parents eat. For groceries, there will always be things (like milk) that the parents don’t need.

I’ve been a nanny for twenty years and the distinction between duties is pretty clear and far less confusing than you’re assuming it to be. Trying to belittle the PP is beneath us all. If you want a housekeeper-nanny type, you will have absolutely no problem finding one.

But as has been asked and not really answered elsewhere, why? As an “educator-nanny type,” why would you be willing to buy applesauce and milk, but not do shopping generally? Why will you kid’s laundry, but nothing else?

If there was really such a difference between an “educator-nanny” and a “housekeeper-nanny,” why are you willing to do housekeeping chores (short of cleaning up toys used during the day) simply because they relate to the kid?

Parents who value your education should be willing to find someone else to do menial chores relating to the kid, no?

Taking care of everything related to the children is the nannies job (IMO). My priorities all fall to the child. Cleaning up after the child is part of my job. Cleaning up after adults isn’t part of my job. I have about 1.5 hours in the course of the day to do child-related chores and the rest of my time is spent engaging and teaching my charges.

Why actively teach and engage a child? Because the first three years are the most important for brain development.

If you have hours when the child is not at home then you’re not actively teaching them. Not to mention, children benefit from some independent play as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There is so much more to bring a nanny than diaper changes. (However, just today I was talking about how to do diaper changes on a 14 month old that prepares him for toilet training). And yes, I draw the line at anything that isn’t directly related to the child. I do anything and everything for the child in my care which includes his/her laundry, cooking, ordering, keeping track of class and teacher payments, his grocery shopping, organizing his closet, etc. It is a very clear line, PP, and very obvious.

Out of curiosity, how does this work once the kid is fully on solids and eating the same meals as his/her parents (which any well-educated nanny should know is the best way to establish healthy eating patterns)?

This is a really good point (OP). DD eats what we eat. Usually her lunch = warmed up leftovers from what we cooked the night before. But I would love if we could reverse that a couple times a week, i.e., nanny makes her lunch while she’s in preschool, but extra portions so that DH and I eat it for dinner too and get a break from cooking ? None of us are picky eaters and would be fine with simple food

I’m an educator-nanny type and I stop cooking for my charges when they only eat what their parents eat. For groceries, there will always be things (like milk) that the parents don’t need.

I’ve been a nanny for twenty years and the distinction between duties is pretty clear and far less confusing than you’re assuming it to be. Trying to belittle the PP is beneath us all. If you want a housekeeper-nanny type, you will have absolutely no problem finding one.

But as has been asked and not really answered elsewhere, why? As an “educator-nanny type,” why would you be willing to buy applesauce and milk, but not do shopping generally? Why will you kid’s laundry, but nothing else?

If there was really such a difference between an “educator-nanny” and a “housekeeper-nanny,” why are you willing to do housekeeping chores (short of cleaning up toys used during the day) simply because they relate to the kid?

Parents who value your education should be willing to find someone else to do menial chores relating to the kid, no?

Taking care of everything related to the children is the nannies job (IMO). My priorities all fall to the child. Cleaning up after the child is part of my job. Cleaning up after adults isn’t part of my job. I have about 1.5 hours in the course of the day to do child-related chores and the rest of my time is spent engaging and teaching my charges.

Why actively teach and engage a child? Because the first three years are the most important for brain development.

If you have hours when the child is not at home then you’re not actively teaching them. Not to mention, children benefit from some independent play as well.

When is my charge not at home? As for socialization, I bring my charge to two story times and one free forest school class every week plus run a play-group every week (not to mention various play dates where I host or stay with my charge).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There is so much more to bring a nanny than diaper changes. (However, just today I was talking about how to do diaper changes on a 14 month old that prepares him for toilet training). And yes, I draw the line at anything that isn’t directly related to the child. I do anything and everything for the child in my care which includes his/her laundry, cooking, ordering, keeping track of class and teacher payments, his grocery shopping, organizing his closet, etc. It is a very clear line, PP, and very obvious.

Out of curiosity, how does this work once the kid is fully on solids and eating the same meals as his/her parents (which any well-educated nanny should know is the best way to establish healthy eating patterns)?

This is a really good point (OP). DD eats what we eat. Usually her lunch = warmed up leftovers from what we cooked the night before. But I would love if we could reverse that a couple times a week, i.e., nanny makes her lunch while she’s in preschool, but extra portions so that DH and I eat it for dinner too and get a break from cooking ? None of us are picky eaters and would be fine with simple food

I’m an educator-nanny type and I stop cooking for my charges when they only eat what their parents eat. For groceries, there will always be things (like milk) that the parents don’t need.

I’ve been a nanny for twenty years and the distinction between duties is pretty clear and far less confusing than you’re assuming it to be. Trying to belittle the PP is beneath us all. If you want a housekeeper-nanny type, you will have absolutely no problem finding one.

But as has been asked and not really answered elsewhere, why? As an “educator-nanny type,” why would you be willing to buy applesauce and milk, but not do shopping generally? Why will you kid’s laundry, but nothing else?

If there was really such a difference between an “educator-nanny” and a “housekeeper-nanny,” why are you willing to do housekeeping chores (short of cleaning up toys used during the day) simply because they relate to the kid?

Parents who value your education should be willing to find someone else to do menial chores relating to the kid, no?

Taking care of everything related to the children is the nannies job (IMO). My priorities all fall to the child. Cleaning up after the child is part of my job. Cleaning up after adults isn’t part of my job. I have about 1.5 hours in the course of the day to do child-related chores and the rest of my time is spent engaging and teaching my charges.

Why actively teach and engage a child? Because the first three years are the most important for brain development.

If you have hours when the child is not at home then you’re not actively teaching them. Not to mention, children benefit from some independent play as well.

MY charge is always with me and independent play still requires constant supervision. Plus, she gets a lot of independent play with her parents so I’m engaged with her whenever she chooses me to be (which currently is always).

[Anonymous]

Easy solution.

Hire #1 plus a weekly cleaning service that will also do laundry (sheets, towels)

[Anonymous]

Please don’t add housework. She should clean up after she or the baby makes a mess. Get a house cleaner.

[Anonymous]

I’m really looking for a “nanny” who only shops for kid food. Ie. Milk. Yeah.

[Anonymous]

Leave the kid alone and clean up the playroom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There is so much more to bring a nanny than diaper changes. (However, just today I was talking about how to do diaper changes on a 14 month old that prepares him for toilet training). And yes, I draw the line at anything that isn’t directly related to the child. I do anything and everything for the child in my care which includes his/her laundry, cooking, ordering, keeping track of class and teacher payments, his grocery shopping, organizing his closet, etc. It is a very clear line, PP, and very obvious.

Out of curiosity, how does this work once the kid is fully on solids and eating the same meals as his/her parents (which any well-educated nanny should know is the best way to establish healthy eating patterns)?

This is a really good point (OP). DD eats what we eat. Usually her lunch = warmed up leftovers from what we cooked the night before. But I would love if we could reverse that a couple times a week, i.e., nanny makes her lunch while she’s in preschool, but extra portions so that DH and I eat it for dinner too and get a break from cooking ? None of us are picky eaters and would be fine with simple food

I’m an educator-nanny type and I stop cooking for my charges when they only eat what their parents eat. For groceries, there will always be things (like milk) that the parents don’t need.

I’ve been a nanny for twenty years and the distinction between duties is pretty clear and far less confusing than you’re assuming it to be. Trying to belittle the PP is beneath us all. If you want a housekeeper-nanny type, you will have absolutely no problem finding one.

But as has been asked and not really answered elsewhere, why? As an “educator-nanny type,” why would you be willing to buy applesauce and milk, but not do shopping generally? Why will you kid’s laundry, but nothing else?

If there was really such a difference between an “educator-nanny” and a “housekeeper-nanny,” why are you willing to do housekeeping chores (short of cleaning up toys used during the day) simply because they relate to the kid?

Parents who value your education should be willing to find someone else to do menial chores relating to the kid, no?

Taking care of everything related to the children is the nannies job (IMO). My priorities all fall to the child. Cleaning up after the child is part of my job. Cleaning up after adults isn’t part of my job. I have about 1.5 hours in the course of the day to do child-related chores and the rest of my time is spent engaging and teaching my charges.

Why actively teach and engage a child? Because the first three years are the most important for brain development.

If you have hours when the child is not at home then you’re not actively teaching them. Not to mention, children benefit from some independent play as well.

MY charge is always with me and independent play still requires constant supervision. Plus, she gets a lot of independent play with her parents so I’m engaged with her whenever she chooses me to be (which currently is always).

Oh, diiiiiiggggg.

What a b*tch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There is so much more to bring a nanny than diaper changes. (However, just today I was talking about how to do diaper changes on a 14 month old that prepares him for toilet training). And yes, I draw the line at anything that isn’t directly related to the child. I do anything and everything for the child in my care which includes his/her laundry, cooking, ordering, keeping track of class and teacher payments, his grocery shopping, organizing his closet, etc. It is a very clear line, PP, and very obvious.

Out of curiosity, how does this work once the kid is fully on solids and eating the same meals as his/her parents (which any well-educated nanny should know is the best way to establish healthy eating patterns)?

This is a really good point (OP). DD eats what we eat. Usually her lunch = warmed up leftovers from what we cooked the night before. But I would love if we could reverse that a couple times a week, i.e., nanny makes her lunch while she’s in preschool, but extra portions so that DH and I eat it for dinner too and get a break from cooking ? None of us are picky eaters and would be fine with simple food

I’m an educator-nanny type and I stop cooking for my charges when they only eat what their parents eat. For groceries, there will always be things (like milk) that the parents don’t need.

I’ve been a nanny for twenty years and the distinction between duties is pretty clear and far less confusing than you’re assuming it to be. Trying to belittle the PP is beneath us all. If you want a housekeeper-nanny type, you will have absolutely no problem finding one.

But as has been asked and not really answered elsewhere, why? As an “educator-nanny type,” why would you be willing to buy applesauce and milk, but not do shopping generally? Why will you kid’s laundry, but nothing else?

If there was really such a difference between an “educator-nanny” and a “housekeeper-nanny,” why are you willing to do housekeeping chores (short of cleaning up toys used during the day) simply because they relate to the kid?

Parents who value your education should be willing to find someone else to do menial chores relating to the kid, no?

Taking care of everything related to the children is the nannies job (IMO). My priorities all fall to the child. Cleaning up after the child is part of my job. Cleaning up after adults isn’t part of my job. I have about 1.5 hours in the course of the day to do child-related chores and the rest of my time is spent engaging and teaching my charges.

Why actively teach and engage a child? Because the first three years are the most important for brain development.

If you have hours when the child is not at home then you’re not actively teaching them. Not to mention, children benefit from some independent play as well.

MY charge is always with me and independent play still requires constant supervision. Plus, she gets a lot of independent play with her parents so I’m engaged with her whenever she chooses me to be (which currently is always).

Oh, diiiiiiggggg.

What a b*tch.

? Why is that bitchy? You said independent play was important. Her parents are doing what’s important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Leave the kid alone and clean up the playroom

Any good nanny will clean up the playroom with the child. Teaching clean-up is a part of preschool prep.


Now my question, who are you PP? Are you the OP? Do you have a nanny or are you a nanny? I’m trying to understand your hostility and purposeful obtuseness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
MY charge is always with me and independent play still requires constant supervision. Plus, she gets a lot of independent play with her parents so I’m engaged with her whenever she chooses me to be (which currently is always).

Your charge doesn't nap? Why?

Our youngest still takes a three-hour nap (all our kids were robust nappers). His nanny has no child-unrelated tasks in her job description yet I come home to a picked-up house, dishes put away, and laundry done for all the kids, all without me not ever breathing a word about housework. Plants watered. Sometimes there's even some food made. That's because she has a great work ethic and putting her feet up for three hours simply doesn't sit well with her. Because of this, she gets great raises and bonuses - as we appreciate her desire to be genuinely helpful to the family when she can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leave the kid alone and clean up the playroom

Any good nanny will clean up the playroom with the child. Teaching clean-up is a part of preschool prep.

Now my question, who are you PP? Are you the OP? Do you have a nanny or are you a nanny? I’m trying to understand your hostility and purposeful obtuseness.

A one-year old doesn't care about clean-up. There comes a point at which they genuinely want to be helpful and pleasing but it's not at age one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
MY charge is always with me and independent play still requires constant supervision. Plus, she gets a lot of independent play with her parents so I’m engaged with her whenever she chooses me to be (which currently is always).

Your charge doesn't nap? Why?

Our youngest still takes a three-hour nap (all our kids were robust nappers). His nanny has no child-unrelated tasks in her job description yet I come home to a picked-up house, dishes put away, and laundry done for all the kids, all without me not ever breathing a word about housework. Plants watered. Sometimes there's even some food made. That's because she has a great work ethic and putting her feet up for three hours simply doesn't sit well with her. Because of this, she gets great raises and bonuses - as we appreciate her desire to be genuinely helpful to the family when she can.

NP here. Both my boys stopped napping at 2. It happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leave the kid alone and clean up the playroom

Any good nanny will clean up the playroom with the child. Teaching clean-up is a part of preschool prep.

Now my question, who are you PP? Are you the OP? Do you have a nanny or are you a nanny? I’m trying to understand your hostility and purposeful obtuseness.

A one-year old doesn't care about clean-up. There comes a point at which they genuinely want to be helpful and pleasing but it's not at age one.

You start modeling behaviors like clean up as soon as they are able to focus and sit up.