Did you settle when hiring your nanny?

[Anonymous]

We are looking for a new full time nanny since our current nanny needs to move out of state. We have probably interviewed 20 nannies by now and can’t seem to find exactly what we are looking for. Maybe we just got really lucky the first time around, but I am am very curious - do most people end up settling or compromising on what they really want when hiring a nanny, or have you found someone who checks every single box on your list?

I think what makes it hard is that we know exactly what we want based on what our current nanny does for us, and maybe she just goes way above and beyond?

For example, we found one nanny we like but she doesn’t cook. She said she can make kid basics like mac n cheese or spaghetti but we would ideally prefer someone who can make more than just that.

Another nanny billed herself as very neat and organized but both of her references said she wasn’t so great at cleaning up after the kids but they didn’t care because she was so much fun.

A couple seemed great and met almost all our needs except they have younger kids of their own and can’t start before 8:30am, which is too late for us because we need someone who can arrive by 8am.

Is your nanny mostly perfect or is compromising the norm?

[Anonymous]

No, I didn’t settle at all. Our nanny is more than I even hoped for.

That said, no one is perfect. We are extremely frugal and hate waste and nanny simply doesn’t share our concern. She tries but she just doesn’t possess the gene! Other than that, she’s pretty “perfect in every way”.

[Anonymous]

PP from above. BTW, I’d go with the fun but messy nanny. Kids come first.

[Anonymous]

Our first hire was 10/10 flawless. It's been downhill from there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our first hire was 10/10 flawless. It's been downhill from there.

What does that mean?

[Anonymous]

Mostly perfect. We certainly didn’t “settle”.

The fun, messy nanny sounds great, OP. You can always remind her to help with toy organization but she should actually be teaching your kids to do it.

[Anonymous]

When there are young children involved - never ever settle.

However know that you will have to accept that whoever you end up hiring will not do things the way that you do.
And let that be okay.

Also…..your new Nanny may not be as “perfect” as your previous one > but let that be okay.
The new Nanny may do other things that the other one did not.

Good luck 👍🏼 in your search.

[Anonymous]

Wait until fall when ehanced unemployment stops

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP from above. BTW, I’d go with the fun but messy nanny. Kids come first.

This. If this nanny cooks and is really fun, let go of the cleaning and deal with it another way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait until fall when ehanced unemployment stops

First, it’s a Republican myth that unemployment is keeping people out of the work force. Second, it wouldn’t apply to nannies who earn between $20 and $30 an hour before overtime.

[Anonymous]

More nannies will come available in fall, but that’s because of preschool schedules.

[Anonymous]

I run a local nanny agency and there are SO many wonderful, hardworking, loving nannies available right now.

My advice is to give people interviews even if you are not sold based on their resume or such. I have so many clients that end up clicking with a candidate they didn't necessarily expect to.

I only move forward representing about 40% of the nannies I interview/background check/reference call, but I really love the part of my job where a nanny just looks "OK" on paper, but ends up being such a gem during the interview and I can help them find a family as equally as great as them.

Sorry you've been having a rough go replacing your nanny.

[Anonymous]

We settled and hired a male nanny.

[Anonymous]

Duh. Of course we settled. I would have wanted a Mary Poppins who also did light housekeeping for $20 an hour. Even if you can pay $30-$35 an hour, you won't get a perfect nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I run a local nanny agency and there are SO many wonderful, hardworking, loving nannies available right now.

My advice is to give people interviews even if you are not sold based on their resume or such. I have so many clients that end up clicking with a candidate they didn't necessarily expect to.

I only move forward representing about 40% of the nannies I interview/background check/reference call, but I really love the part of my job where a nanny just looks "OK" on paper, but ends up being such a gem during the interview and I can help them find a family as equally as great as them.

Sorry you've been having a rough go replacing your nanny.

I second this. My best nanny was a 50 year old with no nanny experience, no references listed. She was working a job that became too physically demanding. Her care dot com post had bare bones info, she didn't sell herself well on that page. English was not her first language and she only had a high school degree. But she had two kids, the youngest a 7 year old, so she had recent childcaring experience. She had a clean driving record and had acquired citizenship. I had interviewed almost 15 people by then. Her interview went great, and she's been a gem for years.