Reply to DD wants to be a nanny

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous] There is no advancement, nithing to really shoot for, and it can be tedious after a time. I'm finishing up school now and cannot wait to be finished nannying.[/quote]

I have hired three nannies, and I had one growing up.

The one I had growing up was older--a very highly educated immigrant who, in her new country, after a war and political crazy-shit that threw her life into chaos, was not able to find a professional career in her new country. So she came to work for my parents. Who LOVED her and had a great deal in common with her. Wonderful nanny, but it was not her first career choice.

The first nanny we hired was also older and mature--in her 50s. Wonderful woman, also an immigrant, with two growing up children of her own, who were going to college.  Divorce landed her life in chaos. She nannied to survive. She was amazing at it, but honestly didn't really have any other career options.

The other two we hired were younger women. Both college graduates.  One came from a very financially secure family who was able to bouy her economically. She also had a boyfriend in the tech industry. Loving young woman. No professional ambition beyond nannying, and I have to say, she was great at it. But I also kept prompting her about the "next phase" of her life. Nanny forever?  She seemed happy.

The other younger nanny we hired was more academically successful, went to a "name" university, etc. She was religiously conservative. Her aspiration was to be a good mom. She got married while nannying for us. She was a great nanny, and is now mom to her own little person.  Very organized, collected, socially graceful.  Happy and good with our kids.  Ran the house for us while we were busy at work 8-4pm.

NONE of the nannies earned more than $19/hour. No health care from us.  Days were long.  I don't think they would ever get more than $25/hour simply because people cannot afford to pay that much, no matter how good you are.  The best we could hope for was that they would feel we offered a great working environment and relationship and therefore would choose to stay. But I also told them point-blank, that if a better offer came along, I wouldn't blame them at all for going for it--they have lives too, after all.

In sum: Not a profession I'd pursue as my "first course" of nannying. HOWEVER, it might be a good thing to do as sort of an au-pair situation before going to college. The au pairs our neighbors had from Sweden have been incredible. Smart, gregarious, good with kids, and easily engage with our professional family block of homes.[/quote]

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