Hire even though she wants to get pregnant?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In fact, after reading this thread, I want one of those post-menopausal nannies who can't even get pregnant accidentally.

Haha I love this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey, I'm on board with the older nanny concept 100%! Sign me up!

I'm sick of the constant phone/texting, the drama and the issues of the younger nanny, too. Plus no one at any age could have less energy than my daughter's current 25 year old nanny.


BTW I know it's terrible to say but I would never hire a nanny who told me she was planning to get pregnant. In fact, after reading this thread, I want one of those post-menopausal nannies who can't even get pregnant accidentally.

Those post menopausal nannies are the ones sitting on their ass at the park, talking on the phone and to other nannies, yelling at your kids from the bench. They are the ones with short fuses berating children at story time for doing nothing more than behaving like kids will. They are the ones that are jaded by many years in this industry, and mostly in it because this is all they can do. They are the ones only interested in hanging out at the park with their nanny friends and not planning any actual enrichment. You can be lazy about screening and training your employees by hiring based on stereotypes, or you can actually figure out what it is that you want in a candidate and work to find it, realizing that that nanny could be 20 or she could be 60.

Calm down. Regardless of what you think of as a stereotype, older nannies cannot get pregnant and did grow up in an era where there were no cell phones or need for immediate/constant communication. Those are facts. I'm sure lazy nannies can be found in all age groups so don't feel so threatened. But a lazy older nanny still cannot get accidentally knocked up!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey, I'm on board with the older nanny concept 100%! Sign me up!

I'm sick of the constant phone/texting, the drama and the issues of the younger nanny, too. Plus no one at any age could have less energy than my daughter's current 25 year old nanny.


BTW I know it's terrible to say but I would never hire a nanny who told me she was planning to get pregnant. In fact, after reading this thread, I want one of those post-menopausal nannies who can't even get pregnant accidentally.

Those post menopausal nannies are the ones sitting on their ass at the park, talking on the phone and to other nannies, yelling at your kids from the bench. They are the ones with short fuses berating children at story time for doing nothing more than behaving like kids will. They are the ones that are jaded by many years in this industry, and mostly in it because this is all they can do. They are the ones only interested in hanging out at the park with their nanny friends and not planning any actual enrichment. You can be lazy about screening and training your employees by hiring based on stereotypes, or you can actually figure out what it is that you want in a candidate and work to find it, realizing that that nanny could be 20 or she could be 60.

+1

Aside from the pregnancy issue, lazy nannies come in every age, shape, and form. I'd say it's really split 50-50 in my community for young vs. old lazy nannies - the ones who shout at the kids and gossip all the time and don't really look like they're enjoying their jobs. Combined I'd say they make up about 50% of the nannies I see regularly; the other half are all ages but engaged, loving, and happy at work. You really can strike gold or gunk no matter what age you're hiring at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP what were you getting at when you asked this question? I'm a married nanny in my mid 20's. I would hope that if I find myself looking for a job that I am not facing such prejudice. I do intend to start a family in the near future, but I do not feel that it is any business of a prospective employer, and I would not answer any direct questions about it. Your question was more vague, and I would have answered it from a more career plans perspective than personal plans. Also, women of childbearing age get pregnant accidentally. You cannot truly plan for this, so please do not resort to stupid stereotypes to make your hiring decisions. Age means literally nothing.

I asked it because I wanted to know if she was going to stay around or did she plan to travel or move or leave to go to school etc and then also I ask it because I like to know if they plan to be career nannies or if they are just doing this for cash and then will pursue something else. Childcare is a job of opportunity a lot of time, easy money, and I really don't want to hire someone who is only looking for work until someone else calls them for an interview.

[Anonymous]

Little tip potential nannies, if you plan to have children in the next 5 or so year, please do not become a nanny. You can make the same money being a secretary or office manager and not have such a negative impact on families lives. I've been burned by a nanny who decided to get pregnant before and I really did not appreciate it. Think of others when applying to become a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Little tip potential nannies, if you plan to have children in the next 5 or so year, please do not become a nanny. You can make the same money being a secretary or office manager and not have such a negative impact on families lives. I've been burned by a nanny who decided to get pregnant before and I really did not appreciate it. Think of others when applying to become a nanny.

Perhaps all women in any industry should just stay home while they're of childbearing years? So many families only want a nanny for a year or at most two, that I really don't see how this is a problem. Many also are amenable to the nanny bringing her child along for a reduced rate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Little tip potential nannies, if you plan to have children in the next 5 or so year, please do not become a nanny. You can make the same money being a secretary or office manager and not have such a negative impact on families lives. I've been burned by a nanny who decided to get pregnant before and I really did not appreciate it. Think of others when applying to become a nanny.

Point of interest - not everyone wants or needs a nanny who can make a five year commitment. In fact, that's quite rare; typical agency contracts are for twelve months. And I hate working in an office but love nannying - you're telling me to quit a job I love and do well because I could make similar money elsewhere? Why? As long as everyone is honest about their needs and wants from the beginning you must understand, not every family's situation is the same as yours.

[Anonymous]

Discriminating against an employee based on arbitrary traits is both low character and illegal. Women in every profession are at a disadvantage simply because they were born with a cervix. Some of the MBs commenting here are hard working professionals who would defend their right to be treated equally. In college I waitressed until the last week of my pregnancy. I took two weeks of leave and returned to both my courses and my job. In sum, a vagina is not a disability, please stop treating it like one.

[Anonymous]

MB are you not willing to give you nanny any maternity leave? Plenty of nannies have children. Can you change your paradigm and consider that having a baby is not the end of your nannies career?

Do you think your employer assumes you will quit working if you plan to expand your family? I Just think there is more than one way to frame the situation. From the limited context of your post it seems like you can't imagine her staying with you after she has a family.

[Anonymous]

If someone were to tell me that they were planning on having a family soon, I would pass on them. Sure, they could still be great at the job, but there are too many what ifs to deal with and think about for the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MB are you not willing to give you nanny any maternity leave? Plenty of nannies have children. Can you change your paradigm and consider that having a baby is not the end of your nannies career?

Do you think your employer assumes you will quit working if you plan to expand your family? I Just think there is more than one way to frame the situation. From the limited context of your post it seems like you can't imagine her staying with you after she has a family.

There is a difference between a nanny and a professional. A company can handle having an employee take maternity leave, a family trying to make ends meet can not.

[Anonymous]

14:17: I would say the purpose of the interview is to clarify the what ifs.

[Anonymous]

Either parents, as employers, and nannies, as employees, want to be treated as professionals or not. If you want your nanny to take you seriously then observe the laws put in place to protect women's interests in the work place, including maternity leave. Otherwise, why should she treat with with the same respect she would a corporate job? Perhaps she need not arrive on time or perform her job to the best of her ability, it's not like this is a 'real' job right? At 'real' jobs laws like family and medical leave are enforced.

[Anonymous]

There are plenty of valid arguments to be made without denigrating nannies to something less than a professional.

[Anonymous]

I used my paid vacation as maternity leave. Cost the parents nothing extra.