Stressful Nanny Jobs are Bad for the Nanny's Health

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being a nanny is only stressful and isolating if you are doing it right. Seriously, how many nannies do you see out there "doing it right"?

Does "doing it right" mean we care about doing the highest quality of work?

Those who don't care about the children aren't nannies.
They're fly-by-night sitters, not nannies.

Too bad if parents refuse to understand the difference.

Yes. And from what I have seen most nannies don't care about doing "the highest quality of work" and too bad for them refusing to understand the difference. Nannies constantly on their phones, nannies who don't know or understand developmental stages, nannies who never talk, read or engage their charges (or who can't because they don't speak English). Sitting on your phone in the park while your charges run around bugging good nannies and parents to pay attention to them is not stressful.

If you find playing with your charge stressful, being a nanny is NOT for you.

I'm a nanny and don't even have a data plan on my phone, so there is no "being on my phone" ever. I nanny two lovely kids, a toddler and a preschooler. Nothing stressful about my day. Sure they fight sometimes, but they are loving children and I've known both of them since birth. I have them on a great routine that allows me about 2hrs a day completely to myself.I get to be outside, often go fruit and vegetable picking at local farms and plan all kinds of fun activities outside of the house.

How is this stressful again?

You are responsible for the life of a child. It is not an office job where if you don't pay attention you could lose a report. When a nanny doesn't doesn't pay attention a child can die. A toddler can run into the street in four seconds flat. A sudden spike in a fever can lead to a febrile seizure and permanent brain damage in a baby. A child can choke while eating (the DC nanny who watched her charge die in front of her in spite of performing CPR). I find the enormous responsibility of caring for a child stressful - as I should.

As a nanny, your job is more than playing with your charge.

Well said, thank you.
Good nannies and intelligent parents understand this.
They also understand the undesirable consequences of non-child related stress and the importance of avoiding/reducing it. Frequent parent-nanny communication is key. Every attentive parent should carve out the time for routine meetings with the nanny, and encourage (and model) open and honest communication, even when it's hard or unpleasant. One can always be respectful.
-OP

+1,000,000 The rest of your posters are idiots. No one said it was the most stressful job in the world but stress is stress. Very different to have the lives of children in your hands than to mess up a Starbucks order or forget to sign a report.

Those who take it lightly are horrible nannies and mothers.

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on your job. If you are working 60 plus hours a week and never have time to relax and recharge, then your job might be stresful to you. If you have a crazy micromanaging boss, then your job can be really stressful.

I take care of toddler twins and their baby brother and have been with them since they were babies. We have some crazy days (like when they are all sick), but for the most part our days are filled with lots of laughs, fun things and smiles.

My last job was a nightmare 24 hour job that I worked 4 days a week. MB was bipolar and very controlling. When you came into work you never knew if she was going to be in a good mood or a bad mood. Every morning was you were walking on eggshells before you determined her mood. I made a lot of money there, but that job and environment was incredibly stressful for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being a nanny is only stressful and isolating if you are doing it right. Seriously, how many nannies do you see out there "doing it right"?

Does "doing it right" mean we care about doing the highest quality of work?

Those who don't care about the children aren't nannies.
They're fly-by-night sitters, not nannies.

Too bad if parents refuse to understand the difference.

Yes. And from what I have seen most nannies don't care about doing "the highest quality of work" and too bad for them refusing to understand the difference. Nannies constantly on their phones, nannies who don't know or understand developmental stages, nannies who never talk, read or engage their charges (or who can't because they don't speak English). Sitting on your phone in the park while your charges run around bugging good nannies and parents to pay attention to them is not stressful.

If you find playing with your charge stressful, being a nanny is NOT for you.

I'm a nanny and don't even have a data plan on my phone, so there is no "being on my phone" ever. I nanny two lovely kids, a toddler and a preschooler. Nothing stressful about my day. Sure they fight sometimes, but they are loving children and I've known both of them since birth. I have them on a great routine that allows me about 2hrs a day completely to myself.I get to be outside, often go fruit and vegetable picking at local farms and plan all kinds of fun activities outside of the house.

How is this stressful again?

You are responsible for the life of a child. It is not an office job where if you don't pay attention you could lose a report. When a nanny doesn't doesn't pay attention a child can die. A toddler can run into the street in four seconds flat. A sudden spike in a fever can lead to a febrile seizure and permanent brain damage in a baby. A child can choke while eating (the DC nanny who watched her charge die in front of her in spite of performing CPR). I find the enormous responsibility of caring for a child stressful - as I should.

As a nanny, your job is more than playing with your charge.

Well said, thank you.
Good nannies and intelligent parents understand this.
They also understand the undesirable consequences of non-child related stress and the importance of avoiding/reducing it. Frequent parent-nanny communication is key. Every attentive parent should carve out the time for routine meetings with the nanny, and encourage (and model) open and honest communication, even when it's hard or unpleasant. One can always be respectful.
-OP

+1,000,000 The rest of your posters are idiots. No one said it was the most stressful job in the world but stress is stress. Very different to have the lives of children in your hands than to mess up a Starbucks order or forget to sign a report.

Those who take it lightly are horrible nannies and mothers.

+2,000,000 Of course some nannies are in horrific environments where the parents are grossly under-compensating and emotionally abusive. I've read where employers even push and hit the nannies, but I haven't personally known those. I did, however, know one nanny who wasn't 'allowed' to ever sit and suffered terrible emotional abuse. She died, supposedly due to some physical illness. Sure.

The Hopkins researchers are exactly right.

Nanny employers, PLEASE take note.

Do what you can to reduce Nanny's stress, and at the very least do not compound the pressure of the job by non-appreciation and under-compensation. Those families who really can't afford to pay appropriate wages can offer other things to boost their overall compensation package. Without a good nanny, you can't do your lucrative office jobs. The nanny knows if you're already making real financial sacrifices to afford her, or not. Funding your early and comfortable retirement, nor your children's full ride through Harvard, nor your Aspen ski trips should be done over the back of the hard working and poorly paid nanny.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being a nanny is only stressful and isolating if you are doing it right. Seriously, how many nannies do you see out there "doing it right"?

Does "doing it right" mean we care about doing the highest quality of work?

Those who don't care about the children aren't nannies.
They're fly-by-night sitters, not nannies.

Too bad if parents refuse to understand the difference.

Yes. And from what I have seen most nannies don't care about doing "the highest quality of work" and too bad for them refusing to understand the difference. Nannies constantly on their phones, nannies who don't know or understand developmental stages, nannies who never talk, read or engage their charges (or who can't because they don't speak English). Sitting on your phone in the park while your charges run around bugging good nannies and parents to pay attention to them is not stressful.

If you find playing with your charge stressful, being a nanny is NOT for you.

I'm a nanny and don't even have a data plan on my phone, so there is no "being on my phone" ever. I nanny two lovely kids, a toddler and a preschooler. Nothing stressful about my day. Sure they fight sometimes, but they are loving children and I've known both of them since birth. I have them on a great routine that allows me about 2hrs a day completely to myself.I get to be outside, often go fruit and vegetable picking at local farms and plan all kinds of fun activities outside of the house.

How is this stressful again?

You are responsible for the life of a child. It is not an office job where if you don't pay attention you could lose a report. When a nanny doesn't doesn't pay attention a child can die. A toddler can run into the street in four seconds flat. A sudden spike in a fever can lead to a febrile seizure and permanent brain damage in a baby. A child can choke while eating (the DC nanny who watched her charge die in front of her in spite of performing CPR). I find the enormous responsibility of caring for a child stressful - as I should.

As a nanny, your job is more than playing with your charge.

Absolutely. And there are countless other issues that could come up when children's lives are in your hands as a job. A few towns over from me, a young lady in is prison right now because a toddler died while she was working at daycare - he had a skull fracture, so they pinned abuse on her, even though all evidence pointed elsewhere - to the fact that he was a "head banger" and doctors confirmed he most likely suffered a self inflicted head injury from, say, a tantrum, which went unnoticed and didn't produce symptoms until in her care. Which, unfortunately, led to his death. But, she is still in prison because they cannot prove it one way or the other.

I have had many close calls over the years myself, as any full time parent/caregiver does, and have learned to keep myself on my toes (read: stressed out) at all times.

This job is incredibly challenging and can be very stressful.

[Anonymous]

The above poster is right. How many jobs make you responsible for the life and well-being of another human being?
A cop
A firefighter
A paramedic
A surgeon

What else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The above poster is right. How many jobs make you responsible for the life and well-being of another human being?
A cop
A firefighter
A paramedic
A surgeon

What else?

Teachers. Or have you forgotten the reality of school shootings?
Nurses. Or maybe you lumped them under paramedics.
Other doctors. Or are all doctors surgeons in your world?
School bus drivers.
Sports coaches. Children can and do die at athletic practices, coaches need to know how much to ask of their players and how to respond to distress.
Security guard. They aren't all cops, honey.
Child advocate, social worker, any attorney working on child abuse or neglect cases...

Do you want me to continue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The above poster is right. How many jobs make you responsible for the life and well-being of another human being?
A cop
A firefighter
A paramedic
A surgeon

What else?

Teachers. Or have you forgotten the reality of school shootings?
Nurses. Or maybe you lumped them under paramedics.
Other doctors. Or are all doctors surgeons in your world?
School bus drivers.
Sports coaches. Children can and do die at athletic practices, coaches need to know how much to ask of their players and how to respond to distress.
Security guard. They aren't all cops, honey.
Child advocate, social worker, any attorney working on child abuse or neglect cases...

Do you want me to continue?

Thank you for conforming that being a nanny is a stressful job due to the huge responsibility. It is not the only stressful job, of course, but yes - it is stressful.

[Anonymous]

Lol everyone in this thread seems stressed and nuts. The op was just making a damn point and you all can't help going back and forth and SEARCHING for things to argue about in other's comments. Hilarious

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have to agree. I've worked with some truly disadvantaged children and communities, worked overseas with Peace Corps, and volunteered with refugees, and nannying is the most relaxing job I've ever had. Even working at customer service was more stressful than handling a preschooler and toddler! Is it exhausting? Absolutely. But not even close, and definitely not more so, than a lot of other jobs.

Exactly. Nannying has its stressful moments, but it's not nearly as stressful as a host of other jobs and if a nanny really believes her health is in danger due to the stress of childcare, she clearly needs a new profession,