Would you hire someone with no nanny experience but, with 5+ years of experience at a daycare?

[Anonymous]

We've got through a long interview process. I have a three-year-old boy, and newborn twins who just came home two weeks ago. It's busy, it's tough, it's chaotic, it's rewarding. I have narrowed it down to three women, and the one I prefer at the moment has NO experience as a nanny. However, she clicked with my oldest son, and I had her come to the house and she handled the twins better than I could. She has experience with multiple infants through the daycare, but I am a bit worried because daycare standards may not meet our standards. I like the other two as well, but one seems a bit dull and burnt out and the other I like, but she's a bit older and may not have the energy. I would love to hire this woman, just the lack of nanny experience concerns me.

First time hiring a nanny, please give me some feedback.

[Anonymous]

I would go with the one you like best.

[Anonymous]

Can you try out each one for a day or two? How were the refs? Sorry, but you cannot skip that step.

[Anonymous]

Yes if I like you. You may have to set your rate a teensy bit lower and work your way up but if you know how to change diapers, feed children and keep them safe and happy then I don't see why not.

[Anonymous]

I hired someone with no nanny experience AND no infant or baby experience. A year later, I'm still happy with my choice.

[Anonymous]

Someone with daycare experience may be a better choice than a nanny with some experience. Many daycares require some form of continual education and she already has a background of taking care of multiple children at once. Find out if the daycare she was at required yearly education.
Have her come in on a weekend, if she is still working fulltime for a trial day. It is a good way to see if it is a good fit for you and her. If you find she is good with the kids, but may not have all the skills you would like her to have, see if she is willing to take classes to learn those skills.

[Anonymous]

Go with the one you like best.

Daycare experience teaches caregivers all of the tools required for dealing with multiples, so in that sense she is probably more experienced. If you like her and she clicked with your son, she is absolutely the person you should invite back for a couple of (paid) trial days.

[Anonymous]

I love our daycare teachers and would hire them as a nanny if they were looking to be one and if we could have afforded it. They know how to diffuse situations, teach kids lots of skills, and they have the patience of saints. Especially since you have newborn twins, I would definitely trust the teachers that my DD has had! Plus, if it is a reputable daycare, they have already vetted the teachers.

I would hire the one you like in a heartbeat!

[Anonymous]

If you like the daycare teacher, go with that. She's got experience handling multiple kids already, and you liked how she interacted with your kids. I'd imagine that she'll be able to adapt to whatever house-specific rules you have pretty quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love our daycare teachers and would hire them as a nanny if they were looking to be one and if we could have afforded it. They know how to diffuse situations, teach kids lots of skills, and they have the patience of saints. Especially since you have newborn twins, I would definitely trust the teachers that my DD has had! Plus, if it is a reputable daycare, they have already vetted the teachers.

I would hire the one you like in a heartbeat!

Agreed! I was a daycare worker in the infant and 2 year old rooms and it really taught me how to handle situations with multiples. I learned a lot and feel it made me a better nanny. I would even say that working in a day care was much harder and much more stressful so if she can handle it I don't see how she couldn't handle multiples in a home care setting.

[Anonymous]

Experience with kids is experience with kids, regardless of the setting. As far as things like standards and expectations, those can change a lot even from family to family, and I think that with any new nanny regardless of her past experience you are going to have to spend some time clearly outlining your family's expectations of her.

So if she is the candidate you and the kids clicked with best, I would absolutely go with her.

[Anonymous]

Everyone has to start somewhere, right? I had no nanny experience but I was a teacher. I'm in my first nanny job now.

[Anonymous]

I would hire the one you like and yes, I'd definitely hire someone w/ extensive daycare experience but not nannying experience.

I would feel VERY comfortable that she could handle multiple kids and understand the realities of that. What she might not naturally know/do for you are the additional things that many nannies consider part of the job - the kids' laundry, cooking/cleaning for the kids, keeping their spaces neat and tidy, etc...

So if you hire her be upfront about your expectations around the kinds of things that might fall outside what her daycare experience covers. Do you want her to cook, clean, do laundry, any level of housekeeping, etc... Be as clear as possible so you both know, upfront, what the expectations are.

But re confidence w/ kids and experience? She sounds great. Good luck!!!

[Anonymous]

We hired someone like this as a nanny and she has been fantastic -- she knows lots of activities to do with children and is a pro at child development. She's also a wonderful person, which is why I wanted to hire her.

Hope this helps and good luck with your choice!

[Anonymous]

In hiring the perfect nanny for your family, chemistry is everything. Trust me.

What looks great on paper may not always be what is best for you and your children.

Even though she has no actual nanny experience, she obviously knows her stuff since she already has your son won over. Kids are very intuitive about stuff like this.

I would hire the one you like best.
The fact that she worked in a daycare shows that she has some job history/stability and she most likely passed a background check, is CPR/First~Aid certified as well as TB tested.
Sure working in a daycare is quite different than being a nanny, but I would still give her a chance.

Hire her ~~~~~

You will regret it if you let another family snatch her and are stuck w/the dull nanny or the old nanny who looked so great on paper, but are not suitable matches for what your family needs and desires.

Congrats on your new twins!