Nannying or Teaching?

[Anonymous]

My plan in life has always been to be a teacher ever since I was young. I am currently a sophomore in college studying elementary education and Spanish. However during the summers I have been a full-time nanny working 45 - 50 hours a week. I love it!!! Now I am kind of reconsidering my career to be a teacher. I think I might want to go into nannying instead. It wouldn't change any of my plans right now as I would continue my degree in education. What does everyone think? Should I be a nanny or a teacher? If I do become a nanny where should I look for the best jobs? Any advice? Thanks everyone!!

[Anonymous]

When you get your degree, you can choose which options are more attractive to you.

[Anonymous]

Nannying, while great, has its drawbacks in the long term. Keep in mind that nannying generally does not offer:
-career advancement
-long term job security
-benefits such as health care, pension, maternity leave etc.
-adult co-workers
to name a few. There are people who make this work as a life career, but those individuals are few and far between; most people end up burnt out fairly quickly. This is also, unfortunately, and industry where your age can really work against you, despite your experience.

[Anonymous]

You are going to have more benefits and more options for advancement as a teacher. But on the other hand, you don't have to deal with all the headaches of being a teacher. You also get more respect as a teacher than as a nanny.

[Anonymous]

Ex-teacher, current nanny, future speech pathologist here.

Nannying has a lot of perks compared to teaching - not bringing work home with you, no 10pm phone calls from irate parents, set hours (there were nights I was stuck on the school bus until 11pm), the opportunity to build strong relationships with the kids, lack of bureaucracy, focus on organic learning vs. test prep, I could go on and on.

But.

It is not intellectually stimulating at all. Yes I read about child development and look up new crafts and discipline techniques but it isn't taxing in any way. This suits me at the moment as my last teaching job was in a turnaround school (and I cried almost every night) but if I tried to do this forever I know I would get bored.

My advice is to finish your degree and take it seriously, do your student teaching hours, and then see what calls to you. This isn't a decision you have to make - chances are you'll have multiple careers (not just jobs) in your life - so take the pressure off, finish your education, and then find a job doing whatever you want at that point.

[Anonymous]

How much in student loans do you anticipate at graduation? I am frankly surprised this hasn't come up here yet, given the current public attention being given to this problem. Few college students have family who is willing/able to cover the price.

[Anonymous]

Op here I won't have any student loans at graduation. I got a good amount of scholarships and my parents are helping with some of it too. I am paying for part of my education but can afford it throughout the rest of college.

Thanks for all the good advice!

[Anonymous]

You may have difficulty finding a teaching position in the current market, so nannying can be a great "fall back" while you are looking... I would not tell family you were actively looking for teaching position. After my student teaching ended, my family dropped me, thinking I would teach in the fall - but I didn't get any offers that school year ended up working at trader joes and racking up some serious credit card debt before I got a full time position. Luckily I was able to move and only missed one school year, 8 years later, others in my home state who got certified when i did have given up on teaching.

I also agree with pp who stated wait till after student teaching to decide if you want to teach or nanny.

[Anonymous]

OP try to get into teaching now. Teaching is a career and nannying is a job. If teaching doesn't work out, you can always fall back on being a nanny. Parents will want to hire someone with a teaching background. Schools do not see nannying as anything more than babysitting, it won't look good on your resume if you later try to get into teaching.

[Anonymous]

I am a nanny because I couldn't find a teaching position other than day care spots that pay only $12 an hour. I was a preschool director/teacher (school only, not daycare) for over 14 years before school closed. I do enjoy nannying most days but would love to work in a public school district with a pension and respect.

[Anonymous]

I went to school to be a teacher but was unable to find a job. I subbed for 3 years before deciding to become a nanny. I wanted a steady job while I figured out what else I wanted to do.

[Anonymous]

****Please stay in school****

Whatever you do is fine, just get that degree to fall back on. I guarantee you will burn out from nannying and be glad you have that degree.

[Anonymous]

I went to school to be a teacher but was unable to find a job. I subbed for 3 years before deciding to become a nanny. I wanted a steady job while I figured out what else I wanted to do.

Don't be nanny for too long. Its the equivalent of being a waitress or working at McDonalds on your resume. You'll become even less likely to find teaching positions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I went to school to be a teacher but was unable to find a job. I subbed for 3 years before deciding to become a nanny. I wanted a steady job while I figured out what else I wanted to do.

Don't be nanny for too long. Its the equivalent of being a waitress or working at McDonalds on your resume. You'll become even less likely to find teaching positions.

So she should be unemployed?

Work at Walmart?

What is your sage advice, oh wise one, since working a job that allows her to support herself while searching for a position in her field is apparently wrong?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I went to school to be a teacher but was unable to find a job. I subbed for 3 years before deciding to become a nanny. I wanted a steady job while I figured out what else I wanted to do.

Don't be nanny for too long. Its the equivalent of being a waitress or working at McDonalds on your resume. You'll become even less likely to find teaching positions.

Only because snotty people like you think that. Being a nanny requires much more of a person than working at McDonalds. McDonalds also has a ridiculous turnover rate because working there generally sucks, and the people who work there tend to be crappy employees. If this has been your experience with the nannies you've hired, you should rethink your strategy.