Question for the nannies

[Anonymous]

Do you find strange or "different" to reply to an add where the father is the one who posted?I understand if the post is for a job for older kids(maybe the parents are separated).But for babies I feel a little scare to reply for the job.Am I do only one who feel that way?

[Anonymous]

No. It is a bit odd because mothers usually write and respond to ads. In my experience, fathers tend to want to talk business from the get-go. There is generally less worry on their end about employer/employee compatibility. This is a huge red flag for me.

[Anonymous]

I have no issue replying to ads posted by dads. I might be a bit more cautious taking an interview with a single dad, in that we'd meet in public, and he would know that my husband is nearby, and I'd need to meet and see evidence of the children. I would also be more cautious in taking a job where dad works at home full time, but I wouldn't rule it out.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a nanny, but there are some things that my husband takes the lead on and it's perfectly reasonable. So it could be that the husband is just better/more skilled at handling a job posting/search/screening process. Or it could be a single dad. Or it could be a mom w/ PPD and the dad is trying to step up. Or it could be a gay couple or parent. Etc...

Obviously you need to take all appropriate measures to be careful, but I can think of many perfectly reasonable situations in which a man might place an ad, rather than a woman.

I actually think it could speak well of an engaged father, but since I'm not a nanny maybe that isn't actually a positive necessarily.

GOod luck.

[Anonymous]

I have no problems responding to ads posted by fathers. I have currently been with the same family for six years now and the father was the one that reached out to me on care.com. Had I bypassed him just because the mom was too tired to do the work while on maternity leave, I would have missed out on an amazing opportunity

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a nanny, but there are some things that my husband takes the lead on and it's perfectly reasonable. So it could be that the husband is just better/more skilled at handling a job posting/search/screening process. Or it could be a single dad. Or it could be a mom w/ PPD and the dad is trying to step up. Or it could be a gay couple or parent. Etc...

Obviously you need to take all appropriate measures to be careful, but I can think of many perfectly reasonable situations in which a man might place an ad, rather than a woman.

I actually think it could speak well of an engaged father, but since I'm not a nanny maybe that isn't actually a positive necessarily.

GOod luck.

OP here

You are right.It could be all the above reasons.I did not think about those.Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a nanny, but there are some things that my husband takes the lead on and it's perfectly reasonable. So it could be that the husband is just better/more skilled at handling a job posting/search/screening process. Or it could be a single dad. Or it could be a mom w/ PPD and the dad is trying to step up. Or it could be a gay couple or parent. Etc...

Obviously you need to take all appropriate measures to be careful, but I can think of many perfectly reasonable situations in which a man might place an ad, rather than a woman.

I actually think it could speak well of an engaged father, but since I'm not a nanny maybe that isn't actually a positive necessarily.

GOod luck.

OP here

You are right.It could be all the above reasons.I did not think about those.Thanks!

Nanny here.
I agree with the above.
I have to admit, I prefer talking to dads.
And I would like to add another example -mom may not be a native English speaker and dad does initial phone interviews (happened to me)

[Anonymous]

Could the parents be a gay couple? Two Dads?

I've seen a few postings written by the Dad and I wouldn't hesitate to interview for the jobs. Times are a changin'!

[Anonymous]

It did when I first became a nanny but not anymore. Dad's these days are much more hands on than in past generations so it no longer seems odd to me.

[Anonymous]

It varies. Generally, it doesn't bother me at all.
However, years ago I was looking for live-in nanny jobs, and a single (divorced or widower, I don't remember) dad with a teen son messaged me. That instance sent up many warning flags because the son was old enough where he would be driving soon, he was in school full time, and I didn't understand why they needed a live-in nanny.