Nanny Professional Development

[Anonymous]

Nannies: have you taken any professional training in the DC area to expand your skills? Outside of CPR, what certifications are valuable to have? Are any of them NOT worth paying for?

Also, is anyone familiar with the English Governess and Nanny School? If so, what are your thoughts about the value of attending?

[Anonymous]

Hahaha...that's funny..governess school...how pretentious

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nannies: have you taken any professional training in the DC area to expand your skills? Outside of CPR, what certifications are valuable to have? Are any of them NOT worth paying for?

Also, is anyone familiar with the English Governess and Nanny School? If so, what are your thoughts about the value of attending?

Be a nanny take many years of her life each day we learn something new,you don't need take a class ,you just have to love kids and good personality .

[Anonymous]

The Breast Feeding Center of Washington offers a ton of classes. If you volunteer they allow you to take classes for free. Nannies don't get the cheaper rate listed for parents so its worth volunteering if you have time. They have classes on developmental stages, newborn care, sleep training, and more.

http://breastfeedingcenter.org/class-calendar/

[Anonymous]

There sure are a lot of nannies on DCUM ranting about being professionals with credentials and such. Seems like this would be the time to speak up.

[Anonymous]

Montgomery Child Care Associates offers classes.

[Anonymous]

I got my masters degree in Early Childhood Development - I know that's a bit more involved than you wanted by I'm sure even a few graduate school classes would help you (and your charges).

I'm also learning infant sign language now.

[Anonymous]

I think CPR/First Aid training and certification is important and now that summer is approaching perhaps some swimming certifications as well.

Baby sign language is good if working with infants, but pretty much being a good nanny is all about experience, personality and chemistry.

I don't see how learning about a child's development from a textbook would make a good nanny. I would much prefer to hire someone who actually experienced these stages first-hand themselves such as a parent who has already raised their own children successfully.

Also, they must have a good personality. Meaning someone who is upbeat, has a great sense of humor, loves to laugh and has great positive energy to boot.

One can have a Ph.D. in Child Development and have all the certifications on the planet, but if they have no patience and cannot laugh at life in general, then they are not the type of nanny for my child.

Personality and chemistry are much more important than some degree from some hoity toity British Nanny School.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think CPR/First Aid training and certification is important and now that summer is approaching perhaps some swimming certifications as well.

Baby sign language is good if working with infants, but pretty much being a good nanny is all about experience, personality and chemistry.

I don't see how learning about a child's development from a textbook would make a good nanny. I would much prefer to hire someone who actually experienced these stages first-hand themselves such as a parent who has already raised their own children successfully.

Also, they must have a good personality. Meaning someone who is upbeat, has a great sense of humor, loves to laugh and has great positive energy to boot.

One can have a Ph.D. in Child Development and have all the certifications on the planet, but if they have no patience and cannot laugh at life in general, then they are not the type of nanny for my child.

Personality and chemistry are much more important than some degree from some hoity toity British Nanny School.

While I did not attend this nanny school, I did attend a nanny school in the past. Part of the day was spent with some wonderful teachers who taught us everything about childcare, we also spent part of our day in a preschool for hands on learning and then we spent a few months with a family being monitored each week.

[Anonymous]

I have a college degree in an unrelated field but have taken 15 graduate school credits in Early Childhood Development. The classes were amazingly helpful and it's great to know why a child behaves in a certain way and the best way to handle changes/problems. Yes, obviously, a great personality and experience is most important but no one would go to a doctor who didn't go to medical school or a teacher who didn't go to college.

If you have a college degree, I would suggest your check into graduate school programs in ECD. If you don't have a degree then undergraduate classes in ECD at community college are invaluable and impress potential employers.

[Anonymous]

I have taught myself to speak 2 languages, play 2 instruments, and baby sign language. I've also taken newborn care, potty training, and positive discipline classes. I also think it is important for nannies to take the time to actually learn to be a professional. I've done resume and cover letter workshops, interview skill workshops, and done lots of research on successful negotiation strategies. All the certifications and education in the world don't help much if you can't present yourself as a professional and ask for what you're worth.

[Anonymous]

I would not pay any nanny more then $15/hr unless they had some additional training. There was a time when you could get a great job with a high school diploma. Now you can barely find a decent one with a four year degree. Similarly, the nanny profession has evolved. I would expect anyone who wants higher pay to put something extra on the table: certificate in kids nutrition or fitness, ECD, a second language and demonstrated ability to teach it to children in a structured way, a previous sports coach who will take my son to the soccer field several times per week, etc. CPR/First Aid does not command higher pay, just like you can't pay a few bucks less for a doctor who skipped a intro to biology, it is a basic job requirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not pay any nanny more then $15/hr unless they had some additional training. There was a time when you could get a great job with a high school diploma. Now you can barely find a decent one with a four year degree. Similarly, the nanny profession has evolved. I would expect anyone who wants higher pay to put something extra on the table: certificate in kids nutrition or fitness, ECD, a second language and demonstrated ability to teach it to children in a structured way, a previous sports coach who will take my son to the soccer field several times per week, etc. CPR/First Aid does not command higher pay, just like you can't pay a few bucks less for a doctor who skipped a intro to biology, it is a basic job requirement.

Yes we know there are parents like you who are never going to pay more than $15/hour, and you can kindly take that shit elsewhere. I'm not sure why you needed to come on this thread to discourage people. No one said anything about commanding higher rates because of a CPR certification. At $15/hour you can let go of your visions of grandeur. You'll be lucky if your nanny speaks English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not pay any nanny more then $15/hr unless they had some additional training. There was a time when you could get a great job with a high school diploma. Now you can barely find a decent one with a four year degree. Similarly, the nanny profession has evolved. I would expect anyone who wants higher pay to put something extra on the table: certificate in kids nutrition or fitness, ECD, a second language and demonstrated ability to teach it to children in a structured way, a previous sports coach who will take my son to the soccer field several times per week, etc. CPR/First Aid does not command higher pay, just like you can't pay a few bucks less for a doctor who skipped a intro to biology, it is a basic job requirement.

Yes we know there are parents like you who are never going to pay more than $15/hour, and you can kindly take that shit elsewhere. I'm not sure why you needed to come on this thread to discourage people. No one said anything about commanding higher rates because of a CPR certification. At $15/hour you can let go of your visions of grandeur. You'll be lucky if your nanny speaks English.

Why should someone pay more than $15 an hour if they have done nothing to further their skills? If you were a newer nanny who had never taken anything beyond a CPR class, why should I pay you more than that?
When I started taking care of children many, many moons ago, I wasn't making much more than minimum wage per hour. And that was back when it was in the $3 an hour range. But I got the skills I needed to become a better nanny. I took classes, volunteered to work with children, did a lot of reading to educate myself in what was going on in the world of childhood education. Now, with my experience and skills, I get paid a lot more than $15 an hour. Now, you want to tell me some girl with maybe 2 years of experience and has not done anything to improve her skills should be paid what I get paid? I don't think so.

[Anonymous]

11:37, if you don't have the basic reading skills to comprehend the PP described when they WOULD pay more then you are the type of nanny not even worth the $15. Honestly, I am a nanny and I hate that someone like you would imply the rest of us are also entitled and immature. I do make more than $15 because I have a professional portfolio of verifiable skills from accredited sources.