Tough Call: Which Nanny to Hire?

[Anonymous]

My wife and I recently interviewed three potential nannies. Two are great and we feel either would work well. They would be helping my wife (stay at home mom) during the daytime a few days a week.

However, my wife and I are torn between who to select.

#1: She is mid 20s with plenty of experience. She lives within 10 minutes and seems very calm, kind and playful. She's going to grad school at night so this would be a part-time daytime job for her.

#2: She is mid 35s with plenty of experience. She also used to be an elementary school teacher. At the moment she is sitting two other children/babies. She is going back to school at night so this will be a part-time daytime job for her.

We love that #1 is playful and seems to really be easy going. However she's younger than I would have preferred. #2 seems very professional and used to be an elementary teacher so she has a lot of experience with children. However, we don't like that she's sitting/nanny for so many other babies. This is due to the higher risk of our baby getting ill. #1 seems easy going and #2 seems more professional. Not sure which one to move forward with. Both allowed for a background check and they came back fine.

[Anonymous]

I forgot to note #2 has two children of her own, both pre-teen.

[Anonymous]

As your wife will likely be home a lot of the time the nanny is working, is there one she got along with better? I mean that less in terms of professional qualifications, and more in terms of stuff like similar interests/hobbies, goals, etc. This is less important when the parents are both at work majority of the time nanny is there, but having been a nanny in this type of set up, it's SO much nicer when you can have a nice chat with MB about your weekend plans while you make lunch for the kids.

I'm not saying this is the most important factor, but in a situation where two candidates are otherwise equal it's a good thing to consider.

[Anonymous]

I would go with # 1. As a mother I have a mid-twenties nanny and she is wonderful. She plays tirelessly with our son and while being professional. Not to mention I would worry about #2 having too much on her plate with school and other families. It does raise greater risk of your nanny tiring and also spreading germs.

My vote is for #1.

[Anonymous]

I would choose #1 for sure. Younger nannies are less set in their ways than older ones and since your wife will be home I think it will be better for both of them if the nanny is flexible. Plus, like you said the other nanny has other kids she cares for, including her own, and therefore runs a bigger risk of bringing germs in to your house.

[Anonymous]

OP, you don't mention the age(s) of your child(ren) so that might influence things, but given the multiple jobs and kids the second candidate is juggling I'd go with number 1.

Age doesn't determine things for me (we have a 60 year old nanny who is fantastic) but the nanny who is exposed to lots of other kids, and might have sick kids of her own from time to time, would take second place to the nanny with fewer of those factors. (All other things being equal of course.)

As someone else said, the person with whom your wife feels the most comfortable should trump everything else though.

[Anonymous]

Number 2, but as others have said, it has to be who your wife has more chemistry with. You might want to do a trial day with each of them to determine the better fit for your family.

[Anonymous]

#2.

[Anonymous]

#1. More strongly focused on your family, more open to doing things your way.

[Anonymous]

#1

[Anonymous]

will #1 still be reliable during midterms and finals? After a night of staying out too late drinking? During holidays? Next term when her schedule changes and the class she needs is only offered during the time of day you need her? These are the questions I'd be asking.

#2 has the advantage of NEEDING the job to feed her kids. That makes her more reliable.

[Anonymous]

Ignoring ages entirely, I'd pick #1. Less exposure to other kids germs is the biggest reason why.

To further explain: Nannies are expected to work when the kids are sick, unless they are VERY sick (fever, vomiting). Even then, some parents expect the nanny to work. I've shown up to work at a PT job only to be told upon arrival "oh, Junior has pink eye." and they didn't start the antibiotics yet, so he was still very contagious!

What happens with #2 if her own kids are sick? Or if there's a snow day for their school? I feel like a lot of issues could pop up in that case.

[Anonymous]

#2 Her experience as a teacher sells it for me - she knows time management, behavioral interventions that don't even look like interventions, how to bring energy to a room and keep kids in line just using her enthusiasm, etc.

[Anonymous]

Why do people keep saying #1 has less germ exposure? She's a college student...SHE'S EXPOSED TO GERMS. EVERYONE is. You go to the metro station...germs. Grocery store...germs. College campuses are petrie dishes of germs. She's probably exposed to as many or more than the woman taking care of a couple of babies who aren't in daycare and aren't exposed to much. Geesh, stop with the germ phobia already..it's creating super germs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do people keep saying #1 has less germ exposure? She's a college student...SHE'S EXPOSED TO GERMS. EVERYONE is. You go to the metro station...germs. Grocery store...germs. College campuses are petrie dishes of germs. She's probably exposed to as many or more than the woman taking care of a couple of babies who aren't in daycare and aren't exposed to much. Geesh, stop with the germ phobia already..it's creating super germs.

Because it's one of OP's concerns.