How important is it to you to have a smart nanny?
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Anonymous
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Pretty sure I could never get away with this, but oh how I'd love I require an IQ of 130 or above for nanny candidates (yes, I get that this is ridiculous).
I just want someone who is smart - actually intelligent, quick-witted, able to problem solve independently, and find creative solutions. We've had some lovely nannies over the past eight years - bright, good with the kids, great at making the right call - but the majority of candidates (and sadly, some of our shorter term nannies) just don't seem that bright. Very warm, very loving, very capable of following directions, but needing EVERY SINGLE RULE outlined for them for every variation on a routine. Where are the critical thinking skills? Where is the ability to analyze the situation, adapt, and apply what you already know in order to reach a conclusion? I realize I'll get flamed for this post. So be it. Just wondering if there are other parents out there who find themselves wishing for the same. (For what it's worth, our smartest nanny was a high school grad with no further education. Brilliant young woman and just a gem. Hated school cause she disagreed so much with her professors that she couldn't stand biting her tongue and instead decided to pursue her own path. Super smart, super awesome nanny...who moved four hours away.) |
Anonymous
| Why don't you give an IQ test to each candidate? A word of advice, however, triple digit IQ would be too smart to work for someone with a considerably lower IQ than their IQ. God, you are an insufferable ass. |
Anonymous
Well, at least the response was predictable. So are you a parent who disagrees or an offended nanny? |
Anonymous
| I like to have rules outlined because in my years as a nanny I've learned how different people are. 1 family allows tv and snacks in excess and opposes saying no to children while another is the opposite. I can adapt to both situations but I need to know what I'm working with. |
Anonymous
| I'm a nanny working while attending college. I have a very high IQ, and honestly I get the impression that a lot of parents are put off by it. I don't think intelligence in their nanny is a high priority for many parents, and some outright avoid it. |
Anonymous
1) No one who is "smart" would be a nanny. So your plan ends here. 2) But for fun, people with a high IQ likely won't be very people oriented or street smart, so don't expect quick wit and creative problem solving of situations that might arise for a nanny. They certainly won't interact well with your children. |
Anonymous
And if they did that, went out on a limb based on what they thought to be the correct thing to do you would be here complaining that your nanny doesn't include you in the day, and is taking over everything and all that. How dare a nanny want to clearly as possible understand how you want things run in your home so they can support your parenting style!. How rude of her! |
Anonymous
A parent who thinks OP is an horse's patoot. |
Anonymous
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Perhaps my first response was too critical
Maybe OP you are an easy going employer, and don't care if your nanny steps out side of the box a bit. Not all employers are easy going, so much so that if the nanny varies a routine only slightly there is hell to pay. Intelligent people try to avoid ticking off the boss if possible, and sometimes the easiest way to do that is a phone call for the ok to do something , or to ask for explicit details on everything. At times, it is not that dramatic. It nay surprise you to learn that asking for every single rule and variation is the mark of a good nanny. It means she wants your children to feel comfortable and benefit from having consistency. It means she respects and values your role as a parent. I think that about covers it, if not I am certain you can pull together the rest and come to a logical conclusion based on what you know and what you have learned here. Cheers! |
Anonymous
| The person we hired has a lot of life skills and street smarts but didn't go to college. Wasn't my first choice. My husband pushed, and I gave in. Best decision I ever made. Our nanny can think "what would MB tell me to do?" and does that. Always has a reason for each decision made without us there to guide. |
Anonymous
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I love how people on this board think no one "smart" would be a nanny.
I'm a nanny with a high IQ. I also have a Master's Degree with a high GPA to go along with that fancy piece of paper  I've worked in my high stress field and came back to nannying because I like it better and am happy overall.
My employers highly value education and were looking specifically for someone with at least a college degree. In addition, they wanted someone who was able to think on their feet and not need to be micromanaged. It's a great fit for both of us, so I'm very happy here. FWIW, I have interviewed for a couple of nanny jobs that asked for my IQ score, SAT/ACT Scores, GPA and a writing sample. I've also seen quite a few ads that were looking for nanny who had an Ivy League Education and various other things, so you are not alone in wanting a intelligent nanny. |
Anonymous
All that education and bragging, yet you still don't know proper grammar? |
Anonymous
Sorry I'm too busy making $45 an hour with full benefits to worry about grammar on a website. Have a nice day!
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Anonymous
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High IQ doesn't always equate to great problem solving skills as it relates to children.
As PPS, have pointed out to you it is possible to reuest IQ scores when hiring a nanny. It is also possible that the things you are complaining about have little to with the nanny's actual intelligence. All in all, maybe you should refine your hiring process. If in eight years you haven't found a nanny you are 100% satisfied with odds are your methods for hiring are the issue. Maybe you should make it clear during your interviewing process, that beyond paying you want zero involvement with the nanny. Believe me, there are nannies that can and will take total charge and require little to no input from you. IMO if your biggest complaint about your nanny is that she wants to know all the household rules you should consider yourself lucky. Browse the boards, and you will find employers with real issues like nannies ignoring the kids and not properly harnessing them in car seats. |
Anonymous
With a high IQ and so much education grammar should come second nature to you, and not be something you need to worry about. You do care enough about the website to let everyone know how "smart" you are and how much money you are making. Tell the truth the reason you went back to being a nanny is not because you love it so much, but you couldn't hack it in your field. |