Which nanny to hire 6 years or 20?

[Anonymous]

I'm hoping to get actual responses here. I asked elsewhere and that has just turned info bickering.
I am a first time mom due in February.
We want a nanny and are down to two people.
We like both women.

One is a career nanny .Has worked for five families over 20 years with great references.

Two has 6 years of experience with kids half in daycare and half as a nanny. She's only been with her nanny families a year. So three families, but they have nothing bad to say about her. She doesn't plan on being a nanny long term. Two years and she has plans to complete her masters, and is taking prereq classes now.

We don't know how long we are going to have a nanny it will be at least two years.
We are paying the same no matter who we hire.
Seems like both have similar experience caring for babies and toddlers.

So why would you hire one over the other?

Pros and cons

[nannydebsays]

I wish I could just tell you hire X over Y because this and that, but I can't. It truly comes down to who is a good "fit" and that's hard to dissect when I know nothing more than you posted.

That said, I think there are several considerations here:

Do you want a nanny who can also be a "parenting coach" as you transition from a couple to parents?

Do you want a nanny who is capable of self-management, or do you want to be more of a hands-on manager who calls all the shots?

Which nanny do you feel has a childcare philosophy that matches yours at this time?

Which nanny do you think will be more willing to flex her childcare practices to fit your preferences as they evolve?

Which nanny do you feel will stay as long as she is needed?

Which nanny can wait to start working for you after your baby is born/after your maternity leave ends? You are asking someone to wait 4 - 6+ months to start. who can survive that wait without seeking a job that starts sooner?

Who do you feel most comfortable with? Who can you picture in your mind welcoming you home with your baby in her arms in 8/12/18 months?

So whichever nanny best fits your answers to these questions may be the best nanny for your family. Best of luck!

[Anonymous]

Brand new moms are the worst to work for, you would probably have better luck with the 20 year nanny because she is more likely to put up with everything.

[Anonymous]

I would go for the 20 year exp nanny just because the other may not be as passionate about the job. What does your instinct say?
Also I've worked with new moms twice and both were awesome, so I don't know what all the grouchy posters are mad about.

[Anonymous]

I would go with the one with the 20 years of experience.

Pros:

She obviously has more "Nanny" experience which is more suited for the job vs. daycare experience. Also, you stated she has great references while the other nanny's references had nothing bad to say about her. That speaks volumes right there. Also, she sounds more like she is going to stick around longer and takes her job as a nanny more seriously vs. the other nanny who is simply doing it as something to do in between her education perhaps??

My gut says go with the first one.

Whoever you select, I wish you the best!

[Anonymous]

I think what is more telling is that this family can't decide between the career nanny and the one with less than half her experience.

Doesn't say much for those 20 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think what is more telling is that this family can't decide between the career nanny and the one with less than half her experience.

Doesn't say much for those 20 years.

Exactly this. In this industry numerical experience isn't all that important. I would give a young nanny her first job if she seemed like a mature, sweet, smart woman over some old "career nanny" my kids won't even like.

[Anonymous]

Career nanny. The other one doesn't plan on staying in the nanny business.

[Anonymous]

If you're hoping to have a nanny for more than a year or two, I'd go for the one who has a history of long term employment with the same family. My guess is neither of them wowed you since you didn't offer either of them the job right away. In my experience, I've been offered the job within 24 hrs if I'm going to be offered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think what is more telling is that this family can't decide between the career nanny and the one with less than half her experience.

Doesn't say much for those 20 years.

Exactly this. In this industry numerical experience isn't all that important. I would give a young nanny her first job if she seemed like a mature, sweet, smart woman over some old "career nanny" my kids won't even like.

+1

OP you didn't say anything about how either woman struck you, how much you liked them, anything specific. If the nanny with 20yrs experience didn't blow your socks off...why not? And what was it about the younger, short-term nanny that makes her comparable for you? Was she much warmer, easier to talk to, more up on current practices and recommendations? On paper there is no obvious answer to your question because it is too subjective.

It's kind of like choosing your PCP - a doctor may have decades of experience, but if they don't listen to you and communicate well, that experience won't count for much. This is a personal job and you have a lot of time still; if neither of these women wowed you, keep interviewing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think what is more telling is that this family can't decide between the career nanny and the one with less than half her experience.

Doesn't say much for those 20 years.

Exactly this. In this industry numerical experience isn't all that important. I would give a young nanny her first job if she seemed like a mature, sweet, smart woman over some old "career nanny" my kids won't even like.

+1

OP you didn't say anything about how either woman struck you, how much you liked them, anything specific. If the nanny with 20yrs experience didn't blow your socks off...why not? And what was it about the younger, short-term nanny that makes her comparable for you? Was she much warmer, easier to talk to, more up on current practices and recommendations? On paper there is no obvious answer to your question because it is too subjective.

It's kind of like choosing your PCP - a doctor may have decades of experience, but if they don't listen to you and communicate well, that experience won't count for much. This is a personal job and you have a lot of time still; if neither of these women wowed you, keep interviewing.

I agree with the bolded section.

I'm an MB and, all things being equal, I would gravitate to the candidate who stood the best chance of being with us for the entire time we could foresee wanting/needing a nanny - which for us is somewhere in the neighborhood of 5-7 years. But preceding that would be the question of fit. Do we click, do we share a similar philosophy re the care of the kid(s), do I trust him/her, does he/she communicate well with me, etc...

Sounds like both of your candidates have a good amount of experience, but they sound pretty different in terms of availability for long term tenure, and there are a host of other factors you don't mention.