Do you let your nanny drive your kid?

[Anonymous]

Do you let your nanny drive your kid? I feel nervous about it, but I think it's something I need to get over. If you were initially nervous, how do you get over your fear? I'm not sure if my fear is in the actual driving or the nanny watching 2 running like crazy 18 month olds in big public places. Right now they only walk places in our neighborhood, but would I think they would like to get out and about more.

Second, what did you do about carseats? Take them in and out of your car each day or buy separate for nanny?

Please help!!!

[Anonymous]

At my previous position I had to take out both car seats from moms car and put them in my car. It was time consuming, annoying and they were heavy. When it was time for me to leave, I would have to place them back in moms car.
My current position has given me my own car seat that I keep in my car. This is soooo much better. I would suggest getting extra car seats. No need to be new though, they can be used.

And how long has your nanny been working for you? Has she driven other kids around before? Is she comfortable driving with kids? Maybe start by letting her go close by, maybe to the park or somewhere they would normally walk to.

In my previous position I had total autonomy as to where I could take my charges and I found that very nice.

Just start of slowly maybe 1-2 times a week close by.

[Anonymous]

When we got a nanny for our twins, we knew we wanted someone that would be with us for many years and would therefore need to drive. We picked a nanny with a clean driving record and a safe car. We bought two car seats for her and she basically just keeps them in her car all the time. I don't know how old they were when she first started driving them because I can't think of the first thing they did outside the house, but it was basically right from the start. Am I nervous about it? Sure, because something could happen to my children any time. But I'm also nervous when my husband takes them to visit his parents and I stay at home. Or when they're at school. Or even when they're asleep in our house at night. I guess I figure as much as I want to protect them from everything in the world, I can't, so it's not something I dwell on. I can't even think of all the awesome things they have been able to do in the last few years since our nanny drives them. I make it clear to her that she is not to use her phone for any reason while driving. If someone calls her for an emergency I want her to pull over. Once I know she texted me (I'm guessing at a red light) on the way home from something and I made it abundantly clear that that did not fly. If the car is on, the phone is off. Period. I think our nanny is infinitely happier with being able to take our kids all over the place. And I think the kids are happier, too.

[Anonymous]

My nanny drives - we have a car for the nanny with car seats installed. We checked her driving and criminal record. She started out driving close places first and then further. We need a nanny that drives since my kids are older now but she has been driving them since they were really young.

[Anonymous]

Of course our nanny drive my kids! We bought her two car seats and she was gracious enough to keep them in her car. Nanny has a better driving record thAn I do and has been driving for twice as long!

[Anonymous]

I only take positions that provide a car (live-in), car seats, and allow driving by eight months. Most nannies expect to either use public transport or drive by one year.

[Anonymous]

We have a "kid car" where the carseats stay installed. Nanny drives her car to work, but drives the minivan at work.

The alternative is to buy seats for your nanny's car. What you can't do is require that they never be removed; she may need her backseat from time to time. So you also have to trust her to install them correctly.

It is a big leap of faith to let your kids go anywhere with someone else, particularly in the car, statistically the most dangerous thing we do regularly. But you have to do it. It is part of learning to be a mother to acknowledge your anxiety, accept the real risks the world represents, and let your kids go out in it with loving, trustworthy, competent caregivers anyway.

And it is far better to do it now than to keep waiting for some magical day in the future when you feel "ready." I promise that after they come home safe the first time, it will be so much easier after that.

[Anonymous]

Don’t most accidents actually happen in the home anyway?

Plus I feel being a pedestrian is a lot more dangerous than driving a vehicle since young children are so small.

Yes, by all means let your Nanny drive the kids!
Eventually the Nanny may be bored of the daily same old places & will want to visit other places.
And your children will have much more exposure to new places which is a bonus!

[Anonymous]

It would be the height of stupidity to hire a nanny that you don't allow to drive your children.

[Anonymous]

Yup, I let nanny drive the kids. When it was only periodically (the few times she would watch DD at our house instead of the nanny share) I would switch car seats. But that becomes a huge pain. Now that nanny share is based at our house, and she will need to drive to do things like go to park/story time, I am just going to buy her a lightweight (Evenflo Tribute) carseat. I don't want to have to switch seats every day, what a pain!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would be the height of stupidity to hire a nanny that you don't allow to drive your children.

Ok troll (insert sarcasm and eye roll). No need to respond in unhelpful ways.

OP - are you more concerned about driving or the kids being in crowded public spaces? Seems more like the second with questions about logistics. We allowed outings starting when your oldest was about 12 months, and they started small and then grew based on comfort level of us and the nanny. We did buy an extra car seat - installing and uninstalling daily is a PAIN. We bought a cheaper Graco seat (still safe, but without the bells and whistles as our Britax).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It would be the height of stupidity to hire a nanny that you don't allow to drive your children.

+ 1

[Anonymous]

Nanny needs to drive
Have a clean driving record
No texting or talking on the phone
You need to trust
Or you take kids to classes
I don’t think nanny needs to walk marathons
How about when it pours or snows