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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]You'd have to first agree what a nanny is. Good luck with that, seeing that some of you think it's a warm body, while others think it's a professional with extensive knowledge of, and experience with early childhood development.[/quote]

Ok, let's talk definitions? What exactly is "extensive knowledge or early childhood development"? has read X number of books about it? Has a degree?  Has been a nanny for X years? But that's experience, not necessarily knowing the theory or latest research.[/quote]
Put it like this... I have yet to be presented with an issue I didn't know how to solve. I take the time to gather the info I need, and I know the solution. Neither theory, nor latest research, can do that for a child.

It's been continuing education and ongoing experience, that got me here. Last time I chatted with an agency owner, she grilled me with every possible dilemma she could think of. After I aced every question in the book and then some, she said, "Now why do you want to be a nanny?" As if I was overqualified to work with children. Yes, I do consulting too, for a $100/hr. Probably lots of people are overqualified to do what they love doing. It's fine.[/quote]

The problem with this is there is not one right answer to every question.  There are a lot of different right ways to do something and just because your way works doesn't mean it is consistent with the family's philosophy or the only right way to do something.  Truthfully, I'd prefer a nanny who was more open to trying things different ways and allowing us to figure out what is right for our family than one who always had the "answer."  If that means I am hiring a sitter, I guess I prefer a sitter ....[/quote]
Kudos to you for figuring that out. I think clarity would eliminate half of the problems we see here. Parents think they want a nanny, but what they really want is a sitter. Hence, my "Most Parents Don't Know What They Want" thread. Professional nannies know how to do their job. Sitters depend on your direction.[/quote]

Well but the real issue is IRL the caregiver you describe as a sitter describes herself as a nanny and that is what most parents want.  Few parents want such a high level of uninvolvment in their own children's upbringing that they want to hire a professional nanny based on your description to tell them what to do all the time.  I am sure there is a market for that, but that market is pretty small compared to the vast majority of parents who are looking for someone to be a part of a team, and work with them to come up  with solutions to problems rather than going at them unilaterally.  I cannot think of a single person I know who has a "nanny" as you describe it, including and among my wealthiest and high profile friends - but I know a lot of parents who have "sitters" based on your description and every single one of those "sitters" calls herself a nanny.  So I am not sure it's the parents who are confused here.[/quote]
Let's not get extreme. I like your "term" approach, as long as it truly is, a team approach. Most nannies would find that to be acceptable.[/quote]

In the "team" approach, at least how it plays out in our home, when an issue arises we all discuss it, and our nanny (or sitter or whatever you want to call her) gives us her thoughts on how to approach the situation but we as parents always get the final say in what she will do - and we do things the same way for consistency.  We often take her thoughts and suggestions but we also have pretty clear ideas on how we want to raise our child and sometimes she does things differently from how she wants because we have asked her to.  How do you envision the "team" approach?[/quote]

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