I am a nanny with bipolar. I was raped when I was 12 and about 2 yrs ago was raped again suffered post and it was triggered. My nanny family was amazing. I told them. They were doctors. At the time I had been working for them for nearly 5 yrs. The children were always safe. I had some up days and down days as my Dr's got me on the right medications.
They moved away. I started interviewing for a new job. I never disclosed my bipolar because of the stigma attached to it. I take my meds every single day. I am not someone who thinks I can function without it. The family has no idea. And honestly I feel better on the meds. I also work out a few times a week to keep my mood balanced.
The oldest child once saw a pill bottle in my purse that made me nervous. I told her it was vitamins.

OP there is no reason to share this information with an employer. The thing that matters is whether you can perform the essential functions of the job. Millions of Americans struggle with mental health disabilities, many of them in positions of power or great responsibility. Some of them may even be your MB or DB or their children. So, while stigma is very real, you get to decide whether it defines you. The only exception I would think is if you require accommodations. The nature of your work as a nanny may/may not allow for those.

Anonymous wrote:I was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder a few years ago due to a couple traumatic things that happened to me. I take anxiety medications, sleeping medication, and an anti psychotic med at night. None of these effect my job performance and without them I wouldn't be able to function. The antipsychotic is to minimize nightmares and flashbacks of the things I saw. I only have the flashbacks when I'm falling asleep or transition from deep sleep.
My bosses know and have no problem with it because I was honest and they can see in my performance.

Would you hire a nanny who is a diabetic? If she doesn't monitor and take her insulin she could pass out while watching your child even driving. This is more of a risk in my opinion than a nanny with mental illness as long as she's being treated
I wish the stigma attached to mental health would go away

Fair point.

I would not knowingly hire someone with a medical condition that would make them unable to perform the job reliably, or in whom I could not have complete confidence in the safety of my children. Uncontrolled mental illness, diabetes, epilepsy or any number of other conditions could give me concern. Uncontrolled being the operative word.

Of course, definingh controlled versus uncontrolled, and taking the word of a stranger regarding that (as one would have to when hiring - unless prior references addressed this specifically) is all murky territory.

If you were a parent, and you had two equally qualified/experienced candidates for a nanny position with your child(ren) and one of them disclosed a medical condition that raises concerns, which would you choose? We're all human and it is the rare exception that proves the rule for which candidate would get the job.

I was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder a few years ago due to a couple traumatic things that happened to me. I take anxiety medications, sleeping medication, and an anti psychotic med at night. None of these effect my job performance and without them I wouldn't be able to function. The antipsychotic is to minimize nightmares and flashbacks of the things I saw. I only have the flashbacks when I'm falling asleep or transition from deep sleep.
My bosses know and have no problem with it because I was honest and they can see in my performance.

Would you hire a nanny who is a diabetic? If she doesn't monitor and take her insulin she could pass out while watching your child even driving. This is more of a risk in my opinion than a nanny with mental illness as long as she's being treated
I wish the stigma attached to mental health would go away

Tough one.

I'm an MB.

I would not knowingly hire someone with a mental illness.

However, you do not need to disclose this.

You don't say your age OP, but I have some family experience with bipolar diagnosis and behavior. If you are 35 and can tell me that you have not had a manic or depressive episode since your teens because you take your diagnosis seriously and stick to all meds and treatment diligently, then I am impressed. If you can assure me that you are under regular clinical supervision and there are systems in place to support you should your treatment plan need adjustment, then I am impressed.

If you are 22 and you're saying that you've been well controlled since your teens then I'm a little more concerned.

Either way though, I would have to caution you not to disclose unless you anticipate needing some accommodation during the job.

Our current nanny has a mental health issue that we were not aware of when we hired her. I found out about 4 months after I hired her. I realised that she was smoking (I could smell it on her) and I had been quite specific I did not want a smoker. She said it was occasional smoking as it helped with anxiety that she also was on meds for, The smoking stopped for a while then restarted and stopped again. Sometimes she seems a bit moody and on a couple of occasions has been very emotional,once she admitted this was because she was out of medication. My daughter is very sensitive and i have become concerned that she is picking up on the nanny's moods/anxiety. I'm not sure I would have hired her if I'd known. I think the fact that she didn't tell me is a big issue. At least if you are honest then you can let the parents decide. Based on my experience, I would say no, I wouldn't hire a bipolar nanny.

Anonymous wrote:How are these families finding out that they hired a bipolar nanny? Her behavior or did she tell them?

I'm PP, for my NF the previous nanny both started acting strange and then also had a family member call in saying they were going to be unable to come to work for a few days because of a mental issue. And that was the end of them.

How are these families finding out that they hired a bipolar nanny? Her behavior or did she tell them?

Thankfully there are nannies out there like this because that is how I found my current amazing family. They let their previous nanny go when they found out she was bipolar and now here I am. They couldn't be more amazing.

So thank you bipolar nanny who's name I don't know, I owe you one for being in the right place at the right time.

I would never hire a nanny who has mental issues, I can't risk it with my kids just to be P.C.

Sorry, there's 1000000s of other jobs out there, you don't need mine and I don't need you.

My best friend of 20something years is bipolar. Yes, id hire a nanny who was bipolar and the same rules would apply as if I'd hired a nanny without a mental disorder. You prove unreliable or unstable, you're fired.

Op here this is what I'm struggling with.
I'm looking for a new job as my current family is moving in January.
Today I overheard a conversation and basically mom let her nanny go because she found out she was bipolar, and she felt lied to and didn't think she could trust her.
Got me thinking if I will encounter the same thing.
I was diagnosed as bipolar as a teen and I manage it well stick to my treatment plan.

If I had the option of hiring someone great with no mental disorders or someone great with a mental disorder, of course I'd pick the person without the mental disorder.

From the point of view of a nanny (non-bipolar) I would not disclose during an interview that I had bipolar disorder so long as it is well controlled with medication or other methods. If I had uncontrolled bipolar disorder I don't think I'd be applying for nanny positions.

I never disclose health issues unless I truly think they will have a negative impact on my job, but then again most jobs I would make sure could work around whatever ailment or impairment I had. For example, if I couldn't lift over 20 pounds due to a back injury I don't think I'd take a job working for a family who has a baby or toddler that will eventually grow to be over 20 pounds.

Moms would you hire a bipolar nanny?
Nannies with bipolar do you disclose to your employers?