Anonymous wrote:I too, have found all of my best jobs through Craigslist. Many people don't even consider it as an option, but if you weed out the crappy positions/nannies on there (which can be done very easily), then you really can find a good fit. Of course, I am in SF and our area of CL is much more widely used, so that makes it easier, but as some of the other PPs have also mentioned it as a good site for them, I would definitely check it out for your area.

Craigs List here? In DC? Be sure to set up a false email for all the *creepy* mail. Scary, really. Gives new meaning to trolling.

I too, have found all of my best jobs through Craigslist. Many people don't even consider it as an option, but if you weed out the crappy positions/nannies on there (which can be done very easily), then you really can find a good fit. Of course, I am in SF and our area of CL is much more widely used, so that makes it easier, but as some of the other PPs have also mentioned it as a good site for them, I would definitely check it out for your area.

OP, if you have gone through that many nannies, YOU are the problem. Obviously, the nanny you loved was a door mat.

We looked some time ago. My DH is a good judge of character and has hired many people through his job. (I am not such a good judge.) We placed an ad. So many responses and not one that was a fit. After interviewing these unsuitable candidates, we just looked at each other like: what? Then we went to an agency, very well respected in Bethesda. We tried two, one was a princess who expected us to wait on her. We stayed around the house while she was there -- not a permanent plan, just to see how things went. The other from the agency abused our children. Two neighbors told us. Of course we let her go.

Then we contacted friends who had good nannies, and we found the "nanny connection" ie, nannies who knew each other, or were related. We hired from within that pool, and kept the same nanny for 11 years. We could not afford full time, she came about 20-25 hrs week. She was young.

A good nanny does not stay on the market very long, nor do they need an agency.