Anonymous
Post 05/10/2013 08:17     Subject: Sitter vs. Nanny

Sitter simply does what she is told.

Nanny takes full advantage
of her experience and training.

Anonymous
Post 05/10/2013 07:32     Subject: Sitter vs. Nanny
Anonymous wrote:It's different to everyone. In general, a nanny has more job related knowledge, is more experienced, and costs 20-30/hr. A sitter is usually closer to 15/hr.


A nanny doesn't cost $30/hour haha, nice try.. If that was the case then we'd all be nannies and skip degrees.
Anonymous
Post 05/09/2013 21:56     Subject: Sitter vs. Nanny
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nanny here. I read pediatric medical journals when child naps. I do the other stuff before hand. MB is a MD.

Thank you.

Because I am meticulous in every way, I leave my work place at least as tidy as I found it, if not more so. I just would not allow housekeeping duties to become part of my written agreement. Every reference will vouch for how I perform my work.

Imagine your hiring an administrative assistant. You spell out the tasks, but would you really add on, "by the way I want my Starbucks latte every morning at 10:30 sharp"? I don't know about you, but if I were her, I'd politely write you off. On the other hand, if she is a good and conscientious person, she will do her best to see to it that you get that drink, as soon as she learns how much you would appreciate it.

Sometimes it's all a matter of how you present yourself. At least with me. When you hire a professional, you need to have professional standards. That's what you're paying for, hopefully.



A written work description for an administrative assistance may outline some tasks that are part of the job, but it may also just say that the job involves performing administrative work at the direction of the principal. I personally would not consider fetching coffee part of a typical administrative assistant's job any more than I would consider making a parent's bed part of a nanny's job; those are personal favors that some want and some don't, and some offer, and some don't. On the other hand, basic child-related housekeeping is not a bit analogous to an admin assistant fetching coffee. It is so fundamental to being a nanny that it's like the admin assistant handling routine phone calls or coordinating other routine office work. If it is not specifically listed in your contract, that's not because your boss regards it as a favor that you do because she appreciates it. It is because it goes without saying that your job includes those things.


I absolutely agree.
Anonymous
Post 05/09/2013 21:18     Subject: Sitter vs. Nanny
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nanny here. I read pediatric medical journals when child naps. I do the other stuff before hand. MB is a MD.

Thank you.

Because I am meticulous in every way, I leave my work place at least as tidy as I found it, if not more so. I just would not allow housekeeping duties to become part of my written agreement. Every reference will vouch for how I perform my work.

Imagine your hiring an administrative assistant. You spell out the tasks, but would you really add on, "by the way I want my Starbucks latte every morning at 10:30 sharp"? I don't know about you, but if I were her, I'd politely write you off. On the other hand, if she is a good and conscientious person, she will do her best to see to it that you get that drink, as soon as she learns how much you would appreciate it.

Sometimes it's all a matter of how you present yourself. At least with me. When you hire a professional, you need to have professional standards. That's what you're paying for, hopefully.



A written work description for an administrative assistance may outline some tasks that are part of the job, but it may also just say that the job involves performing administrative work at the direction of the principal. I personally would not consider fetching coffee part of a typical administrative assistant's job any more than I would consider making a parent's bed part of a nanny's job; those are personal favors that some want and some don't, and some offer, and some don't. On the other hand, basic child-related housekeeping is not a bit analogous to an admin assistant fetching coffee. It is so fundamental to being a nanny that it's like the admin assistant handling routine phone calls or coordinating other routine office work. If it is not specifically listed in your contract, that's not because your boss regards it as a favor that you do because she appreciates it. It is because it goes without saying that your job includes those things.
Anonymous
Post 05/09/2013 19:00     Subject: Sitter vs. Nanny
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nanny here. I read pediatric medical journals when child naps. I do the other stuff before hand. MB is a MD.

Thank you.

Because I am meticulous in every way, I leave my work place at least as tidy as I found it, if not more so. I just would not allow housekeeping duties to become part of my written agreement. Every reference will vouch for how I perform my work.

Imagine your hiring an administrative assistant. You spell out the tasks, but would you really add on, "by the way I want my Starbucks latte every morning at 10:30 sharp"? I don't know about you, but if I were her, I'd politely write you off. On the other hand, if she is a good and conscientious person, she will do her best to see to it that you get that drink, as soon as she learns how much you would appreciate it.

Sometimes it's all a matter of how you present yourself. At least with me. When you hire a professional, you need to have professional standards. That's what you're paying for, hopefully.

Anonymous
Post 05/09/2013 17:34     Subject: Re:Sitter vs. Nanny
Anonymous wrote:Ditto on the nannies do housework. Every nanny that I know does housework. It would be silly to hire someone full time to do nothing while the kids nap.


+1, although housekeeping means different things to different people. The vast majority of nannies do cooking, housekeeping, and home management tasks that are related to children and the extra messes they make. Some nannies go well beyond that, but I wouldn't consider housekeeping and cleaning that is not child-related part of the definition of a nanny.
Anonymous
Post 05/09/2013 15:59     Subject: Sitter vs. Nanny
nannydebsays wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yikes, I'm a highly paid nanny who does whatever I think is the best thing for the child. Parents who want me, tell me they specifically depend on me for that reason. They often discuss what their doing, and ask if that's the best thing.
Does that mean I am not a nanny, in your opinion?


You've described yourself exactly as NannyDeb did - someone who does what the parents want while offering advice, ideas, etc. I don't see any way in which you could logically argue that her definition is invalid.

No, I personally do not do anything, because I was "told" to. I do only what I determine is best. But that's just me, maybe.


Wow, really? So if your employers told you to give their child 2 naps a day at specific times, and to feed that child only certain specific foods, you would ignore them and do as you determined best? Even if what you thought was best directly contradicted the wishes of the parents?

That's...unusual.

The parents have never had wishes that contradicted my own. We all want the best for the child. They trust my years and years of experience and training. I'm sure that some day I will eventually be wrong in my judgement; it just hasn't happened yet.
nannydebsays
Post 05/09/2013 15:53     Subject: Sitter vs. Nanny
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yikes, I'm a highly paid nanny who does whatever I think is the best thing for the child. Parents who want me, tell me they specifically depend on me for that reason. They often discuss what their doing, and ask if that's the best thing.
Does that mean I am not a nanny, in your opinion?


You've described yourself exactly as NannyDeb did - someone who does what the parents want while offering advice, ideas, etc. I don't see any way in which you could logically argue that her definition is invalid.

No, I personally do not do anything, because I was "told" to. I do only what I determine is best. But that's just me, maybe.


Wow, really? So if your employers told you to give their child 2 naps a day at specific times, and to feed that child only certain specific foods, you would ignore them and do as you determined best? Even if what you thought was best directly contradicted the wishes of the parents?

That's...unusual.
Anonymous
Post 05/09/2013 11:14     Subject: Sitter vs. Nanny
As silly as it sounds, I am a nanny of 6 six years. I have done house work in only one position, which was child's laundry and bottle clean up. I have never done any other housework. And I have always been paid on the upper-end of the scale. My lowest, in my first year, was 15/hr.
Many nannies do housework, but I don't think it is a requirement. I never "sought out" jobs specifically lacking household duties. I have never been unemployed and have always been offered positions before notice was up.
Anonymous
Post 05/09/2013 07:24     Subject: Sitter vs. Nanny
Anonymous wrote:Nanny here. I read pediatric medical journals when child naps. I do the other stuff before hand. MB is a MD.

Thank you.
Anonymous
Post 05/09/2013 07:21     Subject: Re:Sitter vs. Nanny
Ditto on the nannies do housework. Every nanny that I know does housework. It would be silly to hire someone full time to do nothing while the kids nap.
Anonymous
Post 05/09/2013 06:46     Subject: Re:Sitter vs. Nanny
Anonymous wrote:A big difference is that nannies do housework. Evening sitters just watch the kids and are expected to clean up after themselves.

You don't really believe yourself, do you?
People who "do housework" are called housekeepers.
(Just ask one.)
Some of them will try to keep an eye on your kid,
if you ask her.
That is NOT a nanny.
Doesn't everyone know that?
Anonymous
Post 05/09/2013 00:40     Subject: Re:Sitter vs. Nanny
A big difference is that nannies do housework. Evening sitters just watch the kids and are expected to clean up after themselves.
Anonymous
Post 05/08/2013 20:10     Subject: Sitter vs. Nanny
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yikes, I'm a highly paid nanny who does whatever I think is the best thing for the child. Parents who want me, tell me they specifically depend on me for that reason. They often discuss what their doing, and ask if that's the best thing.
Does that mean I am not a nanny, in your opinion?


You've described yourself exactly as NannyDeb did - someone who does what the parents want while offering advice, ideas, etc. I don't see any way in which you could logically argue that her definition is invalid.

No, I personally do not do anything, because I was "told" to. I do only what I determine is best. But that's just me, maybe.
Anonymous
Post 05/08/2013 19:42     Subject: Sitter vs. Nanny
"I would consider someone a sitter if they don't have a set schedule, or have any duties or expectations beyond returning the children in the same manner in which they were received. A nanny has regular hours, is expected to entertain and enrich the time they spend with children, using their knowledge and experience, and is also responsible for more than just the child's basic needs. She does the child's laundry, tidies or teaches the child to tidy his room, preps his meals, and plans educational/beneficial activities and outings. "
+1