Nanny here - My first suggestion would be to find someone who only utilize metro, but you're in the suburbs. An infant doesn't really need to go out much considering their nap schedules up to about 9 months. Personally, transporting a newborn isn't fun because you need the stroller, diaper bag and a car seat has to always be left in the car. I would rather make a couple more bucks an hour and stay close by (home) with the baby until they're 1 years old, but parents must provide a decent play area.

While there is nothing wrong with an infant under 6 months old relying on Nanny to entertain him within the house and yard, 6 months + do benefit from socialization and outings.

As a nanny, I often take infants on outings and not so I can socialize. Sure, it's fun to go to the zoo with other nannies and their charges, but I have also gone with just a 9 month old, and enjoyed myself because the baby was having so much fun.

I was homebound part time with an infant once, and by about 9 months old, she had tired of the toys she had and her little playroom. She would play for about 15 minutes, and then look at me, sign "all done" and crawl out of the playroom. That is developmentally normal behavior. Babies get bored too!

So, figure out a solid time frame in which you will do what is needed to feel as comfortable as possible with your nanny driving your child. Explain your timetable and what you will want to do to evaluate nanny's driving (riding with her a few times, or even paying for her to take a defensive driving class and paying for her time spent in class) to the candidates you interview in person. (You will have made the no driving issue clear in your ads!) Then move forward from there, and allow driving when you have said you will.

MB here. I don't think babies need tons of external stimulation and activities. I do think that toddlers and preschoolers benefit greatly from socialization and enrichment that, in the 'burbs, often requires the ability to be driven to places.

I also want our nanny to be able to take our kids places if needed - to the ER (god forbid), to visit a parent at work, to/from preschool, to a scheduled doc's appt, to a playdate, etc... And I hired a nanny who also does the grocery shopping for us (with and without the kids).

So driving is important to us. And it didn't happen until we had established trust with our nanny. And we were passengers with her a couple of times. And we checked her driving record and insurance and asked driving related questions of her references.

And nothing is guaranteed in terms of safety - no matter who is at the wheel or in charge.