I'm the mother of a 10-month-old boy and four-year-old girl, I've been a full time work at home mom until a recent promotion that means I'll be working five days a week out of my home. As excited as I am about this opportunity this means I'll have to be away from my wonderful children. We've decided a nanny best meets our needs as a family, and as of now are between two lovely ladies.
One is an older woman in her mid-sixties, she has 45 years of experience and had been with her last family for 12 years. She is bilingual in Spanish and English which I love! The other applicant is a 22-year-old recent college grade, she has a Bachelors in Child Development but didn't find teaching in a classroom setting fulfilling so she has chosen to nanny. She is multilingual and fluent in Russian, Spanish and American Sign language but obviously has less experience due to age. She has only nannied for one other family, for almost two years, but I really like her.
My husband and I are having a really difficult time deciding whom is best for the job, we wish we could hire both. Many have said they preferred older, more experience nannies, but others prefer younger more energetic nannies. Anyone have any helpful input? Both are willing to make this a long term (at least 5 years) job.
There is your red flag. If she is a recent college grad at 22, then she only had, at best, a year of teaching in the classroom. Yet, she already knows teaching isn't fulfilling? I wouldn't expect her to stay with you long term with a track record like that.
The prefrontal cortex is not fully mature until the mid 20s, so she isn't unusual. I just would think twice about hiring a person whose decision making ability is not fully developed to take care of children independently.