Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You expect a $12 nanny to do the work of a $30 nanny... But still be paid $12??? This idea sucks, big time. You are basically advertising "job creep", what nanny would want to work with you???

As a very highly paid nanny I can tell you for a fact my job is not harder or more involved than a $12 an hour nanny. My experience commands my high salary, not the fact that I work harder or do more. I am not a maid or cook, just a nanny with lots of experience.

Anonymous wrote:To all: thank you so much for all of this input! It is quite hard to get an entire concept out in a brief discussion topic on a forum with people dissecting it, but it's good to see how this concept is percieved. I'll try to put it another way without creating the animosity.

I have worked in a corporate job and in that setting, advancing your career and always learning is a plus. For some reason, in this industry we equate getting better with becoming too expensive. I'd like to change that. I'd like to change the level of service nannies provide for the betterment of the children. IMO we need to break down the walls between good employers and nannies and create productive relationships.

I'm realizing that the title of this post was all wrong. If your nannies aren't coming up with lesson plans for activities in the summer, goal lists, and supplemental material for books/movies/activities/etc - I believe they should. The families I have met can't pin point a price on their child's happiness and advancement. Once they see the level of service I provide and will pass on, they always ask "where can I find one of you?", and that is where Avant Nanny comes in. This business is for families who want a nanny that gives something that is not the norm. This is about providing a new standard of service, so it is not a slap in the face to a nanny to bring Avant in, it is instead a chance to advance their career in order to better provide for the family they work for.

I don't think this business is for everyone. For the families I have met, those that care to provide not just safety but enrichment along with their childcare - this service is unparalleled.

Anonymous wrote:The nanny pool, unfortunately, is largely composed of people who alternately would work retail. There, they would get all kinds of direction. "Do this, then that. This is the procedure for this. Wear this earpiece so I can whisper to you what to do at all times. Bring all your stuff in a clear purse so I can see if you are stealing." At a nannying job, these same people become the authority for little kids. Parents give overall guidance but often 1. are not the best managers for dealing with this type of people and 2. are not around to see what is being done wrong. I can see the benefit in this but the only problem is that people won't be willing to pay much for this service. The only thing people kind of pay for, is if they can't find someone good, then they pay a referral fee to get someone good. Even that is going out of style. How are you going to prove your worth to the parents (the paying people) so that they will pay for your service?

Anonymous wrote:You expect a $12 nanny to do the work of a $30 nanny... But still be paid $12??? This idea sucks, big time. You are basically advertising "job creep", what nanny would want to work with you???

Anonymous wrote:To the poster who asked what I teach nannies to do/provide: Avant Nanny helps nannies tailor a curriculum for each individual child based on their needs/interests/goals/level. That is the main concept, providing a new service much like what children receive in the classroom on an appropriate level that promotes enrichment outside of school. Think worksheets (math, reading comprehension, writing, etc), projects (ex: go to National Zoo, research and complete a diorama on their favorite animal), and day to day activities (if they watch a movie they will then complete a synopsis or answer questions, again baed appropriately on age and level).

Again, I apologize for not making this clear before. This is not a scam or a ploy - I wanted to put this out there to two random families because I wanted an unbiased proof of concept on this. The people I have met see the value in me and this venture and while their opinions are important to me, I wanted to start from scratch in order to fully realize what this business is capable of.

To those that do not see the value in this, I completely respect your opinion and I would hope you would share that mutual respect in your responses.

I think my experience as a nanny as been very different from many, I think of nannying as my career and I treat it as such. I am open with my employers and I appreciate everything they have done for me. I respect them and I know they respect me and maybe that is the only model in which this business works. Otherwise this becomes about mistrust and bettering someone to one party's advancement and subsequently hurting another. This is about mutual growth in the best interest of the children. I aspire to be on a career path that promotes growth, inspiration and stellar service. I think we need a coach to start breeding this atmosphere. I don't mean to offend anyone with my suggestions and I think all nannies are capable of providing this level of enrichment if only they have the right mentor and tools.

Anonymous wrote:I don't quite understand why people are so hostile to the OP. Maybe you don't think her business will work out, but there's nothing outlandish or bizarre about helping families hire employees that specifically fit their needs/ability to pay or about training employees. She's offering these perfectly normal services in the context of nannies, where she perceives -- rightly or wrongly -- a gap in the market. Perhaps she shouldn't have phrased it as "making a $12 nanny perform like a $30 nanny," but rather as "helping a newbie nanny acquire the skills that come from experience in a shorter timeframe" or something? But in every other profession, getting free job training is considered a good thing and doesn't mean your employer thinks you suck. And, yes, obviously after sufficient training you will apply for a higher paying job that utilizes your new skills, but that doesn't mean that the employer providing the training doesn't get anything out of the deal. If everyone on this forum's arguments were correct, no employers would ever provide job training.

OP is upfront about this being a brand new business and offering her services for free for -- she hopes -- the mutual benefit of both parties. If you're not interested, don't take her up on it; but don't act like this is an insulting or outlandish proposal.

And, yes, of course you can teach someone to be a better nanny. Don't be ridiculous.