If you have ever wondered about becoming a nanny, and have really given it some thought, you quickly come to realize that there is A LOT to consider. Whew! Nannying is more than just making sure children eat three meals a day and don’t burn the house down. For many children who have one, their nanny is an important part of their life and helps shape their view of the world.
The decision to take on this critical role in society should not be taken lightly.
Here are some things to consider in order to answer the question ‘Should I become a nanny?’ Prior childcare experience is a great start, but you also must…
- Be ok working autonomously
- Be ok getting a little messy
- Have patience and flexibility
- Be ok with modest pay
- Love spending time with kids!
If you can handle all these, then you might have what it takes! Let’s take a deeper look.
Also, check out my YouTube video on this topic:
Prior Experience
If you have a good amount of prior experience working in a childcare, daycare, or as a babysitter, then you probably already have a good idea how you might handle being a nanny. But if you don’t have ANY prior experience working with children, then I highly recommend you start with one of these roles first.
Starting off in a childcare center or daycare, you have the benefit of learning from other more experienced professional childcare workers around you. Also, you have less pressure as you ease into the roll, and would have others to lean on when things are not going as well as you thought they would (because sometimes…things do not go according to plan when working with children – shocker!).
Even the role of a babysitter is a good starting point prior to becoming a nanny. While you won’t have others to lean on, generally there are less expectations for babysitters. The role is equally as important but there is less expectation to provide teaching services or look after the children 40+ hours a week. Babysitters also make a little less pay and work on a weekend, monthly, or even on-call basis. It’s the perfect way to see if becoming a nanny is right for you while gaining experience.
Autonomy
The life of a nanny is frequently one of autonomy. What I mean is that you generally decide what each day will look like. For example, you decide when the children play, when, and what they learn, when they nap, when they eat breakfast and so forth. Of course, some things will need to be coordinated with the parent(s) preferences, but the specifics of all these events are usually up to you.
Remember, you are representing the entire universe to a growing and inquiring mind. No pressure! Deciding the specifics of what to do every day with these kiddos has immeasurable impact on the rest of their lives. If you just sit around all day watching Baby Shark – what a missed opportunity! But a good nanny will diligently plan a day full of play, laughter and learning, with maybe an unplanned tantrum or two, that will genuinely enrich this little life in ways that seem small at the moment but are actually critical in a child developing into a functioning member of society. Planning ahead is key!
Getting Messy
To the bane of many nanny’s (and other childcare professionals) getting messy is an unavoidable part of the job. And by messy, you know what I mean. Diapers, potty training, spills, spit up, dirt, paint…the possibilities are endless as far as what a child might get themselves into. Its just part of the gig. Also, sometimes families request that some light house work be part of the job description. If you can’t handle a little messiness from time to time, then being a nanny might not be the role for you.
Patience and Flexibility
As indicated earlier in this post, things don’t always go according to plan when working as a nanny. You could have the best playtime activities, the best learning plan all worked out, but because someone’s little brother took their favorite teddy bear this morning – none of that matters any more. You walk through that door and realize that this is going to be one of those days. Your patience will be tested. You will have to try to rationalize with a three year old (that always goes well!). You’ll have to dodge some Legos and clean up a few toddler-rage fueled messes.
Exercising patience in the face of such inconsolable behavior is no small feat. It takes fortitude and a level of professionalism that the corporate world would never understand. But as a nanny, a super human level of patience is a must.
Along with patience, flexibility goes hand in hand. Remember all those plans I mentioned a few sentences ago? The ones you spent so much time and effort putting together? They’re gone now. Sorry-not-sorry, but they’re gone. A skilled nanny will become better at rolling with the punches than a boxer. You’ll have to find productive methods for managing the out-of-control situation and get things back on track. The good news is that there will be days where those perfect angels allow the activities to roll out as planned. Those will be the days when you are glad you chose to become a nanny!
Pay
Generally speaking, as a nanny you should make more than the average baby sitter or childcare worker in your same geographical area. If you work in a higher income part of town, you can actually do pretty darn well! But lets be honest, we’re not working on wall street here. We all know that nanny pay is fairly modest. So in order to be a good nanny, you have to be doing this for more than just the pay. Obviously everyone has bills to pay, so how much you make is definitely important. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you are worth.
For many years I received much less than I should have because I was afraid my ask would be rejected. Learn from my mistakes and don’t be afraid to negotiate. But as a nanny you are responding to a call, not just clocking in and out for the day. If you don’t feel that calling, then maybe being a nanny is not the right profession for you.
While we’re on the subject of pay, check out our wage estimator tool: Babysitter and Nanny Wage Estimator
Must love spending time with kids!
This should go without saying, but if you don’t cherish the ups and downs of investing your heart and soul into the little lives you’ll be looking after, then you are in the wrong profession. This is a passion profession. Some days you won’t feel that passion, especially after the third time they spilled their oatmeal on the floor. But even in the midst of the unpleasant moments you value the contribution that you are making into the very special little one(s) you are caring for.
shandacerobertson
You May Also Like
