Mumsnet Talk

Hi i'm just looking for some advice really! I'm a 25 year old nanny who after spending 6 years working in private day nurseries decided for a bit of a lifestyle change! I started doing season work (still childcare) for a family ski operator, I am still doing this but feel that this may be my last winter. I am really interested in doing a couple of years nannying before completely settling down but I only seem to meet 19/20 yr old nannies and i'm a little worried that at 26/27 may struggle, I have over 10 yrs childcare experience and would love to nanny somewhere in london. Does anyone have any advice? (sorry its sooooo long!)

I'm 34 and didn't start full-time nannying until my late 20's.
Biggest problem I feel you will have is that your past experience has been in group childcare. Nannying is different to nursery/holiday club work. So try to emphasise any work you have done on a 1:1 1:2 level, even if that was babysitting. I feel you need to be able to show that you are happy to work on your own.

i too am 34 and have never been busier!

With age comes a certain level of maturity

I have recently taken on a nanny for the first time and as an employer I preferred older applicants (much older than 25 even!), so I wouldn't worry about age per se, just as nannynick said, emphasise 1:1 experience.

I'm 25 and have been nannying for 2 years and from what I have experienced employers seem to prefer that.
I know of 19 and 20 year olds who have not gotten positions because parents feel they are too young and may not have the maturity for the job.
I have a friend who like you has come from a nursery background, she is 28 and has been nannying for a year. She had no problem getting a well paid position in London even though she had never done nannying before... I'd say you should find it easy enough too

my perm nanny is 46 and my current temp 42. My aussie girl who left in April was 39 and my last temp 47 !

I think for older children where there is a lot driving then parents will often plump for an older nanny

I think most people prefer a 25 year old to a 20 year old. But, you might have to accept the your experience does not give you the same pay grade as a 25 year old who has 6 years of nanny experience.

On the other hand, you have a wide variety of experience with a a lot of children, which is in itself can be valuable. Where a nanny might have only ever experienced a handful of children, you might say "I've worked with hundreds of six year olds and I've noticed your DD seems to have trouble doing X and I think you might want to have it looked at."

Good luck with your search. I'm sure you are marketable.

im 36 and have no problem in finding jobs though have been a nanny since i qualified 18years ago

i know many nannies my age,a few 30ish and a few more in 20's

my first job i was 18 and mb 36,now im 36 and mb is 37

next job i might be older than mb

So I see you peeled yourself off the couch and away from Sky+.

oh no athene ,im multi tasking,as every good woman should be able to do

still lying on sofa, watching flashforward

but have been to the gym and made lasagne for dh so im not 100% lazy today

I'm 31 and have to turn down work now, families seem to like the fact I'm (allegedly) mature and have heaps of experience.

LOL at Blondes, I am baking stuff whilst watching tv and also online downloading new episodes of Weeds and looking up flights home for Xmas on Expedia and MNetting too.... I sent the grandmother for a walk with the baby as she (the granmother not the baby) kept asking to help. Five minutes peace LOL and I can't sit down and enjoy it as I have too much to do!

Thanks guys! I really didnt think 25 was that old until all of a sudden I am 25 and seem to be surrounded by 18 year olds eeeek! thankyou for ur advice, I do kind also look after 2 children in their home as a kind of extended babysitter and now i'm a manager for the ski company i work for so hopefully i wont have to much trouble! thanks again x

Tip: make yourself seem younger by surrounding yourself with older people! As a nanny I meet up with some local childminders... they are all older than me.

Get a written reference plus ask parents if they will provide verbal reference upon request from your 'extended babysitter' work. That I feel will be more useful to parents wanting to employ you as their nanny, than a reference from the manager position in a holiday ski company - though get that as well, as it will show your level of commitment to a job and that you can handle responsibility.

My nanny is 40. Dont be silly!

Tip: make yourself seem younger by surrounding yourself with older people! As a nanny I meet up with some local childminders... they are all older than me.

Oh nick you have made me chortle! At 32 I'm the oldest nanny i can find here. maybe that's why the other nannies want to meet up ............

our wonderful nanny is 46 and it didnt bother us when we employed her

I see a nanny in the playground who is in her early 70's I am serious not a granny I have spoken to her a few times has 3 charges all under 5

not even sure that is legal

Why would it not be legal?

If they're 3 from 3 different families then it's not, but if it's 1 or 2 families that's fine. It's up to parents who they employ and if they want a 70 year old nanny then that's their call! It's not compulsory for nannies to be registered.

wasn't a particularly serious comment, they are all from the same family, but she does look kind of frail
I suppose whatever people want but seems a bit too much to me

grannys can be spritley and look after their grandchildren

why cant a nanny be in her 70's?

maybe the parents wanted age/wisdom?

I'm 24 and only started nannying in January

juneybean clickety click please

Ooo thanks I've just got my dec hours too <runs over>

I came out of childminding for a while aged 45 and registered with a nanny agency, I had a huge choice of jobs to look at. Most people were thrilled to have an older nanny.

Im 47 and still nanning (although only part time . Never thought about my age before , still think im in my 30's although my body reminds me im not . Good luck op with finding a job .