Would you hire an obese nanny?

damn italic fail!

won't like me for how I look

to be fair, there have been very few comments on this thread about appearance. They have all been about worries about being unable to run around after children, or giving a bad health message, or unhealthy eating patterns.

That's lovely to hear-I was following your thread with interest. I have been a childminder for 22 years and I am obese. I have (as far as I know) never had a negative reaction from prospective parents when they have come to visit. I am very well known in the area so the majority of parents won't have too much of a shock when I open the door to them when they come for a visit! The ones who contact me via Facebook or my web site might not know as I don't have any photos of myself on them. If they didn't chose me to care of their children because of my weight I wouldn't want them anyway! They certainly wouldn't deserve someone as fantastic as me caring for their children lol!
Good luck for the future x

There's a huge difference between someone who's 5'2" and a size 22 and someone who's 5'10".

Which are you?

It also depends a lot on your frame/muscle mass and fitness.

Could you run after a child on a bike?

Could you play a game of tennis with them?

Could you carry a toddler a mile?

Can you run up the stairs 20 times a day?

Can you walk 5 miles a day?

Does your weight cause any other health problems such as joint pain/back pain?

It really isn't about your weight it's about your ability to do your job.

References from former employers are key here. They would be able to tell you how energetic(or not) the nanny is. I've been 22/24. Now a size 12, but, there are days when a size 16 or even an 18 are required due to stomach swelling issues. Nothing that affects my work I might add, that's just me. So don't judge on size alone.

about one quarter of the adult population is obese
surely some of those people also look for nannies. what I'm trying to say is you are not out of the ordinary

I'm a size 10 and can't keep up with my 18 month old, so if you could keep up with her id be impressed whatever size you were!

I think I would. I know a childminder who is obese, she is fantastic, humerous and so loving to the children. They adore her. I would want someone who was loving and treated my children as their own in a caring way. My children are 5 and 7 so they don't want someone to always run around with them, they like to play with their friends at the park! Also, I'd be the one meal planning for my kids so I wouldn't have too many concerns about what my children would be getting fed.

Ahem go from 'there'!

I think if you are turned down for this reason then you could be happy the family aren't a good match for you.

My sportiest friend who likes endless canoeing and trekking and all sorts is hugely overweight. She has had life long food issues but plenty of bounce and strength. I have tiny friends who can barely pant up stairs, I think you have to be a bit dim not to look at the person in front of you, the references and go from their. fWIW you sound lovely and vivacity, enthusiasm and honesty is a winning combination:)

One of the nannies in my sons school is very overweight, with an outlandish hairstyle, lots of tattoos, and piercings.

She has been with several families when nannying or baby sitting needs arise. She is never short of work. She is warm and friendly, and take children to fun activities, play dates, and pack great snack packs and packed lunches. (not that she keeps getting sacked, more like the needs in families have changed and word have gotten around that she is looking for new/more charges)

I would really need to think about it, and to be totally honest, it might be the deciding factor between you and another nanny, all else equal (personality, experience, qualifications etc).

I say this only because I used to be obese and remember what it feels like. I certainly did not have the required energy for small children.

I think you sound fabulous and I probably would hire you.

However, there is a perceived correlation between obesity and inactivity, and I think that you might need to clarify that you are pretty fit and run about and eat well and all of those things.

I liked Pink Pearl's closing statement. I do think it might be in people's minds as an issue, but they won't say it, and if you get any vibes of doubt I would definitely say something brief and confident like that.

I'm a size 26/28...very active, in my last job I ran around after 5 children with no problems and we were constantly outside...I cook from scratch everyday and provide healthy balanced meals.

But, if I'm truly honest, I think my weight is the biggest reason I spent 10m unemployed...and if I hadn't been recommended from my previous employer for my current position, I don't think I'd have it.

I have excellent references, am ofsted registered, excellent cv, years of experience etc....and look great on paper(!) but my weight scares people off hiring me.

Which is bullshit because frankly I'm a crap ton more energetic then ALOT of nannies I know!

Anyone?

Would it make a difference if the Nannies references stated how active she was, that she done loads of activities with the kids, went to parks, day trips etc?

Would you employ an obese nanny then??

I'm obese, size 24/26 and currently having no luck looking for work.

I am so active and hate to sit around in the house

Your size would not be a consideration for me unless you seemed physically fragile or very unfit. I would be looking for someone I can trust to be kind and keep them safe first and foremost. Good luck!

It would be a consideration tbh. I would take on a month trial period ( as I would any nanny tbh), but would want to make sure they were up to the job. Would need to walk several miles a day, 5 floors up and down to our flat without lift, and generally keep up with sporty children. Maybe not right but Would also need to fit in the back of car between x2 car seats if car is full and be able to fly alone with baby on lap potentially.

Sorry - yes it would put me off simply because I've had an overweight nanny in the past and even though it was causing her some fairly serious health issues and chronic pain she couldn't/wouldn't lose weight. She eventually decided to give up working for us and take time off to lose the weight. She wasn't active at all, would take the bus at any opportunity and would never kick a ball around, go swimming or take the girls to anything vaguely sporty as an activity. She would not eat anything all day and then binge on biscuits or something nice in the house. It's a really bad message for children, especially for girls.

She was a fantastic nanny, great with the kids and produced amazing food and they'll eat/try anything which is great but they've noticeably lost weight since she left due to portion size as far as we can see.

All that said, if you were the best candidate for the job I wouldn't prefer a slim nanny over one that clearly would do well with my children. I would like them to grow up active though and it's one of our key criteria now to find a nanny who will encourage that.

In your shoes, [provided it was true] I'd just make a clear statement about what your personal aims are if asked what you like to do in your spare time for example but also how you carry that through with your work so you are eating responsibly around the children [not having a can of red bull and starving yourself all day] etc.

I would, and have, hired the kindest nannies. And someone who would be willing to do fun activities with my DCs - say - toddler group in the morning and park in the afternoon. I'm a firm believer that toddlers and kids are helicoptered too much by parents so I've always wanted my DCs to explore for themselves at the park and not be chased around by my nanny.

Having said that, I befriended a nanny who was very obese who lived opposite us, and I really noticed how little she did with the DS. I did feel sorry for him. We'd always be off to the library or go frog-catching but he would be stuck indoors. I always figured though that it was because she was a nervous person, rather than her obesity. She was remarkably kind and sweet person.

So no - it wouldn't put me off, but I was pretty 'strict' about what I'd expect a nanny to be doing during the day. Lots of fun and cuddles etc.

I would hire whoever I thought was kindest. So your weight would not be a consideration for me.

Honestly? I'd have to see you in action if you were otherwise a good fit for my family. Your size would be a consideration for me.

I have two DSs of 2 and 4 whose hobbies are football, scooting, swimming and climbing. Id want the nanny to be fine with going swimming (individually) with them. I'd be looking for someone who could fit through those roller things at soft play if you needed to retrieve my children!

I've been in the position of interviewing a very large lady for a nanny job, with excellent references, but she was out of breath when she arrived from the bus stop and it put me off. DH was dead against and in the end there was s better candidate. Our house is on 4 floors with the boys' bedroom on the top floor, so general fitness was an issue for us. I'd be concerned also to check healthy eating and diet matters. You do sound like a lovely caring nanny