Would you hire a 20yo nanny?

[Mummyteachmummy]

I'm interviewing a raft of nannies this weekend, all v experienced and early 30s plus, but in amongst them is this one 20 year old potential gem. Her profile is just lovely - seems very loving and, yes, very fun! Here are my thoughts...

CONS

1. DD's only 2, so really does need to be actively cared for/ kept safe etc.
2. Lack of experience - she has got a couple of years childminding assistant and one 6 month sole charge nanny stint, but nothing v weighty.

PROS

1. she had paediatric first aid and various other certificates, so actually isn't she better qualified than, say, 36 year old DH if dd, god forbid, chokes, as she's been trained in what to do? whereas DH would turn her upside down, and shake vigorously if that didn't work!

1. I'm only going to be employing her about 15 hours a week. Isn't she therefore just a glorified babysitter? And we wouldn't flinch at a 20 yo babysitter?

1. Couldn't it just be really fun for DD to have a nanny who exposes her to such cultural works as One Direction and... And... Well, that says it all - I know nothing else of what young people do or like 'these days'...

WWYD?!

My concern would be why they wanted a 15 hour a week job. That though applies to all candidates, what else are they doing? Is it likely to be something they will still be doing in several years time?

Yes young people should be considered and in this persons case it is not their first childcare job, so you can get a reference from form employer. Why did they only stay 6 months? That may be tied into why they are only wanting a 15 hour a week job, maybe they are going back to college? What did they learn from their 6 month job, what did they find hard?

Emerald- but your childminder with loads of experience, was once someone's first time childcarer. Not everyone is willing to take on a newbie, but do you know what..m there's only one 'mature' nanny in the city here that I would hire myself. The rest are stuck in their ways, believe they know better than parents and as such try to overrule their wishes, slate the parenting techniques they use because it doesn't fit in with how they feel is best.. etc. and most of all what I notice is how distant they are from the children on an emotional level.

but they have 20 odd years experience so they keep getting hired.

I recently met another nanny who is 21, dressed a little too casual and seemed a bit scruffy and I am ashamed to say I was surprised when I learned she was a nanny. I've spent a bit of time with her recently and have to say she is one of the best I have come across. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her to any family. She is amazing.

OP give her a trial day. layout your expectations clearly.. and i think she sounds like your best bet! x

We had nannies as kids & the best one my mum employed was a 19yo in her first job. She managed 3 / 4 spirited kids for a long time, was amazing & we were sad when she moved on. We have stayed in touch & we are now friends.
She was enthusiastic, fair & full of energy & brilliant ideas.
The worst nanny we ever had was one that was great on paper but awful in practice & us kids hated her.... My mum always said that she concentrated too much on what she should be seen to be doing rather than actually concentrating on us kids! She lasted a month & we breathed a sigh of relief when she was gone. My mum said gut feeling really helped when employing people.

I was looking after other peoples children at 20 sole charge of a toddler I didn't kil them this woman has great qualifications you like her I know you want somebody trust worthy to look after your baby but you are being agiest

My best friend nannied from the age of 17. She was energetic, loving, reliable, responsible and highly sought after. She actually had her own children at 22 and 23. If she fits the bill then hire her!

My second Nanny was 19 when we first employed her, she was great with my DD no problems. She had a fair bit of nursery experience plus qualifications etc and had done one private job for around eight months when she came to us. If references, interview, experience are to your liking then yes.

at 18 and 2 months I was sole charge (and left totally alone through school holidays etc) with an 8, 5 and 2 year old...

its nothing to do with age but experience, maturity and ability to do the job... she sounds like she has all 3 so I dont understand the problem,

My first nanny was an 18 year old with no formal experience, but she had been raised in a large family, was the eldest and had been caring for her siblings for years,
She was the only one during the interview who picked up my son when he toddled into the room, put him on her knee and smiled and chatted to him, totally naturally , not contrived, she was fabulous and both my kids loved here.
I was sorry to see her go when she started her own family at 20. She was just a natural with children.
Dont let age r qualifications cloud your judgement.

What is she going to be doing for the rest of the week? Continuing to work in childcare or pursuing her dream of being a model?

Tread Eh?

I missed the 15 hours a week/glorified babysitter comment in the OP. I've worked a few low-hours jobs (as a nanny, it's still nannying even if it isn't that many hours!), I had other jobs to go to and studying to do in my spare time.

I did have to leave a low-hours job at the end of the last school year as it just wasn't financially feasible nor was it okay for me to carry on with 6 day weeks (the other job I'd been in at the start of the school year had agreed to let me work between the before/after school shifts and then changed her mind after I'd started working the new job, I ended up being made redundant from that one and finding another part time job which is financially workable alone).

Hi Pixie. My comment was aimed at establishing whether or not the 20yr old in question is applying to be a nanny just because it pays the bills or will actively be gaining additional childcare experience elsewhere.

I got a million applications from people who wanted to nanny but only for a couple of days a week because they were part time actors/wanted to work in PR etc etc.

If the OP has a two year old, she may be considering another child in the future. The age of the 20 yr old wouldn't bother me, lots of energy and enthusiasm however she has no baby experience and may ultimately jump ship to work in a different area at the first opportunity.

Right, I got really confused then and wondered if I'd missed something.

That doesn't surprise me. Because nannying is such an easy job that anybody can do it -_- I've met a fair few people who think that I should be paid much less for what I do or that just don't think my job is really that difficult and it's all fun and games.

I think baby experience is a difficult one. It's difficult to get baby experience unless you work with babies and not many people are willing to give a nanny with no baby experience a job with a small baby. It's another one of the "You need to start somewhere" type things.

Baby experience is tricky I think. It's reassuring as a first time parent to hire someone who has been around the block [so to speak] with small children; however most parents have to learn the hard way and it's still fairly rare I think for a nanny to be handed a tiny baby to look after [unless they are a specialist] as mostly people take mat leave of at least 3 months.

As someone with two children, I can honestly say I was shocked at how much I'd forgotten by the time no 2 came along so second time around, lots of experience with small children was lower down my list of priorities.

I would be much more focussed on time management, looking for a nanny who is physically active and enjoys outdoor activities (assuming the OP's son does), and for someone who is genuinely interested in their own ongoing professional development (eg: current thinking on discipline and child behaviours for example) and will use online and other resources well in order to ensure that they are doing a good job for the child(ren) they look after.

I would be checking she understands who is boss. My 20 year old where it went wrong happened largely because she didn't see the line between work and seeing her own family, or that I was mum, and if I said something was unsafe, it's unsafe, and she mustn't go behind my back... Initiative is great... to a point. My concern would be that, at 20, she will have limited experience of being a employee vs big sister/school pupil, and may not be used to having a boss, and the relationship there. A Saturday job in Tescos where everyone bitches about the boss is not good preparation to working with a boss-mum for nannying.

PS. Mine could have killed them. Due to not taking my boundaries and rules seriously, and thinking she knew better, and also not keeping me informed.

This girl seemed amazing at first, but at 20, wasn't mature enough at being an employee, or secure enough in the boundaries of being a nanny. This was a 20 hour/week job, too. She saw herself as playing at mummy, I think. I strongly suspect that aged 25, she may well have gone on to be a great nanny, as I largely think her faults were due to lack of experience as an employed nanny. You don't want her teething on your toddler. Gaining experience in the job with slightly older kids, and working down, I think is best.

I have had 4 nannies now, all but one straight out of college, and the oldest was 23. All fabulous! Am interviewing myself now and likely to offer to a 20 year old again.
I'd choose enthusiasm and a natural bond with children whatever age. If she's right for you then go for it!

When I was 19, I was full time to two little boys of 14 months and 26 months. 3 months previously their mum had sadly passed away and it was a very difficult job. But one of my best! The boys are now almost 28 and 29, they have children of their own, that I am godmother to.

It was my second position, we all have to get our experience somewhere. If your gut says to go for it then do!

My nanny is 19 and totally fab. She is confident dealing with preschool and school staff as I direct her to which I worried about. She has the children doing all manner of fun stuff and they love her. She is also safe with them..once they unknowingly crossed the road in front of me and they were holding her hand, chatting away! It is the person I think, not the age that matters!