Older Nannies.

[mollymax]

I am a mother of three and I used to work as a Nanny over 20 years ago.
My youngest daughter is due to start school in 2012 and I am thinking of going back to being a part time nanny.
My question is, Do most parents want a younger nanny or a older, more experienced one?
Just a general query as I am not sure.

Think you may need to define Older.

Some parents are happy to have someone older than they are care for their children.

I'm a similar age to my bosses (one is younger, one is older). Some parents will value the experience having an older nanny brings. Others may feel it could be hard to manage them.

I'm 34 and my bosses are early 40's so even though I'm an older nanny I'm still younger than them.
Apart from being a nanny you've also raised your own children so you bring so much to the table in an interview.
Assuming you still have energy and your get up and go then there should be no reason to favour a younger nanny if you can still entertain your charges and run around after them.
Also your experience can be a comfort to nervous first time parents who second guess themselves over things.
The only hiccup may be if they hire someone younger they may pay less but then that's not always the case and something you can talk about in interviews.

I'm 34 and my bosses are early 40's so even though I'm an older nanny I'm still younger than them.
Apart from being a nanny you've also raised your own children so you bring so much to the table in an interview.
Assuming you still have energy and your get up and go then there should be no reason to favour a younger nanny if you can still entertain your charges and run around after them.
Also your experience can be a comfort to nervous first time parents who second guess themselves over things.
The only hiccup may be if they hire someone younger they may pay less but then that's not always the case and something you can talk about in interviews.

I am in my mid forties!
Nannied for 5 years then worked on maternity ward at hospital for 20. Have been a sahm for the last three years.
I did think about registering as a child minder but would prefer to work out of my own home.
Thank you for your replys.

You won't know until you try.

You may find that you need to do some updates to training... so you meet requirements for Ofsted registration (if in England).

I would have thought your hospital experience may be handy to some parents, especially those with newborns.

I think you'd be fine as a nanny but have you considered becoming a doula?

I think your nannying, parenting and hospital experience would be really valuable, you could work it around school hours and holidays and there isn't a problem with an 'older' doula that people might see with an older nanny.

Thank you nanny nick.
I have got over a year before dd starts school so have time to ponder.
I was hoping you would post as you are a mine of information re nannies etc.

I had thought of a doula, but I am not sure if many people use them wher I live. Suffolk is still a bit behind the times, I will look into it tho. Thank you.

Some families want older/experienced nannies others want cheaper younger ones

Being out of the nanny circle may be hard finding a job - then again maybe not

Have you thought of doing night nannying or maternity nursing?

Or do you have to have a daytime job?

Who would pick up your dc?

I am not working at the mo, apart from with Sitters.
Not really thought of night nannying, was under the impression maternity nurse was live in and could not do that.
My dh would pick my dd's up from school.

If you have a year then there's a lot you can do to improve your chances of finding a job and many of them are equally compatible with nannying/doulaing/CMing. Even just keeping your ear to the ground or starting a job and taking your daugher with you until she starts school.

For example you can update your common core training and update (?) your paediatric first aid which puts you in a position to register as a CM or as a nanny and wouldn't count against you at all as a doula.

I think many people would use a post-natal doula but they may advertise it as a PT mother's help or similar. Have a look around on local websites/in shop windows to see what the childcare market is. I appeciate that it's more difficult if you're somewhere less common though.

As blondes pointed out though - what about your DCs when you're working?

Maternity nurses are typically live in but many people advertise for a live out maternity nurse (when really that role could be filled by a post-natal doula).

There are many different terms for the same thing so don't necessarily be put off by job titles.

I would think for some families the 'problem' wouldn't be your age but the fact you have 3dcs - in terms of flexibility, days off for dcs illnesses etc. I think you should be ready to answer questions about back up, dh's involvement (if you have dh), family support etc. Also holidays.

I know this doesn't sound right but unfortunetely many employers are sceptical about a mother of three especially in a job that requires a lot flexibility and usually long hours - even in these days.

i am a nanny (aged 35) with 3 children of my own and have spent the last three and a half years being a post natal doula and night nanny.

It fits in really well around my children as I pick and choose my hours, days and clients.

My husband is also self employed so he too works his hours to fit the whole family.

I have never been short of work even when my children were little. If you're good at what you do, someone will hire you!

My nanny is late 30s, and actually slightly older than me. I interviewed older and younger nannies, and when it came down to it, personality fit was far more important than the age. Also my nanny had ben a nanny, then done something else for a little while, and came back to nanny. It did mean she was a little cheaper than others of a similar age.

Like others I would be more interest in how you see the role fitting with 3 school aged children (but maybe a teacher or other term time staff looking for a nanny might work)

I still work as a nanny and im nearly 50(aaaahhhh). i only work part time , but my employers liked the fact that i have brought up my own three children , along with 30 years of experience .
I went onto local websites (netmum , gumtree and nannyjob)
I have been in my job for nearly two years but when i was looking for the job im in now my age was never a problem at interviews , younger and older nannies both have there place in the work force . Good luck with your search .

Thank you all for your replys.
My husbands work is very flexible, so that would help.
I think I may look into post natal doula, as I think that would suit our family better.

I'm not sure that someone much older > 55 would cope with my two boys (they're very energetic!), but I would prefer experience as long as the nanny was willing to do things my way!

Mollymax If I could afford a nanny and had more than 1 child and didn't love my cm so much, then I'd absolutely LOVE someone who is a nanny and has brought up her own dc. Since having ds, I've changed so much and even the way I think about things as a teacher is a bit different ... Hard to explain. Nothing wrong with nannies who dont have their own dc but I'd love someone who is a mother or a father (but would require discount if they brought own dc with them, of course).

Thank you for your post star.
Not sure if I could go back to it to be honest, just weighing up all my options.
I have a year to get my head round the fact that I could work again... Eeek!
I may go into something totally different, but all I have known is child care, so possibly limiting.

When we were interviewing for nannies, what I found in the older nannies I met that I liked and didn't like was:

Good:

• maternal experience, I felt I could really trust them to know when to call the doctor
• I thought they would feed my children well, they gave good examples of family meals
• they had proper conversations with young children, I assumed because they had experience of older children

Bad / Less Good:

• smokers!!!!!!! which I assume you are not (they said they didn't but their teeth and skin and strong perfume said they did, also the referees I rang said "errmmmm" when I asked!)
• didn't seem to know the latest advice about weaning and I didn't want my baby being fed baby rice in a bottle or whatever people used to do 20 years ago
• came across as less likely to enjoy local toddler groups as less linked in to activities in the area than some of the other nannies