What is your min age for full-time live-in nanny?

[eleusis]

DD will be 5 in March and DS will be 3 in May. DD is in school full time. DS starts nursery 2 1/2 hours per day in September.

21 has always been my minimum age. But I'm now considering someone who has just turned 20. Am I bonkers?

Oh, the hours are rather long. 12-14 hours per day M-F.

I'm glad someone else is up.

Okay, I'm considering a 17 year old...in principle. Our favourite babysitter who was ex-nursery staff is 18. (DH doesn't approve of the teenager but also had no clue our babysitter was that young.)

In reality, I think this girl would be more appropriate as a mother's help. She's done a course and has some experience.

We hvae had CVs from 24 year olds with less exp. It is about maturity and judgement too...but in your case a 20 year old could have 3 yrs exp and be pretty mature.I wouldn't cut off just because of hte age in this case. Does she come across as young though?

I started nannying at 19yrs. I think it is up to the individual person (as in the employee) I was ready, but that is not saying that every 19 yr old would be ready to take change of 3 Dss. I had a very good open relationship with the Mother and we both had a great deal of respect for each other.

I guess what I am trying to say is that a 25 yr old could be really juvenille/untrustworthy and a 18 yr old could be ok!

That should read "charge" and not change!

I think my concern is the length of the day. She is a nanny now but the day isn't quite as long as the one we require. So I'm worried it might be more than she is expecting. But, then the job she has now is very low pay so she also works as a waitress to make some more money on the weekend. So, perhaps she would like looking after my kids more than waiting tables.

I started at 18 so don't rule her out. It's more about maturity than physical age IYSWIM.

I met a 25 year old nanny the other day and I wouldn't have trusted her to look after my pet goldfish.

So, when you were 18, how many hours did you do? Was it a really long day of sole charge 5 days a week?

I started nanying when I was 18. I looked after an 8 week old the hours varied some days they were very long 7 - 8/9 some days 8 - 5. Plus I did proxy parenting if the parents were away overnight for buisness. It worked well and I agree with the previous poster who said it comes down to maturity.

I was a full time sole charge live in nanny to 4 children under 6 at 18.... I worked from 7-7 +babysitting and sometimes had them all weekend. I was perfectly mature enough...by 20 I was living in spain managing a creche and kids club with 12 staff under me.....It just depends on the nanny.

Jenna

This thread is very encouraging. She seemed really nice and seemed to really want the job -- which is great because it means she will probably be happy with us for a while.

I thought people were going to come on here and tell me I'm bonkers for even considering it.

i wouldn't worry too much about the age -- she will probably have bags of energy etc on the plus side.
have you figured out if she will be better than the last one in terms of neatness?

62,
Is that a joke? How could she not be?

Jura,
I'm in the clear there. She takes the bus.

Sounds fine to me so long as qualifications are there to substitute for possible lack of experience...

and even then qualifications aren't a substitute for character.. the 47 YO nanny I had once was far less mature than the 19 YO au-pair that she replaced....

One of the best nannies we ever had was 19 (had done a formal nanny course), and she worked 7.30-7 five days a week.

Bugger! Her current employers have offered her more so she's staying with them.

Back to the drawing board....

Grrrrr, on your behalf, Ele.

Grrrr for you!!

If it helps I was 19 when I started nannying and 20 when I took a huge sole charge job for a busy family who were always on hol (without kiddos) and I was left much of the time with them 24/7. I think you have to trust your instincts and let that guide you. Some girls are mature at 17, some aren't til their 30!! LOL.

Hope you find someone soon.

Thanks Pol and Squiff. I have trolled through the web some more and dug out 6 possibles and cybered off the famous questionnaire (which has been revised if anyone wants it)... Maybe I'll get a couple of possibilities this weekend.

I think I do better the the holiday makers. Might have to reconsider another Canadian -- even if they do talk funny.