Think I have found a new nanny, she is studying for her masters degree, but only has limited nanny experience!

[ziopin]

Should that really bother me?

She was a nanny during last years summer holidays, and also has years of babysitting experience, but no real childcare training.

Seems really nice though, and interacted well with the dk's

Have you spoken to her last employer?

IMO babysitting is not relevant experience for nannying. It is a totally different ballgame.

Also I would explore why she wants to nanny? The average nanny is not a Master's student. I did have a hugely overqualified nanny but she had a 3yo who came with her and she was very upfront in that she wanted to earn money whilst still having her child around (and that she would go back to teaching when her child was at school).

I think that someone's motivation for a job/career is important, especially when their job will be to look after my children!

Neither the masters nor the lack of nannying expereince would bother me per se, but I would be very curious as to why she has suddenly decided that she wants to nanny. And if it is just the equivalent of a waitressing job for her, then you need to be happy with that.

I did ask her that LadyMuck. Her response was 'that she had a real passion and enthusiasm for working with children (she wants to teach in the future), and it's not difficult to dicide between a day in an office/bar or a day taking the children to the museum or park' What an answer!

I am a nanny and have a masters. Basically what happened with me was that I wanted to be a teacher and my parents said, "no you will go to oxford and you will read law" so I did. Then my parents said, "next you will do a masters". Then I worked for a year and thought, "what he flaming hell am I doing, I hate this job it's my life and I'll do what I want!".

So I quit my job, gave my parents a nervous breakdown and now I'm a nanny; I got offered the first job I interview for with a family that have used nannies for 10 years.

But I would say that I have babysat and have had sole care of children plenty of times (max 2 weeks solidly though if that makes sense? over 7 years even caring for a newborn for 6 solid months as mummy had PND.

Basically I would see what motivates your potential new nanny? If she is genuinely interested in your children & you have a feeling that she will be very good then put yourself out on a limb and take her on.

At the end of the day what would you rather? A nanny with heaps of experience, who detests her job and does not care for your children or a lovely nanny who will love and nurture your little ones (ideally I bet you'd like both but that does not help my argument )

Take the small risk and just make sure her contract says something like, "if you suck during the first 2 months we will show you the door."

Good luck with whatever you decide to do I hope it works out for you.

Navy
xx

www.hayleyevans.co.uk

I wasn't trained but had loads of jobs It is better to have a non qualified person who can actually look after your child than someone with the right papers who has done next to nothing practical.

Hi, i remember your last thread, by now you should have told your nanny to be that you have changed your mind about wanting her! How did she take it?