Five Reasons Why Nannies Suck

Five Reasons Why Nannies Suck

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

I don't care if I had all the money in the world--I still think nannies blow.

Momlogic's Momstrosity: The cost of having a personal baby watcher is exorbitant--starting at $24,000 a year--but that's NOT why I don't have one. No, I send my child to a reputable daycare center to play with other children so he's not alone all day with a glorified babysitter.

Here's why:

Nannies hate their jobs.
Don't kid yourself. Your nanny isn't smitten by your child's every move--it's hard to be genuinely in love with a meal ticket. Think about this: Are YOU engaged at your job every minute of your 10-hour day? The consequences are different if you goof off from work--maybe you'll miss a deadline. When your nanny's sick of HER job, your child could wander into the arms of the local sexual predator during playtime at the park.

I don't have to know C.I.A. tactics.
To figure out if your nanny's spending the day on the couch munching Cheetos while your kid's under the sink eating Drano, you need to be an expert in surveillance-- installing nanny cams, wiretaps, and hidden G.P.S. devices. Go ahead--turn your house into an episode of Big Brother--I'll focus my attention elsewhere.

I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty.
For those moms who have nannies around the clock, have you ever changed a diaper or wiped a snotty nose--both incredible ways to bond with your child--by actually taking care of them. Nannies are great for taking all that icky fuss and muss out of motherhood--that way you can go get your mani/pedi in peace.

Daycare centers don't call in sick, get stuck in traffic or bitch.
Nannies do...and if they don't like you, your kid or your arrangement, they'll quit without giving you notice--leaving you to (gasp!) fend for yourself.

Nannies are hotter than you.
I don't need a young, nurturing girl from Sweden giving my husband an eyeful when she bends over to pick up LEGOS. There are FAR too many cases of men leaving their wives for the "Mary Poppins" type. And I doubt a spoonful of sugar will help the divorce go down.

| Bookmark | Permalink |

Email | Comments (48)

48 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

I am a professional Nanny for 30 years and I love my job I work 12 hours a day and no the children don’t disappear and drink Drano that is insane. I make awesome money, I get all my benifits and way more than 24,000. I was also a preschool teacher and I loved that job also. This Mom should think before she spoke. Nannies have education degrees and are well educated. and you should trust your Nanny. I am proud to be a nanny and wouldn’t want to do anything else.

- Auntie 4 six

Posted 06/05/08 07:51 PM

Ohhhhh my goodness…I’m a professional nanny and proud of my job and what I do. I go to my job and love the family who treat me very well. Its like a new family. I spend all my time with their two children. The only time that is “Me time.” is when they take their nap. Its like my lunch break and down time. I do this job because i want to do it and enjoy with the children. I was an owner of a inhome daycare and was an assitant to a big corporate daycare center and it was stress full dealing with so many parents and children in such a big corporte nightmare. The mother needs to think before she speaks on “Nanny!”

- Joan

Posted 06/05/08 09:58 PM

As a professional nanny with over a decade of experience, I can say with certainty that I love my job. And since I have a degree in chemistry, and am a published author, I could certainly do anything I’d like to do. But fortunately, I am happy. I’ve found out what I love to do and figured out a way to get paid, very well, for it!

- Michelle

Posted 06/06/08 01:30 AM

Well I love how one sided your info is on us “husband steeling nannies”, you make it sound like the husband had no choice but to run of with them…why? …because the nanny made them,lol please. I started doing a weekend nanny job for another family, Now this family was wealthy, to the point where it was just stupid.I didnt take this job because of that and even if I did they both wife/husband went away for the weekends i worked. On the 3rd weekend, husband while his wife was upstairs hit on me and I never, repeat never went back again!! I just wanted a job and a bit of extra money, not to steel a man. But I guess some how I brought that on myself then, because I’M the NANNY and I must of wanted HIM for being WEALTHY. Please

- Kelly

Posted 06/06/08 06:32 AM

omg i am horrified at this mom’s idea of a nanny…… us nannies often spend more time with your kids than you do!!! we visit and spend extr time withthe kids [unpaid] we dont get “benefits” like corporate jobs, we are often underpaid, but still love your kids. we spend our money on them. we spend most of our whole day with them. and nannies hve been given a bad rep for husband stealing…..if your husband chets, it’s HIS fault, he’s the one who’s married!! kids who go to daycares are always sick. my current family cant put their child in daycare…..he has a childhood autoimmune disorder, if he gets sick it could be fatal, hes almost 8 mos old. talk about an uneducated, bitter woman. apparently she can only feel good about herself as a mom by putting nannies down. sad.

- nannymisskim

Posted 06/06/08 10:07 AM

so when the secretary at your husband’s work steals him, thats ok. b/c shes not the nanny….whatever

- nannymisskim

Posted 06/06/08 10:19 AM

nannymisskim — Most professional nannies DO get benefits. I get three weeks paid vacation, a week of paid sick/personal days, and full medical/dental insurance.

- Happy Nanny

Posted 06/06/08 01:15 PM

To add to some of the great comments that have already been posted, I would also like to remind this mom that at daycare her child would not have the one on one attention that a nanny provides. As far as interaction with other children, thats what play dates are for. I’ve been a nanny for over ten years and am still in contact with and still visit the families that I’ve worked for. One child that I’ve cared for has even told her mom that she would like to have me as her mom if she couldn’t have her real mommy. That in itself is an honor to me.

- nanny 4 twins

Posted 06/07/08 01:59 AM

99.9% of all nannies are hard working, great employees who love chidren. I love being a second-mom, family member, and appreciated nanny. The job description described in the blog sucks. My nanny positions have been great. I never felt unappreciated. I never snacked on Cheetos while kids watch tv. Let’s face it, there is no news story about how a nanny did a great job at potty training, handling discilpline, or organizing the house. Who cares if another nanny did a great job at teaching a child the alphabet or getting them on a sleep schedule? The most common nanny is great. It is so rare that a nanny would ever hurt a child or be a bad employee that when it happens it is BIG news.

- Stephanie

Posted 06/07/08 12:25 PM

I love the fact that this blog spot appeared, it’s triggered international comments and interest. If this is a genuine post, I feel very sad for the experiences the writer has had, or those around her for her to come to these conclusions. For any parent, it is best to arrange their nanny selection through a reputable agency - and my advice to parents is to check the agency as thoroughly as they will check out their screened applicants. I operate a resource and information for nannies in Australia and am appalled at the low level of professionalism in many forms of care. Ultimately - it comes down to the individual carer - in all forms of care. As a parent you must check every reference an applicant offers and query any gaps in their employment. Ask about what milestones your child will experience over the next year and how the applicant will meet their needs. Ask how they would spend a rainy week with your children - an itemised routine. Also ask what crafts and specific activities they will do with your children. IF they mention painting, as for examples of what kind of painting they would do (finger, potato, printing, brush, roller, butterfly, etc) if they can’t say anyting else but painting - it’s a clear indicator they don’t do it much. Ask about your most paranoid thought regarding your children and how they would handle it (E.g. kids locked in the car, temperatures, getting lost, cutting themselves badly etc). Nannies should have their first aid certificate & some child development training. Even though many nannies with seven years exp will have a wide knowledge base, it is still imperative that they keep their knowledge up to date. I have nannied for over twenty years and I am yet to met a family that has not benefited from my presence. This may sound conceited, but I have references from everyone to back it up. It comes down to the fact that I genuinely love kids. All of them, even the grotty ill mannered ones ( I love them the most,as there is usually reasons behind their behaviour. When you help them to adjust their behaviour - they are like shining gems.) The reason this particular writer may not have heard of great experiences, is that she moves in the wrong circles. Nannies do have a hard job to

- Marina

Posted 06/08/08 02:29 AM

I am a British qualified nanny with almost ten years of experience. It still surprises me that the whole nanny debate is being argued… I believe that everyone should make their own choices to suit and that includes childcare. I obviously think that if you can afford a nanny (and a London nanny earns more than some parents realise) that it is the best option. One-to-one care of your child or children in your home. In the UK we have a police check to ensure we are not criminals, I work a ten to twelve hour day five days a week, and i have to say out of those five days only one of them will I sit down and have twenty minutes or so to myself! There is always my litte friends laundry to do, his baby food to make, activities to stimulate, amuse and entertain him as well as thinking of new ways to keep him happy and which way he learns best. I have been in my current job three months. My previous position I was there for four years. The eldest considers me as her big sister and a confident. The middle child thinks I am his best playmate-I totally rock at making castles, tents and playing around in a pool and the youngest? She thinks I am her best friend. When I left we both cried as as far as she knew I was a family member who had been in the picture for ever. And the paents consider me a family member as well as a friend, after all because of my hard work I have helped these three children become well mannered, intelligent and happy little people. I have been involved with families-helping to raise children alongside the parents-celebrations, funerals, weddings, birthdays, holidays, milestones. I am even in the drawing that on child has done of ‘my family’. Next time anyone feels that they need to have a little bit of a nag about how useless us nannies are, think whether you would do our job fo a week, think how you would feel if your employer said/did/forgot/behaved the way that some of ours do……Would you like to see your boss in his underwear? And whatever your childcare arrangment, let them know how happy you are with them. It does not have to be a materialistic gesture, a simple heart felt thank you

- Sarah

Posted 06/10/08 10:32 AM

What a load of rubbish! I’m a nanny because I love my job and I love kids. I don’t have to be a nanny, I have other qualifications as well. But I find number punching quite boring and I never got hugs when I walked into the office of a morning. As for the husband thing. I have my own, One is enough for me!!! My boss gets her hands dirty all the time. She is a fantastic parent who is in touch with her children. Daycare didn’t work for them. They needed more adult attention, they are not lost in a sea of children. They don’t have to take time off work every time their child has a runny nose. Obviously written by an uninformed person who has watched too much t.v. Anyone who is in touch with their children will be able to tell when their child is happy. If the child is well adjusted and happy, then my job is done. If their is any doubt in the parents minds, why keep the nanny on and bother with a “nannycam”. If my employer felt as though they couldn’t trust me. I would rather them sack me. Nanny cam can only catch something as it happens. Maybe too late!

- Leah

Posted 06/10/08 11:55 PM

I’m fortuate to have a nanny. Its sad in this day and age moms are looked down upon for asking for help. A moms work load is enormous and having a nanny to help out with such chores as dishes and laundry is worth the money. The time I would have spent doing this I now spend with my two young children. I even get quality time with my husband. I work hard during the week and spending the money so that I have more time with my family is a luxery I’m very lucky to have.

- Sabrina

Posted 06/12/08 03:23 PM

I am so sorry to have read this article. This is obviously someone who does not get along well with others. My nanny is amazing. I work at home so I hear everything and my children are very well taken care of. They love her, I love her and she loves all of us. She takes my kids to the library, park, museums and many other places to meet other kids. See, I had my kids in the best daycare in town until my 6 month old continued to get ill and worse everytime. 3 months later we took her to a specialist and found that she has asthma which allows her to get ill more easily and goes to her chest everytime. With a nanny her health has improved and she rarely gets ill now. Well, I am glad we all get to share our stories here and am sorry for those who hate. I hope your child does not grow up with your attitude towards other people.

- Autumn

Posted 06/16/08 12:45 AM

YEs - it’s true - in a an 8 hour day we al need a break…but since my kids take a 1-2 hour nap - the nanny then gets a break. Sounds like you had a bad experience…but most good nannies do not blow. and frankly - I work full time from home and I am not afraid to get my hands dirty as you say — just because I work from home and bring home the house holds money doesn’t mean I don’t want to be with or get dirty with my kids. You sound extremely sophmoric and pedestrian and wildy judgemental and unschooled. Maybe you oughta check that!

- Alyson

Posted 06/19/08 01:41 PM

Coming from a family that couldn’t imagine shelling out $24k per year for hired help (that’s almost my wife’s entire salary), I found this article quite amusing.

- what?

Posted 06/21/08 11:01 AM

I just realized what else amuses me. Almost all the responses are from nannies - I don’t really see many employers “coming to the rescue” of their employees’ reputations. That in itself speaks volumes. It’s not that I think nannies have formed an evil empire, but I think that the 30 or so that have posted here may not represent the skills and dedication levels of the nanny population as a whole.

- what?

Posted 06/21/08 11:09 AM

Whatever happened to raising one’s OWN kids? And, yes, I did. B-24, G-21, G-14

- Mary

Posted 07/02/08 12:31 AM

What a shame that such a myopic, bitter woman has a child. My daughter has been blessed with having two nannies over the course of her 10 year life, and adores both of them. Our first nanny still travels in from out of state to see us, and remembers my daughter’s important “firsts” as well as we do! Most nannies who choose to do it as a profession are wonderful, competent, responsible people, and the children in their care are so lucky to have so much love and stability in their lives. Compare that to a daycare center where the adults come and go all the time and the kids get shuffled from room to room —no thanks! P.S. I’d love to see the factual basis for her “young hot nanny” stealing husbands comment. As if her husband doesn’t meet attractive women outside of the house!

- Jen

Posted 07/02/08 03:24 PM

i am a babysitter and i love the two girls i babysit more than anything. i am available to sit for them at the drop of a hat, whenever their mother calls. i bring them to ride my horse, to the beach, out for ice cream, to the park, and we do plenty of other fun activities. I went to their dance recital this past sunday (they are 3 and 5) and i was so proud of them i started crying as i watched them perform on the stage. i love my job and i love my girls. most babysitters love what they do - and its usually great money to have fun interacting with amazing children. my girls are amazing and i hope to always be their friend and be their for their family. their mom is so cool and sweet and so is their father and i would never want him to look at me in a sexual way!!! they have a wonderful loving family and i would never jeopardize our relationship. if your going to have a nanny or babysitter as long as you trust them and know they love your kids thats all that matters! also if i ever found a nanny cam was imposed in the home i would be outraged and quit immediately, i know how much i love those girls, and i know i would never treat them poorly or without respect. Nanny cams are an invasion of privacy and if you dont trust your nanny or babysitter why the hell is she in your home with your children!!!

- samantha

Posted 07/02/08 04:52 PM