4 Myths About Nannying

4 Common Myths About Nannies

Myth #1: Nannying and Babysitting are the same

A babysitter is someone who works with a family for a few hours a day or a few days during the week. Many times, the family has a list of backup babysitters that can come in for date nights when their “regular” sitter can’t make it. As someone who has been both a babysitter and a nanny, I also didn’t have the same dedication to the family due to the intermittent schedule and lack of quality time spent with the children.

A Nanny is there every day, all day and is committed to the family they watch. The expectations of a nanny greatly differ from a babysitter as nannies are expected to not only do the basics of caregiving but go the extra mile. Nannies are nurturers, teachers, cooks, drivers, coaches. They ultimately want to see your child learn and grow and dedicate themselves to these children as if they were their own. 

Myth #2: Nannying Isn’t a Real Job

There is a common misconception that all nannies do is play with the children and get to relax most of the day while the children sleep. While there are days where you do get to do fun activities with the children, your job is to ensure they are safe, and this means that your focus is on the child and not the activity itself.

A nanny’s job is to provide a safe, nurturing environment in the home of someone else for someone else’s child. You are responsible for every need the child has whether it’s preparing a meal, diaper changes, snacks, clothing changes, baths, potty training. There are usually additional responsibilities that are required while the children are sleeping such as laundry, dishes, mopping, and more.

A career nanny gets a tax deducted paycheck, benefits, PTO, and is a “real job”.

Myth #3: Men can’t be nannies 

When you picture a nanny or babysitter a woman comes to mind, however roughly 2% of nannies are male. To be a nanny there is a genuine passion for children that is needed, and the goal is to help the children learn and grow. Men are teachers and fathers; gender shouldn’t decide which employment avenues they are able to pursue.

Myth #4: Not College Educated

While having a college degree is not required to be a nanny, it doesn’t mean that all nannies aren’t college educated. Many become nannies because they genuinely love childcare and due to this, they study early-childhood education, social work, psychology, and much more. With the hundreds of degrees that are available I did just name a few. However, nannies do not have to have to have a degree in any of these fields to be a good nanny.

NJOY!