u/mydogisarockstar

It really disheartens me to read on the Nanny Employer subreddit posts that have to do with age as it relates to capabilities. I’m an older nanny; I’ll be sixty in less than five years and I can do cartwheels, splits, carry forty pound boxes of cat litter up four flights of stairs and I run 3-7 miles five days a week. I’ve been very active and fit my whole life. I feel young. I’m up to date on all the current parenting trends and equipment because nannying is my profession. I now have two toddler grandkids and I’m a mom of three. Any nanny, no matter what age, can be fit or unfit to nanny. If you look at someone and interview them and feel like they won’t be able to handle the job then don’t hire them but don’t count someone out because of their age. I hope I’ll be able to do this for ten more years and more if I have to. When I started and up until this year I exclusively nannied babies through their first year and had one set of twins. Now I’m more of a home assistant for a family of six working 5x a week from 12-7, resetting the house, making school lunches, family dinners each night and shuttling the kids to activities. This is a harder job than any baby job and yet I’m thriving. I agree you have to be in decent shape to nanny but age has nothing to do with it! I lol’d at a post that said our 70 year old nanny can’t read in low lighting. We aren’t bats! Sorry if your child is over stimulated by the amount of light you need to read then you’re doing too much. While eyesight does get worse with age, anyone can have sight issues their entire life. Jeeze!

How come if you’re cooking a single layer of popcorn in oil on the stove top all the kernels don’t pop at once?

I’ve been asked to join a family for 7 days/6 nights on a vacation that is 270 miles away from my house. I would be expected to drive there. They told me they would reimburse me for my mileage. I’m just putting together a price and want to run it by this group. I’m assuming a nine hour workday. I’m counting each day for nine hours @$30/hour (including the two travel days because I believe I should be paid for the travel hours), 6 overnight fees of $150, and mileage at $.76/mile. It comes out to about $3,200. Does this seem like too much money? This will be the first time I’ve ever done something like this. I had the pleasure of working for this family locally for a week recently when they were visiting family in my area and needed an emergency nanny and I’m very flattered by this job offer. I don’t want to blow it but I also don’t want to sell myself short. What do you guys think? I chose $150 as my overnight fee because I’ve seen it’s a common fee discussed here. I will have my own cabin with bathroom. We did not discuss what hours I’ll actually be working and I chose the higher overnight fee because I’m guessing I might have to watch the kids while they sleep while the parents socialize and I’m sure I’ll be expected to accompany them throughout each day. This whole week will be at a camp and I think it’s a big family reunion type of week. It will be rustic.

This is a vent but also a question and I hope I’m allowed here. I’m a nanny who was a nanny employer when I raised my kids. My life circumstances have completely changed and after being a privileged SAHM while raising my three kids (now adults) I found myself in need of income and there was nothing I loved more than being a mom to my little ones and have found nannying the best choice for me. I’m a humble, kind and extremely capable and reliable person and this lifestyle change hasn’t been hard on me. I’m 55 and have been nannying since COVID and have found all of my jobs on CARE. I’ve mostly worked for families with infants through their first year or so. I have seven 5- star ratings with beautiful reviews from all of my employers. Once again I am looking. Now when I apply to a job the app immediately asks me if I’d like to boost my application for $2.99, each time I apply! It says boosted apps get a 50% more chance of getting a response. My question is this: As employers, what are you seeing on your end? My expectation is that if I’m applying to your job I’m appearing in your messages. I am barely getting any responses and I’m applying to several jobs a day! I’m paying for the enhanced version of Care (with all the background checks). I find it ridiculous that I am asked to pay more money with each application and I am wondering if this is just a money grab for Care and if the $2.99 per app would actually look more appealing to the employer and how. I’d appreciate any insight. Also, if anyone one on here is in the Northern NJ area and would like to know more about me I’d be happy to guide you to my Care profile. Thanks!

I find myself in the sad position of most likely having to find another job. I’ve been working for a great family but it turns out the dad who I thought was wfh is actually sah and wants to be more involved in the day to day life of the baby. For the first months of my employment he was very busy with a big home project but now that it’s completed it turns out that what they really want is a father’s helper and that’s just not for me. So I went back to the Care app to freshen up my profile and am once again just so frustrated with everything about this app. Their map feature is a joke! It gives you this wide view map with no ability to really see what you’re looking at to really draw your range. It really stinks! My question though is about the enhanced background check for $59. It includes criminal and driving. Do you think it’s worth it? Do you know what the employer sees on their end? Does having that on your profile give you an extra badge or some kind of edge? Finding a new job in the summer is the worst!

In this day and age of algorithmic dating apps, ride apps, dog walking apps, etc., why is Care.com so abysmal? It feels so antiquated and in every aspect it truly sucks. Why?? Aside from Facebook groups, is there an app I’m missing?

My NF is having a hard time finding a sippy cup for 8 month old nk. She uses Dr Browns bottles with a #4 nipple for formula and does beautifully but they’re having a hard time finding a cup with a straw that she can use for water. She can’t get the hang of a straw yet. The cups they’ve purchased require too much effort. I wind up squeezing a little water into her mouth. Can anyone who has been through all the cups recommend the one that finally worked for their nk? NM often asks me for recommendations and I don’t really know about cups because I’ve never had an issue with them. Thanks! For now we’ve been offering her water in one of her Dr. Brown bottles and she’s fine with it but I know a cup or even a water bottle type cup would be better, right?

I believe NFs think it’s noble and cool to say our nanny is like family to us. As a 55 year old nanny with three grown children and two grandchildren I have my own family. Your house is where I work. I adore your baby and will care for them as my own and follow your parenting strategy as long as it’s safe, help provide structure and do my best to help your baby meet their milestones. I’ll show up five minutes early every day and won’t call in sick or leave you hanging. You want photos and videos throughout the day, my pleasure. Say thank you or something positive or just “heart” it; not, “oh I did that with them over the weekend” or “yes I know I made them for her this weekend” . I always work with families (typically first time parents) with infants through the first year and within weeks I usually feel this passive aggression from working moms. They stop saying thank you. They want communication but seem annoyed by it. I’m not here to be better than you or receive accolades. I’m following the program and keeping your LO alive and well and happy while you are working. We are both earning a living. I’d actually rather not be working at all and nannying is exhausting and being in someone else’s home is one of the toughest work environments/dynamics when there is at least one WFH parent. Please stop asking if I can stay an extra hour at the last minute. I am counting down the time that I can get back to my family and life the second I walk through your door in the early morning. You’d never know it because I’m always very pleasant and I have respect for my job. Please show me the same respect. This is just a vent based on a recent interaction and some built up frustration. My NF is not on social media so I know I am just shouting into a void thankfully. Can anyone relate?

Without judgement please, I simply want to know if anyone working off the books/under the table is also working with a “contract”. I’m asking for someone I met who is not on Reddit. Thanks 😊