Child Psych: nanny vs teaching for psyd transition year
Hi everyone! I graduated with my bachelors in may 2025 and I’ve been working as an associate nursery school teacher for the past school year since graduating. I’ve realized during this time that I want to go to get my PsyD specifically for child/adolescent/family-related work. I’ll be applying in the next cycle but may wait two application cycles before starting a program.
The school where I work focuses on child-led learning and we work with specialists and parents to discuss children’s development so it’s a pretty good set up in terms of mentorship and developmental engagement and everything, but the school year is ending and I’ve definitely been feeling a bit burnt out. I want to take courses and/or do other things to progress in my career plans, however during the school year it’s just too much to add anything. (I would have summers to do some light work/courses).
I saw a job posting and have been talking to a family for a nannying position where I wouldn’t have to work until 1pm most days when I pick up the kids from school but would be on-call from 9-1 in case the kids are sick etc. Then I’d be doing basic nannying/family assistant work until 6pm. So basically i’d be getting paid for 45 hours/week but would only be actually doing closer to 25 hours most weeks. I’d be making more than I currently make at the nursery school for significantly less work. I’d likely be able to do psych course work or other things in the mornings before getting the kids (I didn’t do psych work in undergrad).
My only concern here is that it will look bad on my PsyD applications that I only stayed at the nursery school role for a year, that many people see nannying as less “prestigious” and also that I’m not sure what to expect from potential recommenders at the school if they’d still want to recommend me even after I leave.
Does anyone have any insight into what PsyD admissions people would think about this potential transition? Or any other tips for someone in my position?
(More info if it helps show where I’m at in my competitiveness as an applicant: I had a 3.93 GPA in undergrad and won a departmental research award for a religious studies paper. I have several years of work with kids but as for psych work academically or clinically I’m lacking)