A while back, my nanny friends and I started to realize one can categorize nannies into three groups.
Professional Nanny:
A professional nanny is the woman (or man) with a college degree in
some sort of child-related field (education, psychology, child
development, etc.), or has years of teaching and/or nannying experience.
She'll also have CPR and First Aid training. This is the person who
will discipline your child, and teach them everything from manners to
their ABCs. She is your partner in the raising of your children. She
will schedule playdates, make recommendations on classes, create games
that stimulate your child, and so much more. Yes, professional nannies
cost more, but they work hard for it.
"I Love You" Nanny:
I have known some great "I love you" nannies, that truly adore their
charges. They will kiss and cuddle your baby every single moment, and
your child will be safe with her. She'll take them to the library
storytime and the park, but won't necessarily do much more to stimulate
them. I honestly see no problem in employing one of these nannies, just
know that you will have to do all of the intellectual stimulation of
your child. An "I Love You" nanny will probably not help with homework.
Park Bench Nanny:
These nannies are the ones that ruin it for the rest of us. She just
sits on the park bench the entire time, barely watching her charges.
She's probably talking on her phone, stopping every once in a while to
bark orders at the children. Why this woman works in childcare is
beyond me, since the park bench nanny doesn't seem to even
like kids. These nannies scare me, because if they're this mean to their charges in public, what happens behind closed doors?
Park Bench Nanny:
These nannies are the ones that ruin it for the rest of us. She just
sits on the park bench the entire time, barely watching her charges.
She's probably talking on her phone, stopping every once in a while to
bark orders at the children. Why this woman works in childcare is
beyond me, since the park bench nanny doesn't seem to even like kids. These nannies scare me, because if they're this mean to their charges in public, what happens behind closed doors?