What could be better than planning your own schedule, being paid a fair wage, and hanging out with kids all summer?
By becoming a nanny, you are given the freedom to spend your summer how you want to and make a difference in children's lives. The job comes with a unique sense of freedom and flexibility that should make anyone who likes children consider being a nanny.
What does it mean to be a nanny?
As a nanny, responsibilities include childcare, cooking, cleaning, picking kids up from school, tutoring, and is similar to the work of a camp counselor. I don’t stay overnight at the homes, but there are some nannies who do. Most summers I’ve worked from around 7am to 5pm, five days a week. During that time, I’m expected to create a fun, positive atmosphere for the children I’m caring for.
How do you become a nanny?
There are numerous sites that work with connecting families with potential nannies. One of the most popular of these sites is Care.com. This site allows people to post job listings and for potential nannies to describe themselves and what type of job they’re looking for.
I’ve heard from many friends that this site is super effective, but it’s not what I’ve used to find jobs. I have found that the best way to find a family to nanny for is by networking! A simple post on Facebook, or flyer at your dance studio or sports center can go a long way.
Am I qualified?
In order to be qualified for a nanny job, I would recommend babysitting first for shorter time periods to gain experience working with children. It’s also always helpful to take a babysitting class and become CPR certified for children and infants.
How’s the pay?
Unlike other jobs, the wage of a nanny can sometimes be up for negotiation.
According to Care.com, in 2016 a part-time nanny who works 40 hours/week should make roughly $14.12 an hour—about $565 per week. Of course, these numbers vary with state, experience, and whether the nanny lives in home with the family he/she works for.
Nannies are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, so they are required to be paid at least minimum wage. It's always important that a nanny is an active part in the conversation of wage and agrees with a family before starting work. In most cases, families are extremely generous and thankful for the extra help with their little ones.
What do I do with the kids?
Nannying is taxing because you have to be on your 'A game' and plan events for each day of the week. Similar to teaching, it helps if you have a "lesson plan" in the form of a schedule.
For example, most summers I assign an activity to do each day with the children (Mondays are library day, Tuesdays are beach day, etc.) This helps to provide consistency in their days and helps to make your life a little easier too.
It may seem daunting to be given so much freedom, but trust me, it's one of the best aspects of the job. If you're feeling overwhelmed, Pinterest can be a great source of ideas. Many nannies run their own pages to give advice of things that have worked for them and their kids. Any new nanny should definitely create a Pinterest board to have their own supply of helpful hints and tips.
Some helpful links:
https://www.care.com/c/stories/10000/the-nanny-gui...
https://www.pinterest.com/evesta/nannying-ideas/?l...
