How old is your nanny or FT babysitter?

pa_kris

Starting the search for someone to watch DD during the work week.  Wondering what age ranges I should expect to receive applications from.  I can't decide what I'm comfortable with.  Hopefully once we find the right person we'll know.  Thanks![Poll]

carder0716

hocus:

I placed an add on sittercity. I got applications from 19 years old to 50+.

 

this...most less than 25

BizEB

My nanny is 52.  I went through an agency and only interviewed nannies over 40- I only wanted someone older with at least 20 years of experience. 

jennynorene

carder0716:

hocus:

I placed an add on sittercity. I got applications from 19 years old to 50+.

 

this...most less than 25

ditto. I automaticaly eliminated anyone under 24. Somewhat arbitrary but we wanted someone a little more mature.

DallasHorn

Our prior nanny was 20 when she started w/ us, however, we had known her for over a year as she had been DD's teacher at a local daycare.

Our new nanny is 21 and has been nannying for 3 years.

 Now, I WFH, so I get to see/hear what's going on. I think if I didn't WFH, then I would be more inclined to get someone a bit older.

 That said, I have a group of close friends/co-workers and we all had different nanny demographics (me = young, no specific nanny experience, but daycare experience, friend 1 = older nanny (late 50's) with many years experience and friend 2 = immigrant nanny who wasn't English proficient.)

In our conversations we all had challenges of somesort with our nanny, just different ones based on the demographics. For example: F2 - they wouldn't let her drive the kids and she couldn't teach them anything b/c she herself was not English profieint, F1 - her older nanny questioned mom's decisions and had outdated thinking on appropriate childcare.

Just food for thought.

Lotte134

For me the person mattered more than the age.  DS had a sitter who was in her mid-twenties, a nanny who was 19, and now is at a home daycare with a retired couple.  They all gave him stellar care.  That said, our nanny did quit suddenly on us by e-mail so I may think twice about a young person in the future from a reliability standpoint (but at the same time I hate to categorize everyone based on one bad experience).

wacissej2

I was deciding between hiring a 22 year old and a 48 year old. I ended up with the 48yo and I'm sooo glad I did. Even in her downtime she's always looking for ways to help around the house. Most 20-somethings would be on the phone, watching TV, relaxing, whatever. But our nanny goes above and beyond. She's also incredibly reliable and shows up early everyday.