Recently an article was published on the differences between a babysitter and nanny. The International Nanny Association and Helen Adeosun, veteran nanny and founder of CareAcademy. were quoted in the article as well. For as long as I have been in the nanny industry, 20 years, this question comes up a lot along with the difference between an aupair and nanny. But for today’s topic we are discussing the differences between a nanny and babysitter. They have identified 5 myths and debunked them. Here is one of them that I have been asked about frequently.
5. Nannies don’t work hard
A nanny’s work may not involve sitting at a desk in a big corporation, but they exert a lot of energy to provide the best care possible for their kids. “You’re planning, monitoring and interacting in a very close way with the child in your care. It’s amazing and can be profoundly hard work,” says Adeosun.
Nannies don’t get to run on auto-pilot if they’re tired or having a bad day. Any nanny can tell you there’s never a dull moment when they’re on duty. “A nanny is a critical thinker, a problem solver and someone who’s very anticipatory,” says Adeosun.
Nannies are experienced, trained professionals who use their skills to do everything from cooking a nutritious meal to mediating fights between siblings. Lazy folks should steer clear of a position that encompasses this much work!
To read the complete article and learn about all 5 Myths please visit:
The Difference Between a Nanny and a Babysitter: 5 Myths Explained
A nanny’s job is very important – right up there with teachers and other adults entrusted to nurturing children and fostering their development. This article does a good job of defending nannies; we don’t feel that is explains any differences between babysitters and nannies, though, beyond being kind of condescending towards babysitters. In our view, everyone who takes care of children has an important responsibility – even if it is just occasionally or just for a few hours. GOOD babysitters actively engage children in age-appropriate activities, not movie marathons. We think the major difference between a nanny and a babysitter is the depth of their involvement in the children’s & families lives, not necessarily the quality of the time spent with the kids.