Nannies Defined
What is a nanny?
A nanny is a professional childcare helper with previous experience. She can live in your home or live in her own home. She will take care of the children while the mother's at work or alongside the mother at home. She will do all the children's washing and ironing, make sure their rooms are clean, prepare all their meals, and organize their social activities. They will also be quite involved in their education, and teaching them motor skills, and, if they're babies, helping them with potty training and learning to walk. Anything in a child's life.
What does a nanny do?
A nanny is in charge of a child's full schedule. They will cook and clean for the children, make sure all their clothes are washed and tidy, their rooms are tidy. She will prepare all their meals, bathe them, get them ready for bed. A nanny is a very integral part of a child's life, and if you're wanting to be a nanny for a family, you should try and stay there for a long time, because you're going to have a big impact on that child's life.
Why would a family choose to use a nanny?
Someone would choose to use a nanny if both parents are going to work full time, or if the mother perhaps felt she couldn't cope with the workload of several children on her own. A nanny is a great thing to have because she is professional and that she knows what's she's doing with children. She doesn't need to be taught by the family, like an OPMA being--needs to be taught how to care for the children. She's a professional and can be a great asset to any family.
Is an au pair like a nanny?
An au pair is quite different to a nanny. The term "au pair" literally means "on a par with". It's a French word. The idea is that an au pair will be like a big sister and she will live in your home, and she only is supposed to work 30 hours a week. She's not a professional child-carer, she won't necessarily have any previous experience, and she really shouldn't be left in sole charge of children. A nanny is someone who is very professional who has a child-care qualification, or several years of experience. She will work full-time or part-time in your home, depending on what you need. But an au pair is more someone who is there on an exchange to learn the culture of a foreign country and also the language.
Are there many male nannies?
Male nannies are becoming more popular; Madonna actually had a male nanny. But they're not most family's first choice of nanny. But they're great for all boys, because they'll be more fun for playing soccer, sports, and other activities. They can also be a really good role model for a single-parent household such as single alone mothers. So having a male nanny can be someone that fills that gap.
What is the difference between a live-in and a live-out nanny?
A live-in nanny is someone who lives all the time in your home or the family's home. The nanny does not just live with them during the week and then go her home in the weekend. This does happen sometimes, but normally a nanny lives in to save herself the cost of paying rent. A live-out nanny earns a higher salary and has her own home that she goes to every night.
