Nanny Confessions: Don’t Put Off Joint Replacement Surgery

Getting a total knee replacement was the best upgrade I’ve ever made. I went from a creaky antique knee to a high-performance model in just a few hours. Working as a nanny with a bad knee had become nearly impossible. Stairs had become my mortal enemy, playgrounds felt like painful obstacle courses, and even a […]

“Adventure Nannies: Tales of Wonder, Wildness, and Wisdom” Compiled by Shenandoah Davis 

“Adventure Nannies: Tales of Wonder, Wildness, and Wisdom” is the quickest read I have had this summer with just 116-pages featuring first-person accounts from 10 nannies, compiled by the CEO of the nanny placement agency Adventure Nannies.  The background stories of the 10 nannies show that people of varying cultures, educational backgrounds, and previous careers […]

Review of “Wanted: Toddler’s Personal Assistant: How Nannying For the 1% Taught Me About the Myths of Equality, Motherhood, and Upward Mobility in America” by Stephanie Kiser

I am reading as many books written by nannies or about nannies as I can this summer. Stephanie Kiser is a former nanny who worked for affluent families on Manhattan’s Upper East Side who wrote the memoir, “Wanted: Toddler’s Personal Assistant. How Nannying For the 1% Taught Me About the Myths of Equality, Motherhood, and […]

10 Things to Do When You Lose Your Nanny Job

Getting laid off from a nanny job is always stressful. Losing income is scary when you have bills to pay. Missing the children can be devastating. The best way to pay bills until you find a new job is to apply for any state benefits you are entitled to. The best medicine for missing a […]

Keeping Kids in a Safe Nanny Bubble

Nanny Confessions: Don’t Talk to Kids About School Shootings Unless They Ask I am so thankful when parents don’t allow their kids to watch television while I am working. Yesterday, I had a great day with the kids. We went on playdates, to classes, and to sports practice in the fresh Spring air. I got […]

Importance of Last Impressions for Nannies and Parents

Respecting Professional Boundaries Years ago Sue Downey of Nannypalooza wrote “Taking the High Road When Leaving a Nanny Job” I published on my web site. She explains nannies should remain professional and give proper notice at their job because the last impression nannies make when leaving a job will be the memories parents remember most […]

15 Nanny Quarantine Boredom Busters

Nanny Confessions   I have worked as a nanny during the entire pandemic until 11 days ago when I had a fever, extreme fatigue, and lost my sense of taste and smell. Of course I got tested for Covid-19 and went home to sleep and quarantine. Although I could barely get out of bed for […]

Why It’s Harder for Parents of Small Kids to Land Nanny Jobs — And Why it Shouldn’t Be!

Have You Been Denied a Nanny Position Because You are a Parent of a Small Child? Many of my nanny friends have been denied nanny jobs simply because they are mothers to small children themselves. It is certainly hypocritical of working parents to not hire a nanny candidate simply because the job seeker has small […]

Nannies Show Kids How to Apologize

Apologizing to Children We all make mistakes — plenty of them. As nannies we are important role models for the children in our care. It’s important for us to confess and to apologize to children when we make mistakes. Doing so teaches children to do the same. It’s not enough to just say we are […]

Opinion-Shopping: When Kids Ask Parents Although the Nanny Already Gave Them an Answer

Nanny Confessions: Back Me Up I confess there are few things as annoying as when the kids call their parents because I didn’t give them the answer they wanted. My Dad Boss calls it opinion-shopping: when kids keep asking the adults in charge a question that was already answered by another adult, to try to get […]