Hiring someone to look after your kids is no small thing. You want them to be responsible and keep your children safe. After all, you’re putting some of the most important people in your life in their hands.
But this Redditor says her family’s nanny is a little different, describing the 21-year-old as a “ball of chaos.” She plans plenty of fun activities for the kids, including throwing a birthday party for the dog, yet has also called in sick just 20 minutes before the school day ended.
Her husband thinks they need someone more responsible, while she adores their nanny and refuses to let her go.
The man wants to fire the family’s 21-year-old nanny because he thinks she is too chaotic
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
His wife, however, adores her and refuses to let her go
Image credits: New Africa (not the actual photo)
Image credits: LividMeasurement5252
At the end of the day, the right nanny is the one who fits the family’s needs and expectations
Being a nanny is a big responsibility. You’re taking care of someone else’s children, often for hours at a time, and the job can involve much more than simply keeping an eye on them.
Depending on what a family needs, a nanny might make breakfast, pack school lunches, help with math homework, pick the kids up from school, drive them to soccer practice, keep track of medications, or even teach them how to play an instrument.
For many people, it can also become a lifelong career, with some studying early childhood education, taking professional childcare courses, and getting certified in first aid or CPR.
Even with all of that, figuring out who’s the right nanny for a particular family can be tricky. A person could look amazing on paper and still be completely wrong for the household.
And just because a nanny is very strict does not mean they’re automatically doing a great job either. Research has actually linked very authoritarian parenting styles with lower self-esteem and less independence in kids.
The same goes the other way around. Someone can have a great personality and click really well with the kids, but completely fall apart the moment something stressful happens. And when you’re the one watching children all day, that’s obviously something parents have to think about.
In this case, it’s pretty easy to see why the mom is so attached to Mila. The 21-year-old sounds genuinely fun. She threw the family dog an early birthday party and helped the kids run a driveway sale. She also made sure one of them had everything needed for a school project, so she clearly puts effort into what the kids care about.
At the same time, you can also see why the dad is not fully sold. Mila drove 30 minutes to a Walmart when the same supplies were available just a few blocks away. She sometimes leaves the car messy, and having the kids chat up random strangers during that driveway sale could understandably make any parent nervous.
So how do you actually decide whether a nanny is a good fit? Different childcare organizations tend to point to some of the same basic qualities. A good nanny should genuinely enjoy working with children, know how to keep them safe, be honest with parents, and handle unexpected situations well. Training in childcare, first aid, or CPR can also be a big plus.
Beyond that, a lot comes down to what a particular family expects. The mom and dad probably need to sit down and talk about what they actually want from the person looking after their kids.
Are regular fast-food treats okay? Do they care how far she drives the kids for errands? Do they want her to stick more closely to their schedules or keep the car tidier? And how much freedom should she have when planning spontaneous activities?
Once they agree on those expectations, they can have the same conversation with Mila and see whether she can meet them. She may still be a great fit for the family with a few clearer rules in place. Or they may realize that they simply want very different things from a nanny.
What do you think? Does Mila sound like a fun nanny who just needs a little more structure, or does the husband have a point and they should look for someone else? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Image credits: Yunus Tuğ (not the actual photo)
Most readers thought the nanny showed some red flags and agreed that the husband should also have a say in who cares for their children
A few others, however, thought she sounded fun and like a great fit for the family
