The word nanny usually refers to a professional who steps in and cares for children while parents are away. While this is the most basic description, we have found that many nannies have exceptional skills, passions, and talents to share with families, and excel when given the opportunity to use them.
How many hats can a nanny wear? In the last few years we have filled requests for nannies with language skills, classroom/private teaching experience, swimming instructors, advanced medical training, personal assistant experience, culinary training, nannies who can pilot small planes and beyond! At AN, we believe the definition of a nanny often goes way beyond covering the basic needs of the children!
We spoke about this briefly in this article with FOX a couple years ago:
In addition to flexibility and patience, all of the Adventure Nannies have unique skills and hobbies make them a great match for adventurous families. Some enjoy skiing, whitewater rafting, and sailing, and share these skills with the children in their care.
“Our clients break the mold of stereotypes of mothers who stay at home,” said Schultz. “Our nannies fill the entire role as an extension of Mom, as a caregiver, role model, and educator. Parents feel they can give their kids these experiences, work and travel at the same time.”
Since this article was published, the requests for specific skills have continued to roll in.
Does the nanny who can cook, speak American Sign Language, tutor the children after school, and train your horse exist? Short answer: Yes! We encourage families to tell us their specific needs, because nannies are happy to share their skills with the families they work for. It is very rewarding, exciting, and enriching to fill many roles within a family.
Where do these super nannies come from? We believe that thanks to “The Oddessy Years” (a term Brandy stumbled upon in college) there is now a large population of well-educated, renaissance women and men who have lived life to the fullest and have not yet decided to settle down and have families of their own. Many of our nannies have had more “traditional” corporate careers straight out of college, and have felt the need to switch another job that they find more fulfilling, like working with and educating children. Thanks to the many skills it takes to work with children, along with the competitive salaries and benefits families are able to offer, being a nanny can be one of the most fulfilling carrier opportunities out there. We have placed several nannies with advanced degrees or high level corporate backgrounds, and they couldn’t be happier with their non-traditional career move.
Tess has a Masters in Elementary Education from Loyola Marymount University in LA, as well as a BA in Spanish Literature and Visual Arts from Columbia University in NYC. In addition she is a designer, entrepreneur, and Adventure Nanny.
At Adventure Nannies, we are proud to know that our nannies can take on anything. We are often blown away by the resumes we receive, and can’t believe we get the opportunity to represent these outstanding individuals.