What is the difference between a nanny and a babysitter?
By Babysits
•
5 min read
With all the different childcare options out there it can get a bit overwhelming trying to figure out what’s best for your family. I mean, is a nanny even really all that different from a babysitter? Well, actually...yes! If you’re curious to know what exactly the role of a nanny is and how it differs from a babysitter, keep on reading!
What is a nanny?
According to Oxford:
"A person whose job is to take care of young children in the children’s own home."
Most likely when you hear the word nanny the first person that comes to mind is the famous Mary Poppins, the woman who brought joy to families for several generations with her song "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down".
A nanny is a person who usually has many years of experience and works on a full-time basis. In fact, they offer a constant service not only focused on the care of children, but also their education. As it is a full-time job it should involve a contract with a specified fee. A nanny typically works with the same family for many years, from when the children are small until they have become teenagers.
What are the duties of a nanny?
It is a mix of being a teacher, a life coach and a carer. A nanny can carry out both educational activities and chores, such as helping your kids with their homework or teaching them to put away their toys, and playful activities such as baking or reading your child a bedtime story.
As nannies sometimes take care of children from a very young age, their role usually also involves tasks such as bathing, feeding, changing diapers, teaching children how to brush their teeth, and so on. They can be a fantastic role model and reference point for your child.
NB: a nanny isn’t responsible for the housework, except those pertaining to the care of the children; however, a family can agree on a higher wage to do extra housekeeping jobs as well.
It is also important to mention that the nanny is not someone who replaces the parent, but rather supports them. Nannies do not intervene in the education of children or bigger life decisions. They can offer suggestions to parents regarding activities they think might be fun or useful, but they should always try to remain impartial in the face of important decisions.
What is the difference between a nanny and a babysitter?
There are many similarities between nannies and babysitters, however, there are also some key differences. Babysitters are typically teenagers or young adults, who do not have a formal qualification or training related to childcare or education. Babysitters can be a great option if you just need childcare for a night out or someone to pick the kids up from school. Nannies on the other hand, tend to be a bit older and have a formal education and/or many years of experience. Nannies are great for families who need some extra help on a daily basis.
Below is an infographic that summarises the main differences between these two roles:
Who to choose: nanny or babysitter?
Now that you have a better understanding of what a nanny is, their duties and responsibilities, and how their role differs from that of a babysitter, who should you choose?
If you feel stuck between choosing a nanny or babysitter (or between two nannies, etc.), it can be useful to ask yourself a few questions to gain a better understanding of your family’s wants and needs. Here is an example checklist you can use:
You should choose a nanny if, for example, you are looking for a long-term commitment for many hours a week. A nanny usually works for one, or at most two families, because this is their main job. Conversely, for more occasional commitments, you can rely on a babysitter who doesn’t necessarily need to have much experience.
This decision is strictly individual. One type of childcare provider is no better than the other, but this choice should reflect your family and personal needs. The former refers to your commitments, the age of your children, etc., while the latter relates to your personal interests.
Especially in the case of choosing a nanny it is very important that you and your children know them well before welcoming them into your family. You can schedule interviews with a few nannies and then, only after your approval, let the children meet and get to know them. Remember that your kids are the ones who will have to spend most of their time with the nanny, so definitely take their feedback into consideration when making your final choice!
We hope that with this article you now have a clearer idea of which childcare provider might be right for you.
You can find both babysitters and nannies, as well as childminders, in Ireland below:
