Child Care Careers Articles

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Both au pairs and nannies take care of your children. Au pairs are young foreign women between the ages of 18–26 who are seeking to live with a family in order to experience a new culture. They are screened by the U.S. sponsoring organizations against a set of criteria and will have a minimum of child care work experience and training. Au pairs come to work for a host family for 12–24 months. They are not usually doing child care as a career focus like nannies, but do the work to gain an understanding of and to experience different cultures. The nanny comes to work for the family as an employee. This isn’t true for au pairs. The au pair’s employment is governed by the exchange program that places them in the host family. The exchange program has a set of rules, including the number of hours the au pair works per day and week; the relationship between the nanny and the family is contractual. The au pair comes for the cultural experience, is immersed in the host family’s life, lives with the family, and often is viewed by the children and the family as a big sister; a nanny may be older and more mature. The nanny may have several years of live-in childcare experience and come to the family with more references. The nanny is building a child care career. An au pair host family can expect to pay anywhere from $195 to $250 per week, but a nanny's salary may be higher: $300–$800 each week. This all depends on the state, experience, and any additional duties that the family might require of a nanny. Au pairs do not do additional housework; they take care of only the children. Host families are not required to pay employee taxes for a foreign au pair, but taxes are required to be paid for a nanny. Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/LifesizeImages

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Is being a nanny the right career choice for you? Maybe you took care of your younger brothers and sisters, or you were always called to babysit by your neighbors, or maybe you are just passionate about working with kids. Being a nanny might be a great career choice for you. Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/Piotr Marcinski What exactly is a nanny? Yourdictionary.com defines a nanny as a person whose work is caring for a young child in the child's home. This can be done full- or part-time. If you decide you want to become a nanny, it’s important to figure out how many hours each week you’d like to work. Full-time nannies work 40–60 hours each week and have two days off. They get paid vacations, sick time, overtime pay, and other benefits. The family is relying on you to serve in their place while they work so your personal character and behaviors must be impeccable. You will be working with little or no other adult interaction, so your desire to be with children most of your day must be something you really want to do and enjoy. Sometimes a nanny has specialized skills, like being able to work with newborns. These nannies are generally on call for 24 hours a day during the first few weeks of a child’s life. Temporary nannies are another type of specialized nanny. These nannies will accept short-term, temporary employment — perhaps if a full-time nanny for the family is ill or on an extended leave. Some nannies even specialize in working with multiples such as twins, triplets, or more. Basic nanny characteristics Being a nanny is rewarding, but it takes hard work and dedication to be successful. Sometimes you have to work in an environment with morals and values that differ from your own. In addition, you might have to relocate and spend countless hours without a peer support system like many other professions provide. The International Nanny Association (INA) has adopted the following basic standards for nannies: Must be at least 18 years of age Must have completed high school (or the equivalent) Must be in good general health with proof of immunizations, and, where states require, a negative TB test and/or chest x-ray Must be able to legally accept employment in the country where they work Must have an innate desire to make a positive contribution in the lives of children under their care Extensive babysitting or daycare experience Perhaps have already raised a family of her own Could have a degree in early childhood education or elementary education What is the nanny’s role? A nanny basically takes the place of the parents for several hours daily. Although it’s important to ensure the children are protected, a nanny does much more. The duties of the nanny can include Disciplining children based on the values of the family Providing transportation to and from after school and cultural activities Planning and cooking meals Doing laundry and basic mending of the children’s clothes Child-related housekeeping activities, like cleaning up after spills Traveling with the family and caring for the children during family vacations Designing and providing stimulating learning and appropriate exercise Being a nanny can be a very rewarding field. For more information on becoming a nanny, visit the Internal Nanny Association (INA).