Monday

Know-it-all Nannies

OPINION
How do you handle the know it all and holier than thou nannies that are convinced they know everything there is to know about being a nanny, and that their way of doing things is the right way. I've been a nanny for 5 years, and with my current family for just over a year. At first I thought it was because I was new to the group, but as I said it's how these nannies are hyper critical of everyone around them and there is so much cattiness. One girl out of the entire lot I've met is that great, unfortunately our schedules don't overlap often so I can't spend much time with her. - Anonymous

6 comments:

♥ Amy Darling ♥ said...

Avoid them if at all possible. If you cannot, just simply keep your mouth shut or divert the conversation once they get started yapping.

Honestly these nannies sound very insecure to me if they must criticize EVERYONE else.

Nay The Nanny said...

Hang in there...it took me a while to find a couple of nannies I really clique with and I only met them recently. There are quite a few know it alls out there. The key is I am confident in my abilities but also open to new suggestions if presented the right way. I find other nannies who seem to feel the same way and we get along great. :)

Bethany said...

Do not engage.

Focus on your charge during the times you all have to be together.

Look for friends outside of nannying . Take a class or join a gym. Ask the nanny you like for what to dos in the area.

Don't assume you are doing something wrong automatically.
There are people in every field that are not secure with themselves and they deal with those negative feelings they have about themselves by belittling others.

old-timer said...

I hear you, OP. Any time you live in a high "nanny traffic" area (such as NY), you're going to run into people like this. And the nanny cliques? They're usually neglectful bench warmers, lol, so I wouldn't want to socialize or make plans with them for the kids anyway. I say just keep your distance from the ones that act like they're better than everyone else.

nanny s said...

...I just don't hang out with other nannies.

i know said...


I've been doing the babysitting/nanny thing for 20 years and I do know a lot but I don't treat everyone like they know nothing. I offer advice but I don't act like it's all my way or the highway. Mainly because everyone needs to learn their own way but parents, grandparents and other babysitters have come to ask me for advice and help. I've had a mom who was babysitting ask me for advice after laughing when I joked about needing advice. She told me "I don't need advice I have kids of my own." Yeah she called me the 2nd day in a week long job. They might like to tear everyone down but listen once in a while and you might get some good advice. Anything I advise is something I know that works and would never say something if I've never been through it. I've seen just about everything and there's nothing a kid (or adult brother) can do in public or private anymore to embarrass me. I could post some stories here but they would sound made up lol.