Educated Nanny vs. Babysitting Nanny: Which Is Right For You?
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By Dara Yates2021.02.15
Should you hire an educated nanny to do some teaching, or simply a babysitter nanny to watch over and spend a large portion of the day with your child? That’s a big question to ask and the answer is integral to your child’s development and happiness.
You may have already decided that you’d like to bring in a nanny to help with childcare, but now it’s time to choose the right type of nanny. In the great educated nanny vs babysitter nanny debate, which one is right for you?
Let’s look at some details to find out.
Comparing Educated Nannies and Babysitter Nannies
Both educated nannies and babysitter nannies will spend time with your child and take good care of them. They may serve meals or snacks, play games, and perhaps even take your child to the park or your local library for activities.
The duties of a babysitter nanny stop there, but for an educated nanny, we’re just getting started.
Educated nannies are well…educated! They will spend the day enriching your child’s experience and assisting in their education and development. Every game is a learning experience, a nature walk becomes a botany lesson, and they will help small children prep for school by introducing letters and numbers and other important concepts.
For most people, it makes sense to hire an educated nanny over a babysitting one. If you’re going to spend money to have someone spend time with your child, it makes sense to give your child a richer, educational experience.
How to Hire the Right Educated Nanny
What should you look for in an educated nanny? While there are no set degree requirements for nannies, you should look for a nanny with a few schooling credentials.
You might assume that most anyone who knows their letters and numbers to begin showing these concepts to your child. However, not everyone understands the best ways to teach these concepts. A nanny with a degree in early childhood education or, even better, early childhood development will be more likely to have the skills you’re looking for.
Nanny agencies will typically require their nannies to hold CPR and First Aid Certifications. Since these are important skills in an emergency, you should double-check that your potential nanny has earned them.
Beyond these basic education suggestions, nannies may come with a range of special skills or education. For example, foreign language skills are highly sought after as parents seek to give their kids an edge in an increasingly globalized world. Other examples of special skills or certifications you might look for include:
Fitness education
Nutrition and cooking
Water safety
A driver’s license and safe driving record
Types of Educated Nanny Practices
You can further divide educated nannies by the style of education they prefer. There are various overarching schools of thought on how to teach young children. One isn’t necessarily better than the other, but there may be better and worse fits that depend on the child’s style of learning. Here are the most common nanny teaching practices.
The Montessori Nanny Practice
The Montessori system of education was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, over a century ago. The style features a child-led approach, allowing children to follow their natural curiosity and learn at their own pace.
They learn concepts through educational play and are taught to be more independent. Educated nannies who follow this methodology won’t just pick up after your child, they’ll teach your child to be responsible for picking up after themselves.
Reggio Emilia Methodology
Like Montessori nannies, Reggio Emilia nannies take a child-led approach. Concepts to teach are chosen based on the child’s interests. In-depth short or long-term projects that are presented as adventures allow the child to fully study a concept.
Documentation of the child’s development and improvements such as photos of the child during tasks and dictations of their experience is integral to this method. Parents like this as well so they can see what does and doesn’t works for their child. In Reggio Emilia schools, this information is also available to the child to help them see their own progress.
Constructivist Self-Guided Education
A passive view of education sees a child as an empty vessel, waiting to be filled with facts and information. The Constructivist approach to education assumes the child must build on prior understanding to fully understand new concepts. While information can be received passively, its understanding cannot. The learner must actively construct their own realities.
Constructivist nannies will create a collaborative problem-solving environment and guide children through a task, acting more as facilitators rather than teachers. They will offer help when needed, but slowly withdraw as the child is able to solve the problems on their own.
Waldorf Method
The arts have had a substantial role in the Waldorf method of education. Through music, dance, theater, stories, and more, children learn from artistic experiences. These experiences then go on to cultivate not only intellectual growth, but also emotional, physical, and spiritual growth.
Children who learn through this method are not expected to simply memorize facts. The focus of learning exercises instead are to develop novel critical thinking skills, including how to be flexible, creative, and understand intellectual risks. One of the primary aims of Waldorf education is to help the student enjoy learning and fall in love with life-long learning.
The Best Nanny for You
Choosing an educated nanny means choosing someone who will help your child grow and develop.
We’ve only mentioned a few of the many educational philosophies out there that educated nannies ascribe to. One nanny teaching style isn’t necessarily better than another but may be more suited to your child’s style of learning. You know your child best and can make the most educated decision about which method would be the best fit for them.
Ready to hire a nanny? We offer a selection of trustworthy educated nannies with the skills necessary to help your child develop. Contact us today to get started!
Works Cited
Care.com. “Child Care Training Courses And Certifications That Will Boost Your Career.” Care.com, Care.com, 11 Aug. 2020, www.care.com/c/stories/2680/12-nanny-training-courses-and-certifications/.
McLeod, Saul. “Saul McLeod.” Constructivism as a Theory for Teaching and Learning | Simply Psychology, www.simplypsychology.org/constructivism.html.
“The Reggio Emilia Approach.” Scholastic, www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/reggio-emilia-approach/.
Study.com, study.com/articles/How_to_Become_a_Nanny_Career_Guide.html.
Waldorf Education – Association of Waldorf Schools of North America, www.waldorfeducation.org/waldorf-education.
“What Is Montessori Education?” What Is Montessori Education, amshq.org/About-Montessori/What-Is-Mon
Luke Yates
Integrations Engineer
Luke Yates brings both technical precision and creative problem-solving to his role as Integrations Engineer at Seaside Staffing Company. His fascination with how things work started in childhood—taking apart computer towers just to see their inner workings—and has since evolved into expertise spanning backend development, systems integration, and IT infrastructure. A year living in the Czech Republic deepened Luke’s appreciation for different perspectives and approaches to problem-solving. At Seaside, he’s the engineer who ensures our technology works seamlessly so our team can focus on making exceptional placements. From building custom integrations to managing our digital infrastructure, Luke’s work keeps our operations running smoothly and our team connected. When he’s not solving technical challenges, Luke is likely hiking through the wilderness or diving into his latest read.
Samantha Johnson
Social Media Manager
After seven years as a professional nanny in high-net-worth and high-profile homes, Samantha authored a guide for both elite caregivers and athlete families to help bridge the gap between professional support and private household dynamics. Today, she brings that same heart and clarity to Seaside Staffing Company’s social presence by crafting content that helps others feel understood, seen, and connected. As a military child who’s lived across the country, Samantha naturally connects with people from all backgrounds and values the integrity, compassion, and authenticity that define the Seaside brand.
DARA G. YATES
Placement Coordinator
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JADE STEVENSON
Social Media Manager
As our social media manager, Jade Stevenson is one of the primary gatekeepers to our Seaside story.
With a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Psychology, Jade is a natural champion of authenticity, and she uses her whimsically pink hair to nudge all of us closer to her magical world of creative expression.
As a kid, Jade discovered she was allergic to more than 60 percent of the food pyramid, and it is in this journey where she began to learn just how important it is to show up as a force of kindness in the world. She holds an unwavering belief in the power of story, and she believes that small acts of compassion can truly spark a movement of positivity and change.
When she’s not showing up with her digital marketing genius at Seaside, Jade can be easily spotted (thanks to her pink hair) tutoring local teens and helping them write the types of college essays that earn acceptance letters from the schools of their dreams.
Equally at home whether she’s amplifying the voices of Black Femmes or losing herself in the quiet stillness of an ancient book of poetry, Jade is a living expression of what it means to fully embrace your truest self. When you meet her, you’ll immediately feel like you’re right at home, and she’ll always help you discover and celebrate the best parts of who you are.
JESSICA HE
Placement Coordinator
Jessica He has spent her entire life stepping feet first into the big, wide world, making every corner of it feel like home – no matter where she’s at.
Earning two Bachelor’s degrees in Chinese language and East Asian Studies, she’s traveled the world to study in monasteries, climb Mount Fuji, and drink tea and coffee with otters. (Yes, that last one is real. Ask her about it.) She’s also served as an ESL teacher, a recruiter, a trainer, and a nanny – always finding ways to work alongside families and children. Today, she brings all her stories and all her experiences to Seaside Staffing Company where she makes the art of perfect matchmaking look flawlessly simple.
When Jessica isn’t in the Seaside office, she’s a busy momma who knows firsthand what it’s like to be in the trenches and need support. Unashamed to claim her sense of humor as one of her greatest talents, Jessica is perpetually positive, fiercely organized, and always seems to find a way to bring levity to the hardest-to-solve problems. Knowing Jessica means you’ll never forget how to laugh, and she’ll give you the courage to live your life to the fullest.
(Want to see her humor in action? Ask her about the time she lived in China and got her Oreos confiscated by a very disappointed nun.)
KIMBERLY BANEY
Placement Coordinator
With an MBA in HR Management and Accounting, Kim might best be described as a people expert.
She spent six years teaching children online in China as an ESL instructor, and with a TESOL certification in her proverbial back pocket, it’s no wonder why she shows up at Seaside every single day with a big, bold view of the world.
Over the last decade, Kim has served as a recruiter and a placement coordinator in the household staffing industry, and she’s learned that while systems are incredibly important, relationships matter more. It’s not uncommon to hear Seaside clients talk to Kim like she’s their best friend. They know she’ll go to the ends of the earth for them (and we’ve seen her do it countless times).
When Kim isn’t at Seaside, she can most likely be found 4-wheeling through the dirt and taking long hikes with her dogs. She’s always up for a great adventure, and she says one of the craziest things she’s ever done is buying an Amish house with no electricity or hot water (besides that one time in high school when she thought it was a great idea to buy a car with a giant British flag painted on the hood).
“The basement of our house used to be a bakery,” she says. “When I’m dreaming about escaping to New Zealand or Scotland, I just head downstairs, take in a deep breath, and imagine myself eating a delicious cinnamon roll baked to sticky-finger perfection.”
Should you hire an educated nanny to do some teaching, or simply a babysitter nanny to watch over and spend a large portion of the day with your child? That’s a big question to ask and the answer is integral to your child’s development and happiness.
You may have already decided that you’d like to bring in a nanny to help with childcare, but now it’s time to choose the right type of nanny. In the great educated nanny vs babysitter nanny debate, which one is right for you?
Let’s look at some details to find out.
