If you hired a nanny for your child(ren), what requirements do you want her to have?

So she is a nanny and housekeeper?

Enjoys children, patient, smiles, and trustworthy.

Common sense, including common sense about safety issues.

Safe driving record if she will be driving them anywhere, CPR certified.

References. Background check. Credit check.

Bilingual English/Spanish would be a plus.

Will she be living in? Which reminds me, I would only hire a woman, and I would consider the possibility of my husband falling for her even though I trust him.

The activities would be pretty much everything. She could take them to the park, shopping, to and from school, out for a treat like ice cream or similar, teach them to cook, bake cookies. If you are only out of the house a couple hours at a time it is more like she is just babysitting now and then, and no great thing has to be done, they can play and she is mostly there for an emergency situation God forbid. If you are around most of the time she is just another adult in the house the children have available to them. It would matter what her competency level was, her other duties at the house, and how much you and your husband are around and how many hours she is with the kids.

If you are actually home most of the time, I would have her focus more and housework, and I would play and care for my children for the most part. If she is helping you with an infant, I would try to work out a routine to help with feedings, if you are not breastfeeding, and changing the baby. Still, primarily I would want her to help with laundry, cooking, and cleaning, but since you say nanny, I assume her primary responsibility is actually minding your children.

We have a babysitter/nanny during the summer a few days per week. The average rate in my area is $15/hr.
Safe driver, fun, creative, CPR certified, clean, shares (or fully understands) our approach to treating children as real people, etc.
We have been very clear up front what we expect. This year’s babysitter is great about making sure that the house doesn’t get trashed during the day. She knows the expectations we have that the kids will clean up after themselves. And her creativity and enthusiasm is contagious. The kids enjoy her company.
We have a pool membership and she brings the kids there whenever it’s not raining.
Anyway, the best babysitters are those that are compatible with your family.

A degree in child paedagogy and a clean criminal record.

I would not want her to do house cleaning. I would want her to focus on the children.

I would let her take them to the park and out for ice cream and to museums.

To clear things up,

I’m seriously considering being a full-time or part-time nanny, which is why I asked.

From what I’m reading, this is what I feel would be a good idea for me to do -

- Renew my CPR
– Learn to drive
– Get some postsecondary school in a related field (such as child pedagogy)
– Learn a second language fluently (in my situation, it would probably be best for it to be French… because of where I live. Many jobs here have a requirement that you be bilingual in French and English because our city borders on Québec… so this would actually benefit me in more ways than one anyway)
– Get more swimming experience, including lifeguard training just in case

What I’m not worried about -

- I do have a clean criminal record.
– Focusing on children comes naturally to me as I have 11 nieces and nephews and grew up in a large family (of over 10 children), so I’m used to interacting with people of all ages from babies to older adults. Since I have so many nieces and nephews (all currently 10 or under), I’m still up to date on stuff for young children, too.
– Children tend to love talking to me. I’m willing to answer any question they might have that I know the answer to… and if not, I know how to get resources that will help them get the answers they are looking for
– I don’t mind being repetitive with babies and young toddlers who are just learning how to talk and telling them what things are… along with telling them things in complete sentences
– I strongly believe in treating other people respectfully, regardless of age. And I respect that parents have their own rules regarding children. I would only be comfortable doing things they are okay with while I am their employee.
– I understand the importance of making sure children I’m looking after clean up after themselves all too well and doing so just comes naturally to me if a child doesn’t already do it on his or her own without being asked.
– I love coming up with new ideas
– Baking is fun and I enjoy it
– Parks/museums… not a problem. Unless there is a money issue. I am a huge fan of both, so any excuse to go to one works for me.
– I respect relationships/marriages… I know what it’s like to be cheated on, and I wouldn’t even want my worst enemy, never mind my employer going through that pain… and I refuse to date anyone who left someone else for me… so this isn’t a real concern of mine, but if it would be to a potential employer, he or she could tell me so and we could talk about boundaries. Regardless of how ridiculous the employer might think he or she sounds, I’m willing to hear people out and come to an agreement accordingly about the proper way to act around the person’s spouse/partner

I can think of more, but I’m going to go do some things for my Mom and this has gotten quite long anyway. Be back soon.

I would expect her to be licensed by a local agency, and meet all their requirements.

I would like to say: young and attractive, but my wife won’t have any of that…