Most Georgia State students have the option of scheduling their classes whenever they see fit. Others are spending their time doing something else — taking care of children.
After picking the children up from school, the nanny decides their plans for the rest of the day, or will do something the parents had planned for them. Running errands, entertaining and having play dates is a normal afternoon in the life of a nanny.
Georgia State junior Audrianna Guidry loves everything about her job as a nanny and is looking forward to being a mom in precisely eight years.
“It brings me such joy to take the boys to soccer, baseball or football practice and watch them play,” Guidry said. “I love doing their homework with them. I like fixing their snacks and playing outside with them.”
Being good with children is a must.
Guidry gets paid $300 per week. She works from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and could not be happier. Most nannies typically make $10 an hour or more. How much each nanny gets paid depends on location, the work load and how much the parents are willing to pay.
Just like any job, there is a transition that occurs from being at one way at school to another way at work. As soon as it is time to nanny, those perverted jokes are put to the side and a big, sweet smile is put in place. Cuss words are not welcome.
“My nannying life is very different,” said sophomore nanny Jessica Dias. “I have to be very, very patient – cannot say anything inappropriate. It’s a lot of downtime and, honestly, sometimes I get so bored at work where it feels like time doesn’t fly.”
Being a nanny can be difficult at times, especially when it comes to disciplining the children. Recently, Dias had an experience with the little boy who she is currently nannying. He blurted out the “f” word and she immediately took action, but not every situation is messy.
There are other moments that make nannying worth while.
“When the kids make you feel like a part of the families, I love that,” said early childhood education major, Carin Paige. But just like Dias, some situations can be hard, some in which she could not tell for the sake of her job.
Some students can find nanny jobs through family or friends, but others do so through sites like Care.com. Here, they can set up their own profile and apply for jobs or parents can contact them directly. Another site is college nannies and tutoring, where Pait found her current nanny job.
This site works a little different then care.com. Instead of having the parents as a boss, another person helps, a supervisor from the website. The nannies are not always set to one family a week, that can change depending on the nannies requests.
The other option they have is being “on call.” This just means that whenever a parent needs a sitter, they can call the nanny up just like that and she will be there. However, the nanny has a choice for the times in which she can be called.
Pait, who has nannied for three years, has always had a love for children. She got started nannying after she worked at a summer camp and because she could not continue to do that in the fall, she thought nannying would be a good option.
If she cannot find a teaching job after graduation next December, Pait plans on nannying abroad.
“I know that it’s going to be crazy, but it will be really good for my resume,” Pait said.
The commitment to nanny abroad is 6-12 months. If she chooses a country like Spain, she would live with the family.
Though being a nanny means good pay and unique opportunities, it is also a job that requires laughing, compassion and a love for macaroni
