I’ve had a lot of jobs. Like, a lot. Waitressing, retail, I’ve even worked on a farm for a year. But none have made me feel quite like nannying has. I started nannying my sophomore year of high school when I could drive, and somehow it became more than just a side hustle. There’s something about being part of a child’s everyday world that sticks with you in a way no other job does. It’s the kind of job that teaches you about people, patience, and joy in the smallest forms.
It’s the little moments that make it magic. When a child wakes up from their nap and smiles as soon as they see you standing there. When you’re walking through the neighborhood on a sunny afternoon, music blasting from your phone, both of you dancing to Taylor Swift or Disney princess music. When you make up a ridiculous game together that somehow becomes an everyday tradition. Those moments remind you that connection doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful.
Still, people don’t always get it. They hear “nanny” and think it means you’re just “watching kids,” like it’s a placeholder until you do something bigger or more serious. There’s this weird assumption that women who choose to work with children are settling; like we’re supposed to want more from the world than sticky hands, snack time negotiations, and bedtime stories. But what if this is more? What if helping children grow, laugh, and feel safe is the most important work of all?
I think that’s why I’ve always loved the “cool girl nanny” characters in movies and TV. They showed that taking care of kids doesn’t make you small, it makes you strong, grounded, and often a little iconic. Mary Poppins made it whimsical and magical. When I went to Disney World as a little girl I never went for Cinderella or Snow White; I made my mom or dad wait over and over again just for the chance to see Mary and Bert (and I have years worth of pictures to prove it). Jessie turned chaos into confidence as she started a new chapter in NYC. Fran Fine (whose show was literally called The Nanny) did it with humor and a killer wardrobe. I got hooked on The Nanny in high school and she became my role model in fashion and in heart. And don’t forget Chessy from The Parent Trap, the ultimate cool nanny energy. She wasn’t glamorous, but she was warm, witty, and real. She made grilled cheese, gave the best hugs, and somehow kept everything together when no one else could.
These women showed that being a nanny isn’t just about caretaking; it’s about connection, stability, and presence. They weren’t in it for the money or status; they were in it because they cared, and that passion for nurturing and caring is pure gold. I never really knew how to put into words why I or how I care so much. Someone (my boyfriend…) wrote a letter about me once. In it he wrote, “Helping others is not just something she does out of some sense of obligation, but it is something that truly brings her joy to an extent that I have never seen in anyone else.” I suppose things become a lot clearer when others put them into perspective. I’m not a nonchalant person. I don’t brush things off or push them aside. I think deeply, feel deeply, and care so, so much. And I love it. In some fields that isn’t helpful. It’s frowned upon to be so emotional or invested. But in childcare, nannying, teaching, really any child-focused job it is what makes someone good at it. At being there. At doing what a lot of others won’t or can’t. I think my big ole’ heart was made for caring and nurturing, and I naturally gravitate towards those who always need it the most: children.
I’ve learned how to make kids laugh in upset moments, how to find calm in chaos, and how to show up with patience even when it’s not easy. The hugs at the end of the day, the giggles on our walks, the sleepy smiles and even the grumpy frowns; those are the moments that remind me why I do it and why I love it.
Cool girls nanny. We dance in the kitchen, clean up glitter and snacks, and are somehow always covered in stickers or snot. But most of all, we get to be part of the kind of magic that only kids can create.