“When many people think of nannies, they picture working in private homes,” says Ingrid Kellaghan, parenting expert and founder of the Cambridge Nanny Group. But while this is usually the job description, there are also many exciting and unique nanny jobs available as well.
So, whether you’re considering taking a different nanny career path or are just interested in knowing your options, here are four non-traditional gigs for nannies.
- Hotel and Resort Nanny
These types of nannies offer vacation child care while families are on vacation. Parents may hire you to watch the children in their hotel or accompany the family during their visits to parks and activities, providing a helping hand, Kellaghan says.To get hired as a nanny for a hotel, you’ll more often than not need to work through an agency vendor, says Kellaghan. For example, Kids’ Night Out in Orlando, Florida helps provide nannies for Disney hotels.
But not just any nanny qualifies. “Experience is key,” shares Kellaghan. This doesn’t just constitute previous child care experience. Hotels and the agencies that supply nannies to hotels are looking for candidates who are responsible, level-headed, calm under pressure, flexible, fun, and engaging, she says.
Reach out to hotels and resorts in your area — or exotic places you would like to move — to find out how to become a child care provider there. If you simply like travelling, learn How to Get a Travel Nanny Job.
- Cruise Ship Nanny
Being a nanny on a cruise ship can be incredibly rewarding for the right people. “Cruise ship nannies and child care workers receive room and board and gratuities,” says Kellaghan, who adds that some lines offer benefits such as 401(k) retirement plans, medical and dental coverage, paid time off, and paid vacation time.The biggest benefit here is that since nannies may work for several years on a ship, they wind up having next to no expenses. It’s an excellent savings opportunity. Kellaghan calls it a “way of life” for these nannies that live and work on the ship and see the same people for an extended period of time.
Of course, this kind of work isn’t for everyone, but if you don’t mind being away from home, it can be extremely rewarding. Typical work involves children’s activities, one-on-one child care and working in a child care center on the ship. Check out the websites of popular cruise ships lines to learn more about these positions.
- Reality Star Nanny
Two babysitters recently broke the mold on what child care providers can do. Brooke Jacob and Becky Whittemore are the creators of the web series “Sitting on Babies,” a mock reality show about babysitting in New York. The pair met in an improv class three years ago at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and both have over a decade of experience in babysitting. They created a fictional comedy series about the unique challenges that babysitters in New York face. “We don’t actually write about the families we work for,” says Jacob, but she does admit that “bits of truth” make it into the show on occasion. The families they work for know about the show and love it.Jacob and Whittemore brought their unique backgrounds — musical theatre and sketch comedy, respectively — to the table and leveraged that to make something wholly original. They also both took writing classes to become stronger writers for the show.
“Babysitting can be an amazing job, especially when you work for caring and supportive families (like Becky and I are fortunate enough to do),” says Jacob, “But it’s also a job that people often do while working on another skill and passion.” Their creativity has allowed them to invent an outlet that coincides perfectly with their regular babysitting jobs. Win!
- Airline Nanny
Working for an airline is another option for nannies and other child care providers. Some airlines are now offering nannies in-flight to assist parents with young children and care for unaccompanied minors. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, recently added 500 “Flying Nannies” to its crew. These nannies had to undergo extensive training in order to evaluate development and behavior in children of various ages and enact coping strategies in the moment. A lot of the focus of the in-flight nanny program is providing arts and crafts, as well as teaching magic tricks.
While there are certainly more unusual jobs for nannies out there, these topped our list. But the opportunities are endless! Talk to local businesses in your area, from theaters to colleges to community centers, to see if any of them could benefit from offering child care to customers. Think about your background and what you have to offer as a nanny. Your perfect nanny job is out there!
Brenda Barron is a writer from southern California. When she’s not typing at a frantic pace, she’s spending time with her family, knitting or watching Doctor Who, often all at once.
