Categories: Family & Pets; Jobs & Education

A Nanny's Guide to New York City

By aliciak
updated 3 months ago

True story: like many unsuspecting and clueless college graduates, I chose to become a teacher in the struggling urban schools in the Bronx. Yeah, that didn't pan out so much. After a few months, I was officially burnt out at the ripe age of 21, so I quit. And became a nanny! For over two years, I nannied for the same family, in particular, two middle-school-aged sisters, and it ranks up there with the best jobs I've ever had. If you're thinking of going the nanny route, or already are one, or are just plain curious about what this quintessentially New York position is about, check out the following guide.

How to Become a Nanny

Examine your talents and past job experiences to see if you qualify. I was primed for the world of nannying: I worked at camps, daycares, schools and did a lot of babysitting along the way.
Study up: While I had my mostly useless BA in English from a good liberal arts college, I also took courses in Education and Psychology that allowed me to talk fairly intelligently about the minds and behavior of children.
Be prepared for all sorts of children, especially the almost inanimate newborn ones, and decide if you really want to devote yourself to the daily stresses of childcare. You’ve got to LOVE kids!

Craigslist

I can proudly(?) say that I have found the majority of my jobs in New York, including my nanny job, on Craigslist. And I’m talking good, reputable jobs with families, at museums, and for media companies. It is not all pyramid schemes and escort services!

The site is confusing if you are looking for nanny positions because there are three different categories where they are found, haphazardly scattered about: childcare (top left), education (top right), and domestic (bottom right).

Embrace the Cheese, Literally

Kids will be kids, and even though this is cultured New York, they will eventually want to hit up two of the most loud, obnoxious chain spots: Chuck E. Cheese and Toys R Us. Your senses will be overwhelmed, but I’ve managed to get a kick out of revisiting these childhood places. Did you know that you can’t even enter a New York Chuck E. Cheese without a child? So take advantage of that nanny position and go play some skeeball!

Toys R US At Times Square

1530 Broadway, New York, NY 10036

Toys R Us + Times Square is the worst combination known to man, isn’t it? Okay, that’s going too far. Kids go crazy in this zoo of a store, but so will you. There is even a ferris wheel in the middle and overpriced pictures taken when you ride.

Chuck E Cheese's

139 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

I know what you’re thinking, the kids dragged me to Chuck E Cheese’s against my will. Quite the contrary actually! I took THEM here, on a day off from school that happened to be my birthday. Yep, I get paid to go to Chuck E Cheese’s while you all toil in cubicles and push papers.

Be forewarned, this Chuck E Cheese constantly gets DOHed, meaning that it’s dirty! But, it’s in Atlantic Mall, what do you expect? There is a fun photo booth machine and the same clunky games that probably haven’t been serviced since I was 12.

Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement & Kiddie Park

3059 W 12th St, Brooklyn, NY 11224

Young or old, a trip to Coney Island is a memorable experience. Part gritty, part cheesy, and oddly enjoyable. The haunted house ride and the Shoot The Freak game are priceless, even though they give me two different kinds of nightmares.

Peanut Butter & CO

240 Sullivan Street, New York, NY 10012

A cafe entirely devoted to the fattening goodness of peanut butter! This cheerful place serves up all kinda of PB sandwiches like my favorite, The Elvis, grilled bread with peanut butter, bananas, and honey.

There is fun peanut butter memorabilia to entertain your kids in tow, and in a reversal of roles, the girls I nannied, pictured above, actually convinced me to eat the carrot sticks that come with every meal.