10 Reasons Being a Nanny is Amazing

You don’t fly with a magic umbrella and sing on rooftops with chimney sweeps.You probably don’t utter clever, cryptic sayings or lose warts and improve your skin tone every time the family you work for learns a moral lesson.You might play the guitar, but the odds are good that you won’t create a singing group with Austrian children who are wearing play-clothes made of drapes.You may not have supernatural powers and magical abilities (or even a lovely singing voice), but that's okay, because what you do have is one of the best jobs in the childcare industry.

#10 The bottom line:

The average cost of raising a child born in 2013 up until age 18 for a middle-income family in the U.S. is approximately $233,000. Holy mountain of cash, Batman. Guess what that means for you? All the fun minus the college fund and financial strain!(Okay, we know you love kids so much you would never put a price tag on that joy, but should you want kids of your own, start saving now!)

#9 Nannying is a No Boredom Zone:

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.― A.A. Milne

As a nanny, your job is different every day. Even if the doldrums start to set in, there is always cave-building, paper airplanes, scavenger hunts, kite-flying, hide and seek, making oobleck, dancing to Red Grammer, making a rocket, dress-up, building a volcano, museums, parks, play groups… it's all the perks of not having to go into an office and be in front of a computer all day!

#8 Deadlines, schmedlines:

Sure, you have a household to run, but on the plus side, there are no cubicles, broken copy machines, lifeless PowerPoint presentations, competitive coworkers, HR, PR, or BOD. Just you and the kids and each beautiful day stretching in front of you like a gift. YOLO!

#7 You never underestimate the Power of the Nanny:

You have a direct impact on the next generation. You are staring into the little eyes of the people who will one day be influencing policy, building communities, and taking care of you when you are old. Your unique position with children provides opportunities to foster the characteristics of tolerance, empathy, trust, compassion and integrity. You are showing them how to be kind, how to hold their space and be accountable for themselves, and how to regulate their own relationships with humans and technology. May the force be with you!

#6 You'll be the center of your charges' worlds:

No, you won’t be running any recon missions or parachuting behind enemy lines, but you will be part of the family and a huge part of your charges' lives. They will look to you for support, guidance, laughs, and come to you for love if they get hurt. They'll ask you hard questions and challenge you every day. You'll be a light to them. A true north star. You're likely a whiz at multitasking, a master negotiator, and are trained to handle everything from "you ate what?" to boneless toddlers not wanting to leave the park. Let’s see a Navy Seal handle what you do each day with a smile on their face (and no reinforcements)!

#5 You have an answer for everything (almost).

“Do cows sleep standing up? Where does the sun go at night? Are you going to be alive when I'm grown up? Do you have a peanut or a bagina? Why do I have to take naps? Are there batteries in the lights on the pavement on the road? Can I go to space when I grow up?"You have the patience to read Goodnight Moon over 1,000 times, sing Wheels on The Bus until you start humming it to lull yourself to sleep at night, and answer so many “why” “when” and “how” questions you will feel like you are being interviewed by Anderson Cooper. You will also be privileged to hear the precious innermost thoughts of a child who is unabashedly honest and still marveled by this world. What a gift.

#4 You dress for the job you want:

Save the high heels for weekend boogie nights, this career is all about comfort, playtime, and wash-and-wear. It’s a pretty simple dress code: can you rock your outfit in a game of tag, chasing grasshoppers, or building a sand castle in the sand box? Are you completely huggable during arts and crafts, teary moments after a boo-boo, and during the demolition of a PB&J sandwich? Yes? You are dressed for success!

#3 You love to push the refresh button:

Being a nanny is like having your own access to the fountain of youth. You won’t really be shedding years, of course, but spending time with kids reminds you every day how wonderful and fun life can be when you look at it with new eyes. It's true: they keep us young. And let’s be real, they also give you an excuse to watch Phineas and Ferb and Reading Rainbow and all those Disney movies you love over and over.

#2 You appreciate butterfly kisses:

Snuggles. Pictures to hang on your refrigerator. Hugs to your heart’s content. Giggles and guffaws. Little hands to hold, tears to kiss away, fears to calm. There is no love in the world like the love of a child. It is simple, profound and boundless. What a privilege to work in a career where this is part of the job description.

#1 You can be you!

You are the right hand. You are the teammate that makes careers and kids possible. The Jack-of-all-trades. You are depended on by the family who employs you because you are trustworthy and reliable, looked to for advice because you are educated and experienced, and loved because you are dedicated and kind. You are vital to our next generation, and your impact on others' lives cannot be measured. You bring your own unique abilities, style, and talent to the job while respecting and supporting the family’s culture as well. You are intelligent, kind, and capable. You make this job what it is, and you are AMAZING.