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Would you hire a plus size nanny?

Asked by Nataly , 28th Jun Answer this now »
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It sounds like "plus-sized" is the controversial catalyst here. Overgeneralization gets many of us into trouble, especially in email and on message forums where the emotion behind the question can not be heard. I'd tell your friend, that as with anything else, trust her instinct. Interview anyone who applies and give them time to play with the kids... does it take bracing herself on the bookshelf to get down to the ground and pushing up on her knee (slowly and with great effort) to get up? Does she continue to encourage the kids to sit down and color or come sit over here or is she letting them guide the play time?
This is interesting. It's so easy to say you wouldn't but hiring a nanny is such a personal decision. I don't think that this alone should make or break a decision to hire, but I do remember having doubts about a very large woman who interviewed with us when we were looking down the nanny route. She was breathing heavily just sitting in the interview. My concerns were two-fold, first, would this person be able to chase a toddler up and down two flights of stairs safely? Second, if the person is obese because of unhealthy habits, is this the type of person I want influencing my child's nutritional foundation? This is someone who would spend 8-10 hours per day alone with your child. Everything matters when it comes to that decision. I want to make sure that someone with that much influence over my child's development has a similar approach to life as I do. So, while I wouldn't rule a larger woman out, I would not relax my expectations when it comes to job performance due to weight.
Of course. As long as she wasn't hooked up to an oxygen machine or struggling for a breath after climbing a flight of stairs. Like Morton Pixie, I'm a size 12 and I'm considered obese by the medical standard and I weigh 165. Do I feel obese? No. I'm pretty active. This question immediately made me think "Supernanny". Jo Frost is not a skinny woman and she's a great role model for all child care providers. My aunt is an bigger (short) lady (240+) and she has 5 kids under 12. She chases after them all day with no problems. Weight shouldn't be an issue, overall health and physical abilities should be.
MortonPixie -- I actually agree with you and that's why I posted it here. I am really taken back that my friend -- well, my acquaintance -- would ask me this question and in this way.

There was more to the conversation that I can't post but it reminded me of the conversation I overheard once at our ped's office where two moms were talking about nannies. One of them heard that I called out to my daughter in Russian (I grew up there) and asked me whether I'd ever hire a Russian nanny. I guess I looked a bit stumped by the question because she clarified: "You know, would you trust a Russian nanny with your child, even though you're Russian?"
I understand the idea that the nanny should be able to care for the child, and someone that is 50+ pounds overweight may have a hard time keeping up. But technically, "plus sized' is size 14 and above. I wear a size 12 (sometimes a 14) and am very active - I even ran a Half Marathon in May. I am sorry to see such a blatanly bigoted question on this site. A nanny is so much more than what she looks like. How dreadfully shallow a question.

Would any you hire a Hispanic nanny? An African American nanny? One with red hair? How many stigmas can you think of that would prevent you from considering one of these? There would be outcry if one of these questions were posed and the user posibly counseled on what is appropriate on this site. Sadly, discrimination of the obese is the last acceptable form of prejudice.
ok, from my experience I would not hire a plus size nanny. My son's first nanny was very heavy and she dropped him. He was seven weeks and a cut on his left eyebrow. I had to take him to ER for stitches, have a CT (cat scan). Then he had to be monitored to ensure proper development. He sustained a head injury. Thank god he had no developmental problems. He is right on track.

After that I promised to never hire a heavy person. Sorry but that's my experience.

No matter the weight though you have to watch the nanny and see if she has heavy breathing after walking, lifting or going up the stairs. If there is too much heavy breathing then that's a no no. See if she sits, bends and gets up with ease. Watch carefully, it's important. You need someone swift with little kids, especially twins.
I personally wouldn´t have a problem with it. As long as the nanny wasn´t sitting on the couch and ignoring the child (which can happen at any size), it would be fine.
I know it's a touchy question -- but I ask because a friend recently asked me this. Two of the nannies we've had have been what you would call plus sized. I never cared and it was never an issue -- they ran after our daughter, played with her the way anyone would. (And she can run!) But my friend has two active 3-yr old twins and she called to ask me what I think. What do you guys think?
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