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? asked in Pregnancy & ParentingNewborn & Baby · 1 decade ago

6 month olds and being a nanny?

I have been a nanny/babysitter for years and I've never had a problem, kids always love me, even ones whose parents have warned me that they are very shy/are going through stranger anxiety phase, and within minutes they open up to me and it's fine from there on.

But 3 weeks ago I began a job with 6 month old twins.

I've had plenty of twin experiences at all ages and there's never been an issue before.

But for some reason I can't get the twins to be comfortable with me.

I'm extremely nice, playful, kind spoken, patient, gentle with them, and all the above.

There's another nanny who comes in around my school schedule and the babies are fine with her.

And it's just frustrating because she's extremely rough with them, yelling/screaming at them if they cry, disobeying all the mothers rules, not even paying attention to the babies when they are crying because she's busy texting, or checking her facebook, etc

I really want advice on how to get 6 month olds more comfortable with the me, because being a full-time college student it's also very difficult to find a full-time job that will go around my class schedule. And this one is right down the street and has opportunities until I graduate.

The babies are fine with me feeding and playing with them, but when it comes time to rocking them to sleep, or going on walk, they will cry nonstop.

The only difference between I can think of is that the other nanny is Indian and so are the babies, so I don't know if they are more comfortable with her because she talks more like the mother and looks more like them. But I've babysat children of other races and that's never been an issue before.

I don't know what the problem can be...

Does anyone have advice?

Update:

I know it's just been three weeks, but the other nanny has also been there three weeks, and she usually comes in late everyday/leaves randomly, so while I'm there 30 hours a week, she's there only about 18 hours, and the babies are more comfortable with her, so I don't understand what else I can do :/

Update 2:

Thanks for your response, do you have any idea how long I should wait to test if they do end up becoming more comfortable?

Update 3:

I'm pretty sure it's not that they are used to yelling, because the first thing the mother told me was that they don't like to raise their voices. I met both parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, and everyone is overly kind and uses playful voices.

I haven't heard the nanny once speak in a non-yelling tone.

This is just frustrating :(

I really want to keep this job but I also want the babies to be with someone they are comfortable with.

3 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    its only been 3 weeks, maybe they need more time to adjust to you. and if I were you, I would let the parents know how the other nanny does. if I trusted someone to care for my child, then I wouldnt want then doing what she is and I would want someone to tell me if they knew.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    I totally understand, I've been a nanny for a long time and have come across a similar problem once. Sometimes it just takes kids longer to adjust to someone who acts/ treats them differently. Give them time, at 6 months you could be there everyday for three months without speaking to them and they'd get comfortable with you. Kids are easily adjusted, it will happen :)

  • ?
    1 decade ago

    it sounds like they are more used to being yelled at by some wacko then being loved by you .. maybe they just are not used to being treated good and are more used to being left alone to cry to sleep. and not doing anything.

    they are more frightened by the other nanny probably. maybe you just have to get them more used to being loved them being ... whatever that nanny thinks shes doing.

    i don't think the baby can tell races. my son was more comfortable to my sisters black bf. then his own white father for the 1st ... 10 ?months of his life.

    also if i was you i would say something to the other nanny about the way shes treating them... because even if it is working for her its not good for them or you or any other NICE person that comes around and wants to LOVE them... she must be confusing them

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