Working with children is incredibly rewarding. They are constantly inspiring me, surprising me and challenging me. There really isn’t anything else like it.
My name’s Tom and I’m a manny. I currently look after twin boys aged 6 years old. We have a blast, spending our days in the summer holidays outside come rain or shine. During term time, we have our routine – school drop off and pick up. While the boys are at school, I’m getting their washing in order, tidying up and the daily jobs that come with children. After school, we like going to the park, playing football and generally getting muddy! I make the boys their tea, often with one enthusiastic helper while the other gets up to mischief. And then it’s chill out time – a bit of reading, tv, playing the guitar and the drums (okay, perhaps not so quiet).
When Mum and Dad come home, everything is just right and we have a transition that has become second nature to all of us. I’ve worked in nurseries before and you just don’t get this same bond with the family. When you find a good family, you stick with them. And in the same way, when families find a good nanny, they hold onto them because they know their worth.
Yes, I’m a Manny
A male nanny, you say? What made you want to work with children? These are questions I am asked surprisingly often. The truth is, I had always helped friends and family out with their children as I was growing up. Fast forward to university and choosing a degree, well Early Childhood was a natural choice for me. It wasn’t until I went to enrolment that I discovered that I was one of the only guys on the course. Not quite a shock, but certainly a surprise.
When you consider how many male practitioners there are in nurseries compared to male teachers in primary schools it begins to make you wonder. Surely there are benefits to having men around in childcare settings? In fact the government set targets to increase the number of men in Early Years education. The London Early Years Foundation have (quite rightly too) produced a report asking children their opinion on the matter: “Men in childcare: Does it matter to children? What do they say?”
Tom – Nanny
