A Family Asked This Nanny If She Wanted Kids, And Didn't Hire Her When She Said No

I don’t have kids, and I don’t really know if I want them. Nonetheless, here I am, writing an article on a parenting website. I can speak from experience and say that not having kids doesn’t disqualify you from working with them, or writing about them (please do not contact my editor if you disagree). One family looking to hire a nanny, however, apparently felt differently.

Bridget Sucala was interviewing with a family for a nanny position when they asked her a surprising question, which she shared on TikTok.

“One of the questions that the family asked me was if I wanted kids, and if I didn't, then I wouldn't be the right candidate for the job,” she said. They basically said, ‘If you don't like kids, then how on earth do you like your job?’”

Ok... does anyone else think that even asking this question was rude? And potentially an instance of employment discrimination?

Sucala, however, handled it with grace, and took it as an opportunity to address a common misconception about people who choose to be child-free — that they don’t like kids.

“I love my job. I've been a nanny for nine years. I adore kids. They are so precious,” she said. “But my job has also shown me how difficult it is to be a parent and how time consuming it is, and it's more so the lifestyle that I think my husband and I are a little turned off by because we really like our freedom. We like a very chill, relaxed type of life, and I don't think raising a kid really fits into the type of life that we want to live.”

There are plenty of reasons to not want children that have nothing to do with whether or not you like them. I can personally attest to that, as can plenty of teachers, day-care workers, coaches and pediatric nurses who are child-free by choice — and many of those people rallied to support Sucala in the comments.

“Former nanny, preschool teacher, and current child therapist. I have ALWAYS adored children. But working in those types of fields has really made me adjust my expectations and question my desires!” one user said.

“This is SUCH a mature and valid take!!” another said. “Being a nanny will show you the very real & raw reality of what having children would be like. And it’s NOT for everyone and that’s okay!!”

“I feel like I could either work with children in my career OR be a mom, I don’t have the emotional capacity to do both,” said another.

Users also shared their shock and disappointment with the rather inappropriate question.

“They’re so out of bounds for asking that 😭” one user said.

“i hate being asked if i had kids in my nanny interviews. i have an angel baby and not having kids doesn’t mean that i cannot do my job well,” another shared.

A friendly reminder: let’s keep our questions about people’s family plans to ourselves — even, and especially, when hiring them for jobs. It’s invasive, insensitive and believe it or not, it is not an indicator of someone’s ability to care for a child.