You have thought about it, and you have made the decision-you want to become a nanny. Maybe you have friends who work as nannies now, or maybe you have simply heard that nanny jobs are fun, rewarding, challenging and even pay well. In short, being a nanny is everything you want out of a job, and potentially, a career.

Full-time Nannies are usually paid weekly, rather than hourly. As a nanny your nanny salary will vary and may include a number of the perks that help make becoming a nanny so versatile and exciting. It is fairly normal for parents to provide a live-in nanny with a car or, if you use your own car for transporting the children or for commuting, to include along with your regular salary an allowance for driving and maintaining your car.

Really, there are many benefits to the nanny lifestyle. As a nanny, you will work independently with your charges and attend weekly or monthly informal meeting to discuss your progress with your employers. You will be working together with the parents who hire you, in that you will talk together about their goals and rules for their children, and your work will in effect continue the work they perform with their children on your days off. But, on a day-to day basis, you will most likely be alone with the children and responsible for their behavior, safety and well-being.

If you want to become a live-in nanny, you will be provided with a room of your own and meals, along with a regular nanny salary. Nanny quarters vary from a simple furnished room to a lavish set of rooms or an adjoining apartment, and most include a private bath.

In any case, living with your employers will save you the cost of rent, allow you to live in new places, and eliminate any commute. It will also allow you to become close to the family you are working for and comfortable in their household. Many parents who hire a live-in nanny provide their nanny with a phone, sometimes on a private line, and charge you only for long-distance. Other parents will give you a nanny cell phone on their family plan.

Some nannies are asked to eat with the family every night, while others are free to enjoy an evening meal on their own. Most families are sensitive to the food needs of their nanny.

As members of the family, most nannies enjoy holiday bonuses and are often asked to travel with the family on vacation. Though it is exciting to travel, many nannies are hesitant to take on potentially more trying work, along with the stress that you, the children, and the parents will feel while traveling. If you are asked to accompany a family on vacation, ask plenty of questions and make sure you receive a detailed itinerary which outlines your hours and on-call evenings, and that you are paid extra, for all the extra work.

If you plan to work as a part-time nanny, you will enjoy most of these benefits as well as the flexibility of a part-time nanny schedule. Remember, parents typically lead hectic lives. If you are a student-or, indeed, a parent yourself-you may be able to find an employing family whose schedule meshes perfectly with yours.