Nannying in the Hamptons during summer is the best job I've ever had.

For over a decade, Meredith Swanson has been a nanny in New York City. Recently, her job on TikTok has made her go viral.

A 33-year-old nanny in the Hamptons shared a 90-second clip on her account @meredithgswanson, detailing her daily routine.

As an actress, singer, and dancer, Swanson considers nannying her "survival job" that helps her pay her bills and meet her living expenses while she pursues her career in entertainment.

Swanson commutes from her Manhattan apartment to the Hamptons, where she settles into her nannying routine, which involves picking up the children she watches from tennis camp, taking them to the beach, and grabbing donuts at a bakery downtown.

Within days, the TikTok racked up nearly 1.5 million views.

Over a year ago, Swanson began vlogging about nannying in the Hamptons and was left speechless.

Her comments were inundated with inquiries about the gig: How did she land the job as a nanny? Who are the parents? What is the compensation like? Is working in the Hamptons as glamorous as it's portrayed?

Swanson says that working in child care is not an easy job, but it has been the best one he's ever had.

Building a career through 'word of mouth'

After graduating college in 2013, Swanson relocated to Manhattan to chase her dream of appearing on Broadway.

To earn money between auditions, she worked as a hostess at a steakhouse in the city during the evenings and cared for families in her neighborhood in the mornings and afternoons.

Swanson says that although it paid the bills, working late shifts and weekends at the restaurant left her feeling burned out.

In 2018, Swanson discovered that she felt more energized and fulfilled working with children than she ever did in a restaurant, so she left her hostess job to work part-time at My Gym, a children's gym in Manhattan.

The job introduced Swanson to the families she would work with for the next six years, including the one she currently works for.

"Swanson's child-care career has been built through word of mouth and networking, she says. "I've been very fortunate with how nannying just fell into my lap.""

She began working in the Hamptons in June 2020 as a live-in nanny for a family at their beach house, four days a week until the end of summer.

This summer, Swanson is following a similar schedule with the family she's working with. She began caring for the children earlier this year and intends to continue working with them part-time for at least the next two years.

Spending summers in the Hamptons

During the months of June to August, Swanson serves as a live-in nanny in the Hamptons, working Monday through Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. She is responsible for looking after two young boys under the age of seven. Swanson has chosen not to disclose the specific location in the Hamptons where she works to preserve the privacy of her employers.

She commutes to Manhattan on Fridays and weekends by borrowing a car from families she has worked with in the Hamptons.

"Summers are slow for auditioning, so I essentially have a 3-day weekend," she remarks. "That kind of flexibility has been amazing."

Based on her experience, Swanson estimates the average rate for nannying in the Hamptons to be between $25 and $60 per hour. Care.com reports the average rate for a live-in nanny in East Hampton to be $26.33 per hour.

"Working in child care has been financially secure for me since I started nannying," she says. "I've made close to six figures in some years, which is impressive. People often overlook the viability of this career path."

Avoiding burnout in child care

Swanson says that nannying can be both exhausting and fun.

The boys receive several breaks throughout the day as both parents work from home and take turns getting them ready in the morning, feeding them dinner, and putting them to bed.

Swanson can exercise, read, grab a coffee, or go window shopping in Southampton.

Despite the long hours and staffing shortages, among other challenges, burnout is not high in the child-care profession for Swanson.

Adapting to parents' preferred methods of disciplining and communicating with their children is the most challenging aspect of nannying, she claims.

""To avoid confusing the kids, I always communicate with the parents upfront and ensure that we are on the same page regarding handling meltdowns or temper tantrums," she explains."

In the fall, Swanson will reduce her schedule to 20 hours per week to focus more on auditions, which become more frequent.

She is currently enjoying nannying, even though she doesn't intend to continue it in the long run.

"I'm looking forward to having children of my own in the next few years and saving my energy for them. However, my career has been incredibly rewarding, and I enjoy helping people. It's a privilege to be trusted to care for someone else's child and bring joy into their life."

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