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THE PARENT

Tips Straight From The Nanny

Knowing What You Want

Before attempting to interview nannies, you must know what you want and what you are prepared to offer. This includes everything from pay to what hours you are needing, the job duties, and even what kind of personality you desire in your nanny. Without first understanding what the possition is that you are offering.  you can't expect to hire a good nanny.

Communication

Now that  you've hired a nanny.... the hard part's over! False! That was the easy part! Open communication with your nanny takes a lot of work and is vital to keeping your nanny. If you are not satisified with anything your nanny does or doesn't do, it is your responsibility to communicate with your nanny what that is. A solid nanny/family written agreement is a must before starting the first day of nanny's employment! only cause bitterness

Schedule

Your nanny knows 'life happens' and things change. They deal with the same things in their life also. Nannies do need consistency though. If need arises where a change in the schedule is desired, it must be agreed upon by both the nanny and the family as far in advance as possible.  Usually a 7 day schedule change is appreciated. Start and end times are not 'a rough estimate.' If in your nanny/family written agreement your nanny is scheduled to leave at 5pm on Tuesday, then that means that at 5pm they should be walking out the door.  A nanny would much rather know that the employer will be arriving at 5:20pm and be scheduled until that time, than to be feeling resentment towards a continually late employer.  A professional nanny prides herself on promptness and expects the same from an employer.

Touchy Truths

A good nanny will give her all to your family, but when she is off duty, please repect her time 'off.'  No phone calls, and no emails, unless mass emergency. In order for that nanny to come back on duty the next work day and do her job 100%, she needs to have time away to recharge her batteries and get away from the job completely. A nanny struggles with her position and her personal life connectiong.  Should I tell the family about my boyfriend?  Should I tell what happened to my mom this weekend? Do they really need to know (blank)?  A general rule is that your nanny is a hired professional, and you should treat them as such and respect their personal privacy and what happens with them outside of work unless they come to you first. A keen family will notice when their nanny seems to be under personal or job stress or pressure.  Please ask about this when you see it!  And please offer a day off or a personal day if you see this, as job burnout is the #1 reason a nanny will leave a position.  Long hours, crazy schedules to keep in order and a myriad of duties to fullfill each day can stretch a nanny to the breaking points, especially when children are being challenging.

"One hardest bit I dislike is how much I feel is appropriate to disclose about my personal life/preferences. I don't want to unduly influence or not do my job role properly, I like to have boundaries between the professional and private me a bit."...A nanny in the US.                           - Nanny of 2 boys

Being late on a paycheck, or trying to 'cheat' the nanny out of a few dollars (yes this does happen), is not only wrong, it's unprofessional and will end up costing you your nanny. A thank you goes a long way. Many nannies would rather hear 'thank you' than anything else. Remembering things like 'Nanny-versaries' (the yearly mark of their employment), Nanny Appreciation Day, and your nanny's birthday mean the world to her. Some nannies feel guilty about taking a break during the day and become frazzled by the end of the day because of this. It is important to communicate your  feelings about this in your nanny/family agreement. "We want you to be part of the family," is a saying that is misued and taken to heart by your nanny. If you tell your nanny you want her to be part of the family, you need to mean it. Many nannies struggle/deal with isolation issues. Allowing your nanny to take outings with the children, not only helps your child, it helps your nanny. Other nannies like being able to feel free to chat with a peer on the phone during naptime, or use the computer during downtime during the day to check email and such. What you call your nanny is important. When introducing your nanny don't refer to her as 'The Nanny.' Use your nanny's first name and try saying, 'This is Susan, our nanny.' NEVER refer to your nanny as a babysitter. Many nannies take offense and are insulted to being referred to as one.  A nanny is esentially a 3rd parent;  a sitter is not.

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