Things to consider when hiring a nanny

• nanny and family relationship

• personality

• vetting process

• communication

• responsibilities and expectations

There are a lot of books about what to expect and what to do when you have a baby but there isn’t much advice about all the important next steps when the maternity time is over, you have to head back to work and want to hire a nanny.

A lot of nannies take care of all aspects of children’s care and development therefore a nanny is the most important person in any child’s life besides their parents.

Some of their responsibilities are: feeding, dressing, changing nappies, preparing healthy meals, taking children for medical appointments, organising play dates and socialising, school drop off and pick up, setting up games, bathing, putting children to bed and so on.

Parents should consider hiring a nanny who has experience of working with children of the same age group and will be able to support child’s developmental needs. The first five years of a child’s life are the most formative so therefore the most important. This is when a child becomes the person they are going to be. It is when they learn appropriate behaviour, boundaries, empathy and many other important social skills that will remain with them for life.

The nanny should be able to support social and emotional development, communication and language skills, physical needs, some rudimentary teaching of literacy and maths, arts and crafts activities as well as understanding of the world in general.

Nanny and family relationship is another aspect parents should consider. A lot of parents may not be prepared for this. This could be either because they haven’t had a nanny before or they didn’t grow up with one. Its odd professional personal really muddled relationship. Nanny is caring for your child. You want to be brutally honest but you don’t want to hurt their feelings. It’s the most complex relationship because its professional and also personal relationship between you.

That is why when choosing the candidate parents should ensure they find the right fit for their family. They need to take time to outline their needs and what sort of nanny they are looking for.

For example are parents going back to work or are they staying at home. If they are staying at home parents should make sure that they have a nanny who is comfortable to be at home with them all day or if they are going back to work they should have a nanny who is comfortable running the ship when they are gone. Outlining your needs and your child’s developmental needs is a key thing during selection process.

We recommend plenty of time for vetting process, a lot of reference checks and background checks and a lot of trials.

Once you find your perfect nanny you also need to be really clear and communicate well. Tell the nanny what to do. For example if you are using a particular baby formula you need to tell them which one you want them to get. You don’t want to assume that they know things.

Also like in any other jobs you want to write down annual holiday times, sick days and taxes. You want to write all of these key details down. It is critical that a nanny has an outline. What are their duties and expectations. Don’t forget to mention all the important things you expect them to do as soon as possible during an interview process. For example not every nanny would be able to do babysittings. Some of them may have their own families and may not have time to work extra hours in the evenings. These details should be outlined clearly at the interview and from the start so that they can do their job efficiently.

Finally if you see that your child prefers a nanny it can be a gut wrenching feeling but really it is a wonderful thing to know that your child is having a strong attachment and shows that they are emotionally healthy. It can be hard to overcome at the beginning but it’s a good thing. They are bonding and they feel safe with someone else so that parents can go and continue their life whether it is a professional or personal one.

We hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful and if you have any more questions or you would like us to help you find your perfect nanny then please do not hesitate to contact us. We’d love to help you.