Tips For Developing a Healthy and Happy Nanny and Parent Relationship!

Tips For Developing a Healthy and Happy Nanny/Parent Relationship!

One of the most important things about having a Nanny that works in your house every day is figuring out how to have and maintain the best relationship possible between you and your Nanny. The Nanny is with your most precious possession, your child(ren) every day. It is important with any relationships in life (not just the Nanny/Parent relationship) to ensure that you are maintaining the best relationship possible. If you and your Nanny can have a great relationship, your Nanny is sure to stay with your family as long as needed. So I have compiled a list of tips for parents wanting to maintain a great relationship with their Nanny.

  • Communication, Communication, Communication. I cannot say it enough open honest communication by both parties is very important in maintaining a great Nanny/Parent relationship.
  • Contracts are Key. Nanny contracts are a great tool for Families and Nannies. This is where each party can come together and agree on what is expected from each party involved. This also is a great document to visit annually and adjust as needed. Most contracts also include a section where you can agree on an appropriate notice if things do not work out.
  • Daily Sheets Are Great. Some parents offer daily their Nannies Daily sheets to fill out about each kid they care for. This is nice especially with busy families, and families with young children. The daily sheet is a great way for a Nanny to let you know what happened during the day, and if she/he has any concerns.
  • If you work from home, work in an office, or separate room that has a door you can close. Lots of parents work from home these days, and we love that parents are able to do this. However if you have a Nanny in your home daily, please respect that your home is their office too. It is very hard for a Nanny to tip toe around you working while providing premium care for your children. It is also confusing to children to see you working in the open and not being able to interact with you. Parents also find they are able to be more productive while working at home, if they have a dedicated separate work area.
  • Do Not Micro-Manage your Nanny. If you hire a Nanny, and have trained them, respect their way of Nannying your children. Nannies are always open to request and suggestions from the parents. And good Nannies are more than willing to comply with your child care request. Just don’t hover over them, Let them do their job, and trust them as your Nanny to do a great job, without being micro-managed.
  • Ensure that your Nanny and Child have chances to get out and attend age appropriate events in the community. This is important for both your child and your Nanny. Every child should have ways to socialize with other children their age. This promotes healthy development and entertainment for your child. Your Nanny also needs to be able to take your child out to age appropriate kids events, to provide her a way to have variety during work and be able to not feel like she’s trapped at a house all day. It also gives different opportunities for your Nanny to teach your child about different things. These events can include, Play Dates, Park, Story Times, etc.
  • If there is an issue, resolve it with your Nanny as soon as you can. The sooner your deal with any issues or concerns with your Nanny the better. You do not want to let any issue fester, and be blown up bigger than it is. The best thing is to approach the issue with your Nanny at a time when the children are not present, talk it out and come to a mutual agreement.
  • If possible offer incentives for superior child care, or say Thank You. If you notice that your Nanny has been doing extra things around the house, or an extra good job, you might think about offering some kind of incentive. Say a Nanny has been going above and beyond with cleaning extra and helping with other task around the house. It might be nice to let her off an hour early on Friday, or offer to buy her lunch, or coffee. Any incentive would be greatly appreciated by a hard working Nanny. If you cannot afford to offer a paid incentive a simple Thank You is the best thing your Nanny can hear. I cannot tell you how much a Nanny appreciates a simple Thank You. Saying Thank You is a simple way to make sure your Nanny knows that you appreciate her/him.
  • Value your Nanny’s Time. Keep in mind that Nannies usually love what they do and usually tend to be very helpful, and there when you need them. If your Nanny works extra, pay them a little extra so they know that their time is valuable to you and your family. I love the idea of paying your Nanny every 15 minutes you are late over their set time to leave. For instance if you are usually home at 6:00, but had to stay till 6:30 you would pay the Nanny 10 dollars extra. A little extra money here and there goes a long way for a Nanny, and also shows them you value their time at your home.
  • Respect your Nanny’s professional opinion. Chances are if you have hired an experienced, Full-Time, Professional Nanny they have experience in the field and have successfully taken care of children in the past. Parents should understand that a Nanny might have experience with a certain child care issue, and a way to deal with the issue that has worked in the past. When discussing how to deal with certain childcare needs, ask your Nanny if she has any feedback or suggestions and take these as her professional opinion and advice. Your Nanny is a great person to help you navigate the best ways to care for and accommodate your children’s needs.

 

These are just a few tips I thought of, I am sure there are more. The most important thing to know is do what feels right and natural to you and always check in with your Nanny to see how they are doing, and give time to check in with you.

 

 

 

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