Oh hey you! Yes, you with your judgmental views and assumptions about what I do for a living and whether or not being a nanny qualifies as a "real" job. I'm just curious what you think I do all day at my pretend job? And what do you think I do with all that pretend money I make? I must use it to pay my pretend bills...
Read MoreI want to start this article with a question for parents: Would you ever ask your house cleaner to change your child's diaper, or take your child to the park, or prepare and feed your child lunch, or pick your child up from school, or assist your child with homework, or take your child to the doctor, or research and plan a developmentally appropriate sensory activity, or set up and host a play date, or sleep train your baby? I bet your answer is a resounding "No". Why then, do parents often ask and expect nannies to take on house cleaner roles? I truly don't get it. If you wouldn't do the reverse and have your weekly cleaning person take care of your child, why then is it okay to expect your nanny clean your home? A nanny and a house cleaner are two VERY different jobs and generally speaking, most nannies don't decide to become a nanny so they can clean houses -- they decide to be a nanny because they love children and are passionate about investing in them.
Read MoreJust like with almost everything else in the nanny field, nanny interviews are unlike any other type of job interview. Why? Because most of the time, a nanny interview involves the nanny having to articulately converse with the parents while simultaneously interacting with the children. It's like the ultimate test of one's ability to multitask. While nannying certainly requires a strong level of multitasking and kids should absolutely be a part of the interview process, the initial in-person interview (notice I did not say initial phone interview) should not involve any multitasking or any kids. I personally feel it's unreasonable to expect a nanny to enthusiastically engage the kids while also discussing important things like parenting style, job roles/expectations, pay, etc. As a nanny who has had to do this MANY times at job interviews, I'm here to say that it is a hard...VERY hard...thing to do. The few times I've interviewed with parents sans kids, I was able to think more clearly and express myself better.
Read MoreWe've already covered the protocol for when a family goes on vacation and chooses NOT to take their nanny, but how should a family go about traveling with their nanny? This is a question many parents and nannies have. Just like with most everything else, because there is no set law regarding this, a lot of parents and nannies simply do not know the industry standards when it comes to this topic. That being said, while I genuinely believe some people simply don't know, I'm not sure how that often results in parents totally low balling and trying to take advantage of their nanny. If parents would simply put themselves in their nanny's shoes, I think they would see what they are offering in a totally different light.
Read MoreAll too often parents expect their nanny to make their family a priority, while not offering the same in return. Parents, you cannot have your cake and eat it too. If you expect your nanny to prioritize your family, you better plan to prioritize your nanny. If you expect your nanny to offer consistent availability, you better plan to offer your nanny consistent pay.
Read MoreThese are the two most confused terms in the nanny profession. I frequently encounter people using these terms interchangeably when they're not interchangeable. While similar, guaranteed hours and salary are not the same thing. Let me repeat, they.are.not.the.same.thing. Let's break it down:
Guaranteed hours are exactly that -- hours that are guaranteed to a nanny so they can rely on a consistent paycheck.
Read MoreA family I've worked with for over a year now just asked if I'm ok with getting vaccinated for them and frankly...I'm not. I read a bunch of forums about it and it seems that everyone is torn on this issue! Some parents think nannies NEED to be vaccinated while others think it's an invasion of privacy to ask. What do I do?! I don't want her to think I'm rude but I don't think I should need to get them. What do you think? - Anonymous
This is a really great question and something that many nannies deal with. While a family cannot legally require a nanny to get vaccinated, they can choose to only hire nannies who are willing to stay up-to-date on their vaccinations (usually Influenza, Tdap, and Varicella).
Read MoreThis article is not about how to interview or market yourself to a potential nanny family. Instead, it is about how a nanny should interview a family to find out about potential employers. This is one of the most important things a nanny needs to do before accepting ANY nanny position. The interview for a nanny job goes both ways — while the family is interviewing and vetting the nanny, the nanny is interviewing and vetting the family at the same time. In addition to asking the parents basic questions about job expectations, compensation, or parenting style, a nanny NEEDS to inquire about the family's history with nannies. Are they good employers? Do they appreciate and respect their nannies? Are they reliable? Do they pay on time? Do they have unreasonable expectations? Are they micromanagers? Do they expect their nanny to clean up after their own messes? And most importantly, would their previous nannies recommend them and work for them again?
Read MoreJust about any nanny will tell you that one of their biggest pet peeves is being called a babysitter. Why? Because nannying is completely different than babysitting. This article is not meant to knock babysitting -- I babysit on the regular and have no problem being called a babysitter when I'm actually babysitting. What I do have a problem with is being called a babysitter when I'm actually nannying. There's a big difference between nannying and babysitting so let's break it down....
Read More