It can be so exciting to work with a new nanny! With the help of a nanny, you can improve the functioning of your household and offer your children a stable adult presence. Whether you’ve hired a full-time or part-time nanny, the experience can be wonderful for you and your kids.
So, how to you make sure you get the best experience possible? Achieving a good relationship with your nanny requires effort on both sides. How can you make sure you’re doing your part? Here are 6 things you can do to get off on the right foot with your nanny:
Approach your nanny as your partner. Together, you can work to ensure that your child’s needs are met. That means you can work together to help improve your child’s behavior or walk with them through a difficult time. With this attitude of “let’s work together,” you can make sure that your nanny feels supported and also offer consistency to your kids.
Make some time for regular check-ins to make sure that any issues or concerns are discussed. This will give both of you a space to bring up questions about the kids or household. You can do this every week or so for about 15 minutes, or more often as necessary. In addition, you should establish routines such as using whatsapp or text messages for urgent questions. You may also consider other communication methods such as sharing a Google calendar to keep your nanny up to date on your child’s after school activities.
When you hear something strange from your kids about what happened with the nanny while you were gone, be curious before assuming what happened. For example, imagine that your nanny gave your child a bath, which isn’t usually something you ask them to do. So, instead of assuming that you need to set limits and tell your nanny not to bathe your child again, talk about it. You might find out that your child had spilled sticky syrup from their pancakes all over their hair, making it easiest to clean up with a bath. Approaching situations with curiosity gives your nanny the benefit of the doubt.
Make sure you support your nanny’s authority with your kids. That means that when talking about discipline issues with your kids, you backup your nanny’s choices as much as possible. If you want to make sure you’re on the same page with your nanny, discuss discipline methods that you prefer such as time-outs, positive reinforcement, and natural consequences.
Set your nanny up for success by explaining your house rules and expectations clearly. Keep in mind you should pay special attention to areas like snacks, screen time, homework, etc.
Everyone’s kids have quirks. Help your new nanny out by letting them know about them ahead of time. For example, tell your nanny if your child is really scared of spiders or won’t eat their food if any different items on the plate are touching.
By paying attention to these areas, you can make sure that you and your nanny get off to a great start! Together, you can work to ensure your child receives the best care possible.