Nicole
Brown, Marketing Intern Coordinator
Melanie
Stoeckle, Marketing Intern
As
summer swings into full gear, most students already have their jobs set. Some
will wait tables, some will work internships and others will choose to nanny.
Before diving headfirst into a nanny position, consider the following advice
from girls that have nannied before.
As
with any job, it’s important to make sure that you find a company, or in this
case a family, with whom you fit well. Keep in mind that nannying is usually a
larger commitment than just babysitting. Typically, babysitting is for a few
hours at a time, on a case-by-case basis. Nannying is a much more full-time
position that sometimes involves greater influence in the lives of the kids,
based on the sheer amount of time you may spend with them.
However,
different families expect different things of their nannies. For example, some
may want you to do minor housework, take care of the dog and run errands for
the family. Before accepting any position, use the following suggestions to
make sure that you have gathered all the necessary information to make sure
that your expectations match those of the family.
Pay
- First
and foremost, being a nanny is a lot of responsibility. Make sure that you are
happy with the salary that they offer, and remember that legally, they must pay
you at least minimum wage and you must claim the income on your taxes.
Schedule
- Is
this a 9-5 job, or are you expected to have evening and weekend availability as
well?
- Will
the hours be steady or vary by week?
- Can
you schedule any additional days off?
- Will
it be just you and the kids or will a parent sometimes be there too?
The Kids
- How
many kids are there? Are they boys or girls? How old are they?
- Keep
in mind that younger kids require much more supervision and that the genders of
the kids that you watch will greatly affect your experiences. Young boys, for
example, can be more prone to physically fighting with their siblings.
- If
there are multiple, do they generally get along? Are there particular problem
areas? How should you avoid those?
- Will
they have friends and neighbors over? Are you expected to babysit them as well?
Location
- Will
you travel to their house? Will they drop the kids at yours? Are they open to a
mix of both?
- Driving
- How
much will you be expected to drive?
- Will
you be driving their vehicle or your own?
- Will
you be reimbursed for gas?
- Do
you have a clean driving record? Make sure that the parents are comfortable
with your driving their kids.
General Expectations
and Responsibilities
- What
additional responsibilities beyond supervising the kids will you have around
the house?
- Do
the kids have any limitations, like how much television they can watch?
- Are
there any activities that the kids must complete, like reading every day or
standing appointments?
- Are
you expected to plan activities and entertain the kids, or do they already have
activities planned?
- What kind of activities are
permitted? Should prior notice of trips (to the pool, park, etc.) be
preapproved by the parent?
- Are
there any pets that require your attention?
- What
merits calling the parents and what is acceptable to just relay to them when
they get home?
- Will
you serve as essentially the “acting parent” or do decisions always defer to
the parents?
Discipline
- What
are you expected to do if a child breaks the rules?
- Be
sure to have a thorough understand of the family’s discipline procedures and to
stay consistent.
Food
- What
meals are you expected to make?
- Do
the kids have dietary restrictions or limitations?
- Will
you be expected to bring your own food or can you also eat the food at the
house?
Just
remember to be professional, but also be yourself when you go to meet the
family for an interview. If you are true to yourself, the whole experience will
be more comfortable for everybody and can make you more likeable with the
parents. The bottom line is that they must feel comfortable leaving their kids
with you.
Even
after accepting a nannying position, make sure to properly prepare yourself for
the work. Especially if you have not held a long-term childcare position
before, you may need to adjust your expectations.
Here
are a few things to expect:
Hard work
It’s
true that some nannying jobs can come with frequent lounging by the pool, but
while you’re working you are never off
duty. You’re always responsible for the kids and always have to pay attention
to what they are doing. Some days, everything will run smoothly. Other days,
everything will just seem to go wrong and you’ll be run ragged very quickly.
Unpredictability
Working
with kids means that every day will be different. Expect that sometimes a child
will throw a tantrum and that, inevitably, accidents and boo-boos will happen
at some point.
Supervising,
not parenting
Unless
you’ve known and babysat for a family for an extended period of time already,
being a nanny means walking a tightrope. Yes, you are caring for the kids, but
all final parenting calls fall to the parents. Depending on the family, your
level of involvement will differ—just be careful not to overstep your bounds.
Constantly-changing
activities
The
level to which this is true depends completely on the kids, but it will surely
happen sometimes. Kids, especially young ones, move from one activity to
another very quickly and often expect you to make their boredom go away. To
them, the main thing you are there for their entertainment and to be their
playmate.
A rewarding experience
Positively
impacting a child’s life can give you a great sense of accomplishment. When
they succeed, you’ll be proud. And your fridge may fill up with artwork.
This
advice is all based on our personal experiences serving as nannies. You must
remember that every family is different, and as such, every nanny experience
will also be different. That’s why it’s important to thoroughly investigate
before accepting a job. We highly recommend requesting a “trial day,” during
which you watch the kids by yourself for at least six hours to get an idea of
what a typical day might be like, and then decide if you’re a good fit for the
family.
