Having a professional nanny work in your home can be an incredible help for busy families. They provide reliable and compassionate care, so parents can focus on work, other household responsibilities, or simply catch up on rest. It’s important to ensure your little one feels comfortable around the new nanny. Here are some tips on how to best introduce your new nanny, so both the employee and the kids are set up for success.
Tip #1: Give your children some say.
Your children will be spending a significant amount of time with the new nanny, so it is critical that there trust and connection there. Once you have narrowed down your top one or two nanny candidates, introduce your kids into the conversation. Whether it’s explaining more about the person you’re considering or even having them meet the person, if they’re old enough, let them provide some input. See how the prospective nanny interacts with the kids during that initial meeting, and how the children respond. Then talk to your kids afterward to hear how they felt about it.
Tip #2: Talk about feelings.
It’s normal to feel a little bit anxious or nervous about having a new nanny work in your home. If your children are feeling unsure, validate their thoughts and feelings and talk through questions they have. Get them excited about what they are looking forward to about having the nanny join the family and encourage them that this person isn’t going to replace any part of your role as a parent. Explain that the nanny is just providing an extra hand and will be there to love and support them, too.
Tip #3: Give the new working relationship time.
Once you’ve hired a nanny, understand that it will take time to establish trust and a connection. It’s common for families to use the first week or two as a paid ‘trial’ period, where the nanny will be part of the daily activities and routines. This gives the nanny – and the children – the chance to see what life will be like in this new working relationship. It can also be a good opportunity to see if there are any glaring issues that will need to be worked through or changed.
Tip #4: Keep things consistent.
Most of the time, change isn’t easy. It can be uncomfortable and will require a bit of resiliency. To ensure things go as smoothly as possible, keep routines and schedules as close to the same as possible. Make sure the children know that their comfort and safety is your priority and that you are doing your best to help everything transition seamlessly.
Tip #5: Keep communication central.
As with any relationship – working or other – good communication is key. Talk to your kids about how things are going with the nanny. Ask the nanny how things are going, too. Are there duties or other house rules that need to be adjusted or changed? Keeping respect and communication at the forefront of your working relationship with the nanny is critical to ensuring job satisfaction. If your nanny feels respected and heard, chances are they will invest themselves in a deeper way to your family and the job.
Ready to find the perfect nanny match for your home? Let our team at Household Staffing help! We get to know our clients and candidates. That personalized approach results in great, long-term matches. Call us today to get started.
