With summer in full swing now, today’s modern families are busier than ever. Between juggling summer camps, family trips and visits to their vacation homes, play dates, and their own work or business meetings, many households are discovering that they need an extra hand.
Traditional household support roles like a live-out nanny or family assistant can be helpful, but when the family is ‘on-the-go’ a lot – especially during the summer, having a family assistant that travels with them is becoming increasingly common.
The Traveling Family Assistant
What does a traveling family assistant do?
This person provides a unique blend of household management, childcare assistance, travel coordination, and administration support.
Unlike a nanny who provides only childcare or a personal assistant who oversees administrative details, a family assistant becomes an integral part of a busy home.
They work seamlessly alongside the family to make sure the many moving parts of a household run smoothly, no matter where they are in their summer adventures – at home, on vacation, and everything in between.
Having a detail-oriented employee managing logistics and maintaining consistency for the family no matter where they are in the world is invaluable.
A traveling family assistant can:
- Book flights, hotels, and transportation
- Organize summer itineraries
- Manage children’s summer schedules
- Transport children to summer activities
- Meal prep
- Run errands
- Provide light housekeeping or laundry care
- Assistant with childcare responsibilities
- Pack family members for summer vacations or weekend trips
- Coordinate vendors at home or at the family’s other residences
- Prepare residences before arrival
Benefits of a Traveling Family Assistant
In addition to the above help that a meticulous family assistant can provide, the other huge benefit can be the continuity that they provide your family.
Children benefit from having a trusted, familiar person to accompany them to their activities or vacations, while keeping them on a routine.
This can minimize stress or anxiety that can come with traveling or getting onto a new temporary summer schedule.
Parents can also benefit from having more focused time to work, catch up on projects, or simply relax on vacation while a motivated traveling family assistant is there.
Knowing that important details are handled well by a reliable and experienced professional can help provide peace of mind.
What to Look for When Hiring a Traveling Family Assistant
All successful family assistants are organized and detailed. Because this role involves managing a lot of different parts of a home, it’s important to look for a candidate that demonstrates those qualities.
When it comes to having a family assistant travel with you, the person should also show that they are flexible and adaptable.
They must be comfortable with navigating changing schedules, working in new or unfamiliar environments without getting flustered, and also be able to anticipate what the family needs.
Ideal candidates also have strong communication and problem-solving skills and take initiative with a can-do attitude.
Because traveling family assistants work closely with families in homes, they are often privy to private information and routines.
Due to that, they must have a high level of discretion and a commitment to maintaining a family’s privacy.
Traveling family assistants also must be extremely tech-savvy and willing to learn new programs if needed.
Many families use apps or other online programs to organize their schedules/calendars, travel arrangements, and more. Family assistants need to be quick learners who can not only learn new things but then use them to help take over with organization and planning.
Ready to Hire?
A passionate traveling family assistant can become an integral part of a household. Often, they make a household team stronger when they join an already thriving team of staff.
Ready to find a family assistant who can travel with you while helping you stay organized, connected, and stress-free wherever life takes you and your family this summer season?
Our outstanding team at Household Staffing is experienced in placing experienced in-home summer staff in homes across the country.
We take the time to get to know your specific household requirements so we can find an employee that matches. Our 98.7% placement guarantee speaks for itself.
Contact us today or complete our New Hire Form to expand your summer support team!
