The process of finding a nanny can be taxing; you'll be trying to merge your needs and the children's needs to the nanny's abilities and training, and do this with limited information (because some things become clearer after the nanny comes in) and within a limited timeframe.
Once you find a nanny that's a good fit, the first few weeks are crucial in establishing a good relationship, and you have a big part to play in ensuring your new nanny is well inducted. This article discusses what to cover during your training phase.
1. The children
Taking care of the children will be the most important job the nanny has. Ideally, you should have at least a week before the old nanny leaves to bring in a new nanny, train them and transition. You may also take a week off work to do the same. If this isn't possible, however, you can arrange so that she arrives on Friday, and you have the weekend to cover the most important bases related to childcare. These include:
Routines and schedules (school, play, meal, sleep, bath, TV, etc.)
Special/favourite books, toys, movies, games, foods, etc.
Meals
Allergies, medication, special needs
Friends, family, and relatives that visit often
Discipline approach
It is important to train the nanny on emergency procedures for fires, accidents, illness and other crises. Ensure that they have an emergency contact list, know where the nearest hospital is and can perform simple first aid. Your contact list should include at least two more people they can reach when both parents are unavailable. Ideally, one should be close to your house.
If the children are involved in out-of-home activities, introduce the nanny to teachers, neighbours, playgroups, park parents, church and other important people. They should also know what to carry for each child, depending on where they're going.
2. General chores
The nanny may also be in charge of cleaning and preparing meals for the rest of the family. They should know how to handle phone calls, guests, package deliveries and light grocery shopping. Highlight your regular expenses and how petty cash is handled in the kitchen. Go through your appliances to ensure your nanny can operate them all, and highlight any special cleaning requirements you have.
It's a great idea for you to come up with a cleaning rota so that she knows what's expected for each day. Daily, weekly and monthly tasks should be highlighted, as they'll form a reference for assessment once she starts working. In time, the written schedule will becomes null because household tasks are repetitive, but it's crucial in the induction phase. Because you'll give a lot of information within a short time, they can always refer to it for any detail they forget.
Finally, go over security procedures like the alarm codes, keys, lockup procedures and other related details.
Share19 January 2018
Finding a nursery that provides a stimulating and safe environment for your child can feel like a daunting task. I've used nurseries for all four of my children, and as my husband's job requires him to move around the country frequently, I have gone through the process of selecting a suitable nursery around fifteen times. I started this blog to provide a parent's view of nursery care and share practical tips you can use when choosing a nursery for your child. My posts cover a number of topics, such as spotting red flags, working in partnership with nursery staff, preparing your child for starting nursery and asking prospective nurseries for the right information. I hope you find my blog useful and informative.