This is a question for the stricter parents and nannies… I am 2 weeks into my new nanny job and i want to make sure I am doing everything right, and if there is anything I need to add or do better at….I want to make sure they are happy with me, I would **** to not know they are unhappy with something and get fired…
**When I get there, I play with him until his first nap ….put down for nap, and sleeps about 30-45minutes.
**When he wakes up I play with him some more and get his breakfast ready…feed him…
**Change his diaper and dress him for the day
**Take him on a 45 -60 minute walk, or go to the mall or park
**Come home, put him down for nap…sleeps about 45 minutes
**Take him into the backyard to lay on blanket and look at trees and birds….
**Make him Lunch
**Take him on a 20-30 minute walk
**Play a little in walker and play area and help him with his baby excercies
**Put down for last nap of the day, sleeps about 45 minutes
**Usually is cranky by about 5pm so I play with him, hold him and take him outside until 5:30
OK so, I do all this to keep him busy.. through out the day I will have a movie going so I can relax while he’s sleeping and have some noise while he’s awake…. I always have my phone next to me so I can text my friends, but mostly to text the parents if I have any questions..they said before I could use the computer, but I make sure to limit it to just checking my email and bank account and only when the baby is asleep.
SO…. am i doing everything right? Should I be doing more? I am looking to do more of a variety of things, but right now I want to make sure I am doing everything according to what parents would want of me… I have a feeling there is a nanny cam so I want to make sure they are pleased with what they see, if they are watching.
Also, I want to make sure they are happy with me instead of not being happy with something and then firing me out of the blue!
7 comments
Comment by kitkat on October 22, 2009 at 12:29 pm
I would get rid of the movie and turn on the stereo. Many parents have issues with small children watching tv and lets face it .. if the child is awake your attention needs to be on him and the tv needs to be off. I would also make sure to not be texting and using the phone unless it is to the parents. Your working time is not for socialization with friends.
Comment by xxkiexx83 on October 23, 2009 at 11:45 pm
You sound like you are doing an excellent job!
Comment by Emoja on October 26, 2009 at 12:52 pm
How old is the child? I would suggest doing some learning activities – reading, sounding out letters, anything appropriate for his age.
Talk to the child’s parents, tell them your schedule and ask them specifically if there’s anything they would like you to do with their child. The parents will be happiest if you just ask, rather than guessing. Good luck!
Comment by slaarwalhz on October 28, 2009 at 8:34 pm
That sounds SUPER good for me! How much do they pay you and what state are you in? Just curious. I have no idea if I will want a nanny when I have kids.
Comment by courty2114 on October 31, 2009 at 6:39 am
As long as you’re not on the computer or texting your friends while the baby is awake, i don’t see too much of a problem with it.
As for the TV ask the parents and see if they want you to limit how much television their child is exposed to and abide by it, you can always turn on age appropriate music.
Other than those, i think all you’ve been doing is great.
Comment by fofodos on November 1, 2009 at 5:17 pm
If the baby is very young (with 3 naps a day, he probably is) this all sounds fine and the parents should be very happy with you. A really good thing for everybody is to have a book such as Penelope Leach’s The First Five Years and consult it frequently.
I would not have the TV on while he’s awake. When he’s older you can discuss what children’s show, if any, you could watch with him. I also think you’re doing the right thing by limiting your computer use the way you are.
Probably you’re a tidy person, but I mention this only because of our experiences with a nanny who simply hadn’t thought of this: keep the kitchen surfaces wiped clean and put things away, so that when they get home they aren’t greeted with any mess. This is a great psychological boost for the parents.
Above all, parents need to feel that they can trust you and that you respect them and their home as well as giving wonderful care to their baby.
You sound like a good conscientious nanny. If my children were still small I’d hire you!
Here are a few reasons I gave up trying to have a nanny: at different times, these nice young women did some or all of the following: had the TV on all the time, fed the kids lollies after being asked not to; made long-distance phone calls without permission; used/broke things without permission (guitar, bicycle) and then didn’t tell me about it, so I’d go to use the item and find it broken) had friends round without permission (I came home early one day and found out), left mysterious smelly stains, unexplained; tried on my clothes; used my cosmetics; developed a crush on my husband and started overdressing for work in case he was going to be there; did just plain stupid things like taking the kids along to walk her bf’s dogs while wearing high heels and then falling out of them and breaking her leg, amongst other precarious situations she took them into when she was supposed to be supervising the childrens’ after-school play and homework…
Well, clearly this last one was devious and a dimwit, though she had glowing references. Suspiciously so, in hindsight. My (expensive) mistake to hire her. The others were mostly just thoughtless or lazy. But I have had good babysitters as well.
There are fabulous jewels of nannies, and they all share some characteristics: they want to be there looking after children because they like children and are interested in them, and are suited to child care (because the ones who just try to have a holiday in their employers’ homes are doing the job for the wrong reasons), they are honest, and they have empathy and respect for the parents.
Good for you for giving this some thought! I assume you’ve asked this question not just because there might be a nanny-cam but because you’re a fabulous jewel of a nanny!
Comment by luvmy4boyz on November 4, 2009 at 6:57 am
I am a nanny for 9 month old twin boys. I also have 4 of my own children, all in school full time. First I’d say drop the movie. I don’t turn on the TV at all while I am at work. I’m not there to watch TV and it’s not good for the babies either.
While the babies are sleeping I clean. I wash their high chairs, I do their laundry (the babies), I sweep the Kitchen wash bottles, straighten up toys, wash toys, etc…
I keep my phone on but I don’t use it. I only have it with me in case the school or one of my children try to call me.
Our schedule goes something like this:
I arrive 7:30, chat with mom about their night and get the boys out of their exersaucers (she usually has them in there while she gets ready), and I play with them while her and I chat.
She leaves by 7:45 and I play with the boys usually working on things like colors, shapes (shape sorter), alphabet blocks, learning type things.
8:30 I feed them breakfast, they play with a toy in their highchair while I make it. After breakfast I read them some books while they remain in their highchairs (they love books!)
after breakfast I change them and get them dressed for the day and they play in their exersaucers for a bit.
Around 9:30 they take their morning nap which usually lasts about an hour or so.
When they wake up we go outside weather permitting for a walk. When we come back I let them have some free play on the floor for about 30 minutes practicing to crawl and just playing. After that I try and get some one on one time, while one plays in his exersaucer I will read with the other and do shapes or colors, numbers etc…Then switch and do it with the other baby. (I change them as needed usually every couple hours unless they have a pooh)
Around noon they have lunch and after lunch while still in high chairs I read more books. We also work on one letter a week and I am also working on some baby signs with them.
After that we play for about 30 minutes just fun play like songs, puppets, etc… (I always have their CD of children’s songs playing for background noise unless we are reading)
Around 1:00 or 1:30 they take their afternoon nap which is usually about an hour and a half, sometimes two hours).
When they get up they have an afternoon bottle (usually around 3:00-3:30) and then we play more until mom gets home around 4:00.
Like I said, while they are sleeping I clean, wash bottles, etc…if I am done with all cleaning and they are still sleeping I read.
So If I had to list things you should do I would say
1. don’t watch TV
2. read to the baby (it’s best to start when they are young)
3. do some cleaning while they sleep the mom will appreciate it so much, my bos is always telling me thank you so much and how much they love me
4. incorperate learning into your playtime
Another tip is to talk a lot to him. Sometimes people tend to be quiet because there are no adults around but babies learn so much by hearing you talk, so talk about what you are dong I’m making your bottle now, one scoop, two scoops, three scoops go in! sing songs and teach teach teach.
otherwise you sound like a great caregiver who wants to do well