House Rules

So, you’ve narrowed the nanny search down to a few prospective nannies. The larger items have been discussed – the pay, the work hours, vacation time, etc. – but you still need to talk to them about the finer points of being a nanny in your home. Your nanny needs to learn about your personality, your child’s personality as well as the rules of the house. Consider the following: How do you want your child disciplined? What do you want your nanny to do as far as handling day to day tasks? Do you want them to contact you in any situation or make decisions for themselves? Will you allow them to provide education to your child or just monitor their behavior? How will you and your nanny work together to resolve conflicts?

These are essential items to discuss. Get things started on the same page, without having any surprises down the road.

Child Interaction

It is essential to monitor the nanny’s interaction with your child during the interviewing process. In fact, let your child interview them, in a sense. For example, send them outside to play alone for a few minutes and monitor their interaction from a window.

Note certain things, such as how the nanny reacts if your child says “no!” and how the nanny reacts when your child asks a question. Doe they talk authoritatively or are they soft spoken?

The Second Interview

So, you’ve found someone that seems to be pretty good on paper and in person. Why bother with a second interview? The second interview provides another opportunity for you to observe the nanny working with your child. This is the perfect way for you to determine if they are getting along well and if they fit within your family’s personality.

Consider going on an outing with the nanny and your child as the second interview. Just remember that they aren’t working for you yet, so allow them only to interact with the child when they initiate it. The nanny should be able to interact with your child enough to convince them that she would be fun to play with.

During the outing, notice how well they pay attention to your child. Are they more concerned about impressing you rather than interacting with your child? Are they listening to the child and encouraging good behavior? Taking these things into account will help you to make the final decision about who the right nanny is.

Make the Decision

It’s time to select the right nanny for the job. Following is a checklist of items to take care of prior to your nanny’s first day on the job: Double check all personal and employment references. Do this even if they were referred by a nanny placement agency. Run a background check and a driver’s record check. Work through any unresolved issues with salary, hours, duties, etc. Come to an agreement on how discipline will be handled.

Once you’ve determined who the best nanny is, trust your intuition and hire the person you feel fits best for your child and for your family.

By: Hilary Basile

About the Author: