What Expectations Should We Have of Our Live-In Nanny?

When you have a live-in nanny, you face a lot of issues that don’t come along with other child care arrangements. As such, there are specific types of expectations that you should outline for your live-in nanny. These can include:

- Job-related duties. The first type of expectations that you will outline for your nanny will typically be related specifically to her job responsibilities. These include rules for schedules, meals, activities, and supervision. They may include expectations about child care, and they may include other duties that your nanny agrees to, such as doing laundry or dishes. While these are not specifically rules for the nanny herself, they are an important part of how you communicate your expectations to your nanny.

- Expectations of your children. It is also important that you explain to your nanny what is expected from your children. If there are places they cannot go or television shows that they cannot watch, outline these things. You should also clearly communicate your discipline philosophy, and how you expect your nanny to deal with discipline issues.

- Expectations for your nanny’s behavior. These can be some of the toughest rules to write and to enforce, but they are important ones since she is living with you. Do you expect her appearance to meet certain criteria (such as wearing a uniform of some sort)? Is it appropriate for her to have visitors while she is working? what are the expectations for visitors when she is both on and off duty? If your nanny will be using your car, what driving-related rules do you want in place? These can include general rules, such as obeying traffic laws, to specific procedures, such as not leaving the car with less than a half a tank of gas. This can also include rules about how the nanny conducts herself, such as avoiding foul language.

- Privacy expectations. These should include both your expectation of privacy, and the ways in which your nanny keeps her private matters to herself.

You also need to set certain limits on your nanny. If there are areas of the house, such as the parents’ bedroom, that are off limits, make sure that is outlined. If you have a live-in nanny, be specific about how she is to relate to the family when she is off duty, and be specific about how she is to keep her room, and what times of day and night are all right to come and go

If at all possible, you should include these expectations in your nanny’s contract agreement.

Posted in Child Care Issues