You’ve interviewed many potential nannies and you’ve finally found the right one. Now, it’s time to build a solid relationship with her – one that works on the professional level as well as the family level. You will be entrusting your children with this nanny, so it’s important to have a great relationship with her. Starting well right at the beginning is key and that usually begins with strong communication and a mutual understanding that you will work together as a team. This will help keep the relationship healthy with a good balance. Here are some other help tips on building a great nanny/family relationship.
Tip #1: Take good care of her
Treating your nanny well will go a long way. In addition to offering a fair wage and time off for her to rest and recuperate, remember to treat her every so often to something additional. For example, provide a small gift for the holidays, such as a gift certificate to one of her favorite restaurants or stores, or let her leave early during the week occasionally, giving her an extra couple of hours off. If she is going above and beyond, acknowledge that. In other words, follow the “Golden Rule” and treat her as you would like to be treated: with care and respect.
Tip #2: Outline clear expectations
Communication is very important when it comes to building a great relationship with your nanny. Talk regularly and commit to not “suffering” in silence. Make sure she feels comfortable to ask you questions and make sure you have outlined exactly what her duties should be so there is no confusion. Establish a written work agreement so you can be sure that your expectations are made clear from day one and so she agreed to them. If there are other duties that come along in the future, communicate them clearly to her and be open to discussion so your nanny feels like she is part of the process as well. This will help you avoid conflict and misunderstandings.
Tip #3: Don’t sweat the small stuff
Be realistic in what you’re asking your nanny to do and don’t worry about small stuff that really doesn’t matter in the overall scheme of things. Details matter, but if there is something that is very important to you in the way of details, be sure to communicate that clearly, so there is no misunderstanding.
Parents and nannies can be great teammates, working together to raise great kids. Work hard to cultivate a great working environment that offers your nanny a place of respect, fun, and solid communication. This will help her adjust to her role as a nanny in your family!
