How to Prevent Nanny Burnout: Tips for Families and Nannies

Nanny burnout is something that is well-known throughout the nanny community but few families realize what a widespread problem it is. Nannying isn’t just a 9-5 you can disconnect from at the end of the day. Nannies develop a genuine bond with the kids and families they care for. The emotions are high, the commitment is intense, and as a result, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and burned out.

Whether you’re a nanny or a family who employs a nanny, there are ways you can help. Check out these top tips from our Nashville nanny agency.

Burnout Prevention Tips for Nannies

As important as it is to feel a connection with your nanny kids, you need to take care of yourself too. If you’re a nanny, follow these tips to keep burnout at bay.

Know the Signs of Burnout

Once burnout sets in, it’s a difficult rut to get out of, so it’s best to find a way to slow down before it reaches that point. To do that, you need to know the signs of impending burnout. These can include:

• Dreading going to work each day

• Feeling exhausted at the end of each workday

• Feeling more irritable and less patient, especially while you’re working

• Having a hard time feeling as happy as you should with your achievements at work like when your potty training nanny child uses the toilet or makes a new friend

• Feeling like your life revolves around your work and your own hobbies and needs have taken a back seat

• Struggling with sleep

• Feeling overall more stressed or fatigued than usual

If you notice any combination of these signs, it means you need to take a break.

Communicate Your Needs

You don’t need to hide your exhaustion from your nanny family. They should want to make sure you can continue bringing your best self to care for their kids. Instead of trying to put on a brave face, maintain open communication with your nanny family. Don’t be shy about telling them if you need a vacation, if you need to work fewer hours, and so on.

Make Sure Expectations are Clear

One of the top reasons for burnout is not only feeling overworked but feeling like you don’t have control over your work. If your nanny's family is constantly changing the schedule, asking you to stay late at the last minute, and so on, this is likely to contribute to burnout. Make sure you and your nanny family are on the same page about your typical work hours, how much notice you need for changes, and so on.

Burnout Prevention Tips for Families

If you have a nanny who helps to care for your kids, you know what an outstanding part of your kids’ lives a nanny can be. To keep your nanny in your kids’ lives for longer and make sure they feel balanced enough to give your kids the best, follow these tips.

Watch Out for Job Creep

If you’re not familiar with the term, “job creep” or “scope creep” is when two people agree on a project or an arrangement and then little additions get thrown in the mix, one at a time until it’s a much bigger job than it was supposed to be. This contributes to burnout even if you’re paying them for the extra time.

In the nanny world, for example, you might have a set schedule of 35 weekly hours for your nanny and then you ask if they can cover a few hours on an extra day here, stay an hour late there, start coming in half an hour early each day, and so on. Keep an eye out for this and make sure you aren’t accidentally taking advantage of your nanny because they’re there.

Keep an Open Dialogue

It’s always important to maintain a dialogue with your nanny about your kids, but you want to chat about them too. Check-in with them regularly about how they’re doing and how they’re feeling. Make sure they know you appreciate them and want them to be happy, and that they feel comfortable telling you if there’s anything they need.

Create a Relationship of Mutual Respect

Some families have a perspective that when they hire a nanny, that nanny is their employee and their subordinate who must be obedient. That isn’t productive for a positive long-term nannying arrangement. Your nanny is a knowledgeable, specialized professional who you’ve hired for their expertise. Make sure to maintain the respect that goes both ways.

Preventing Nanny Burnout – How We Can Help

At Tried and True Nannies and Sitters, our team has been in the nanny world for over a decade. We know this industry inside and out, and we can help nannies and families work together to avoid nanny burnout. This is one of many benefits of using a nanny agency – having a third party you can come to for help if needed. Call our Nashville nanny agency to learn more.