Nanny Diaries: Getting to Know a New Family

When people imagine nannying, they generally imagine playing and laughing with children that they love and treasure. That’s always the goal, but it usually isn’t that idyllic from day one. The process of getting to know a new nanny family can be challenging and awkward at first, and it takes time to develop a relationship of trust and closeness.

Our nannies at Tried and True Nannies and Sitters know this well, as many of them have years of experience working with a variety of families. What’s it like for a nanny who’s starting with a new family? Allow us to give you a peek inside.

Clarifying Expectations and Needs

One of the most important parts of working with a new family is getting a clear, shared understanding of what is expected of you as a nanny. This is different from one family to the next – what tasks they expect you to complete, where and when you need to pick up or drop off the kids, how the kids should be disciplined, and so on. The parents should also give you an overview of what you need to know regarding the kids – what skills they’re working on, any special needs or challenges they may have, and so on.

During this process, it’s important for nannies to let the parents take the lead. After all, these are their children, so they have the right to decide how their kids are parented. At the same time, experienced nannies know that parents aren’t always sure what information their nanny needs, especially if this is their first time hiring a nanny, so there’s nothing wrong with asking questions either.

Getting to Know the Kids

After getting on the same page with the parents regarding needs, rules, and expectations, a nanny’s next focus is on getting to know the kids. After all, a positive nanny-family relationship relies on trust, and you need the kids to feel safe and comfortable with you.

A nanny will take time to get to know the kids’ personalities, their likes and dislikes, the communication styles that work with them, the best ways to engage them, and so on. This is an ongoing learning process that starts on day one but continues throughout the nanny’s time with the kids.

Planning the First Activities

An experienced nanny always has activities or ideas in her back pocket! Those first outings or activities with the kids serve an important purpose. They allow a nanny to further get to know the children and see what the kids enjoy. They also serve as excellent bonding opportunities – after all, few things will make a child feel close to a nanny faster than having fun with them.

A wise nanny will have a list of options ready to go. That could include places to go like parks and splash pads, games to play, books to read, crafts to make, and so on. You can never have too many options!

Building Relationships with the Parents

Just as a nanny needs to build a trusting relationship with the kids in her care, she needs to do the same with the kids’ parents. The nanny-parent relationship can be a tricky one because you want a personal bond to some degree as a part of the family, but the parents are also your employers, so you need to remain professional too. That can be a difficult balance to strike, but experienced nannies know that this takes time.

Leaving Time for Improvement

This is a big one! Remember that picturesque image we mentioned about nannies having a genuine bond with the kids in their care and spending each day having fun with them while helping them learn and grow? That doesn’t happen instantly. Patience is a critical part of working with a new family, so it’s important for new nannies not to get discouraged if they don’t instantly have excellent chemistry with their family. It will take time.

Getting Started with Your New Nanny

If you’re a parent interested in hiring a nanny and building that relationship that will give your kids safe, trusted, enjoyable care on a daily basis, we can help! Contact Tried and True Nannies and Sitters, your Nashville nanny agency, and let’s chat.