Tips for Communicating with Your Nanny

Hiring a nanny is a fantastic way to give your kids safe, dedicated, and enriching childcare while cutting down on the work that’s on your plate. But it also brings a new person into your home, and the nanny-parent relationship can be a complicated one. You’re partners in your kids’ well-being but you’re their employer as well, and you may become friends over time too. Communication is crucial to keeping this relationship positive and productive. Our experts at Tried and True Nannies and Sitters have been navigating nanny-parent communication for years, so these are our top tips for parents.

Practice Respectful Honesty

In order for parents and nannies to have a positive relationship in which the nanny is providing the care the parents want and the nanny feels valued and fulfilled, you need honesty and transparency. The key is to be honest if and when there are things you want your nanny to do differently, but to choose your words carefully and respectfully – just as professionally as any other employer would speak to their employee. Encourage your nanny to do the same too.

Put Important Details in Writing

No one has a perfect memory – neither you nor your nanny! For that reason, anytime you need to tell your nanny something that they may need to refer back to, put it in writing. That includes details like kids’ schedules, allergy and dietary information, where and when to pick up the kids from school, dates you’ll be out of town, and so on. You can jot it down on a note for them or just text them.

Consider Using an App

The right technology can be abundantly helpful for nannies and families. There are apps today that track important information for nannies and parents to share about their children and allow both you and your nanny to access the information whenever you choose. This includes notes like when the child napped and for how long, when the child ate and how much they ate, and so on. When you and your nanny both use this app to track those details while caring for your child, you don’t need to communicate this information back and forth every day and you don’t need to worry about double feedings and other accidents.

Make Time for Routine Chats

As handy as an app can be for keeping everyone on track with basic details, it’s also important to have routine sync-ups with your nanny. After all, when you get home each day, you might not be in the mindset to have a long discussion because you’re tired after the workday and your nanny is ready to go home. Schedule routine meetings, such as every couple of weeks, when you sit down with your nanny and talk about how your child has been doing, any changes or suggestions either of you have, any concerns either of you have, etc. When you both know when these meetings are, it gives you a chance to collect your thoughts and prepare so you can both have a productive discussion.

Choose Your Battles

Your nanny is your employee, and you want things in your home to be done the way you would do them. However, it’s important to keep the big picture in mind. You don’t want your nanny to feel nagged or micromanaged, so it’s not always best to correct them on everything you would do differently. When there are minor things like waiting to do the dishes rather than doing them immediately after lunch or letting your child wear an outfit you wouldn’t have matched together, it might be counterproductive to bring up these issues.

Be Careful Not to Overshare

It’s easy to become very close to your nanny over time because they spend so much time in your home caring for your children. In the case of a live-in nanny, they even live in your home. But it’s important to remember that regardless of how much you bond with them, your nanny is still your employee. It’s not appropriate to overshare, such as by venting about your spouse or sharing intimate personal details. The key is striking the balance between friendship and professionalism.

At Tried and True Nannies and Sitters, our passion is creating positive family-nanny experiences so families throughout the Nashville area can enjoy the dedicated care of a skilled nanny. If you’re looking for the right fit, contact Tried and True Nannies and Sitters and learn more about our nanny placement services.