Understanding The Role Of Nannies & What they Shouldn’t Do

A nanny is often the best solution when you need to be at work but have children and don’t want to send them to preschool yet. They don’t legally have to enter the school system until they are 4 years old.

Nannies are professionally trained to look, after children and they often provide the peace of mind that a parent needs when leaving their child with a stranger. However, a nanny is a paid professional and has a range of duties that they are qualified to do.

Most parents wouldn’t ask a nanny to look at the electrics, and you should be aware that there are some things a nanny shouldn’t or won’t do. Of course, if you’re getting a nanny from a reputable specialist in nanny services Sydney, the rules will be explained to you. But, it doesn’t hurt to know them first and, if you’re employing privately to verify the limits of a potential nanny.

It should be noted that hiring through an agency is recommended as the nannies will have been checked to ensure they are qualified and safe to look after your child.

The Role Of A Nanny

A nanny is employed to look after children. That means feeding them, changing nappies or assisting with toilet training as required. They are responsible for keeping them safe and for playing with them. Play activities should be fun but educational.

Of course, a nanny also needs to be able to talk to parents comfortably and provide updates on a child’s health, development, and any issues of concern.

You can choose to have a live-in or a live-out nanny. But, in either case, the nanny should have designated work hours.

What They Shouldn’t Do

A nanny isn’t employed to do the following. Although, if you are employing them privately you can ask them about their position on certain chores. It’s best to do this during the interview stage as, asking after they’ve started may mean they’ll want extra money.

• Laundry

A nanny isn’t there to do the laundry for the children or the rest of the house. This isn’t an essential part of keeping children safe and the parents are responsible for supplying clean clothing.

However, in many cases, a nanny will do the washing and even ironing, especially if the child is very young and sleeps for much of the time. But, you shouldn’t assume this is the case.

• Cooking Meals

A nanny should have culinary skills as they will need to prepare food for the children. However, that doesn’t mean they will be cooking for the entire house. It is very rare for a nanny to do this, even one that lives in.

• Cleaning The House

Your nanny should keep the house tidy and they are responsible for cleaning any mess that the children make, regardless of how the mess has been made.

However, they are not a cleaner and you can’t expect them to clean your house from top to bottom every day. Again, this would need to be a separate negotiation.

Knowing the role of a nanny makes it easier to ensure this is what you ask them to do. That keeps the relationship professional and helps to ensure your child gets the best care possible.