What Do You Do to Build Trust Between Your Parent Employers and Yourself?

Attachment: An Important Part of Your Job

We have been discussing how important it is for nannies and au pairs to make attachments with the children in their care. We explained how daily routines are essential to forming attachments with kids. But an in-home caregiver's attachment with their parent employers is equally important.

The most obvious reason for nannies to maintain a great relationships with their parent employers is they work for the parents. Obviously, to keep their job nannies must communicate effectively with their employers. If caregivers maintain open communication and follow the parents' directives it will create a happier, trustworthy, and longer lasting working environment.

Nannies and au pairs really must work hard on their relationships with the parents. Children will trust caregivers their parents trust. Nannies and au pairs must encourage the relationship of the parents and children. To do this, caregivers should never speak negatively about the parents in the presence of their children.

To further build trust between caregivers and parents, nannies and au pairs must follow the parents directions and wishes. Nannies and au pairs should never lie to the parents about any part of their charges' day. For example, many nannies may feed the kids a snack or two not permitted by the parents or they may allow the children to play video games or watch tv longer then their employers' allow. Nannies and au pairs may break a directive or two set up by the parents thinking it's no big deal, but both the children and parents know when a caregiver doesn't follow the parents directives. Ignoring parents' wishes destroys employer/caregiver relationships, not builds them.

When nannies and au pairs perform random acts of kindness and are flexible by pitching-in when needed, they build bonds with their employers as well.

What do you do daily to help build trust between your parent employers and yourself?