Being the Best Nanny or Au Pair

Childcare Tips for Nannies and Au Pairs

By Debra Johnson

Providing care for children is an important job that offers its share of both rewards and challenges. Every nanny and au pair has chosen this job because of their love for children and their desire to help them to grow and learn. However, taking care of children is also hard work. This is especially true for anyone who cares for children full-time. Therefore, the following ideas are provided to ensure that every nanny or au pair will be capable of providing the best of services to the children in their care.

1. Get to know the family:

When first taking on a new nanny job, it is important to get to know the entire family. This can best be accomplished by spending a few hours in the home while the parent is there in order to learn their routine.

2. Have a schedule:

While it is always important to stay flexible when working with new children, it can also be helpful to have a normal routine. If you live in the home, then you will want to have a typical schedule that includes events such as a time to wake up, eat and take baths for the children.

3. Share your culture:

Many nannies and au pairs come from a different culture than the one in which their family may have. Parents often welcome the influence that a nanny or au pair can bring to their home. Therefore, a nanny or au pair can share some of their favorite recipes, holiday traditions or common phrases in their language that they think the children will enjoy.

4. Plan activities:

An advantage of being a nanny or au pair is having many hours to spend with the children. In order to keep the children from becoming bored, it can be helpful to have a variety of activities planned that are designed to fit the children’s interests.

5. Get out of the house:

With the parent’s permission, nannies and au pairs should plan outings for the children that can provide an educational and enjoyable experience for everyone. Some popular destinations for children include zoos, museums and libraries. Even the local park can offer a nice place to get away from the house for a few hours.

6. Help with homework:

Many parents work long hours and find it difficult to help with homework when they get home. For this reason, it can be a nice touch to help children to complete their homework after school so that the family can enjoy their evenings.

7. Plan for emergencies:

Even with the highest of care, accidents can happen and children get sick. Therefore, a nanny or au pair should always have a plan established with the family that details what to do in the case of an emergency. Additionally, a nanny should also have a list of emergency contacts to call in the case of a sick or injured child.

Working as an au pair or nanny is a rewarding job that most people find offers them a great career while working with children. In order to make the most of their time with the families that they work with, nannies and au pairs should plan fun activities both inside and outside of the home that will enable them to get to know and love the children that are in their care.

About the Author:

This guest post is contributed by Debra Johnson, blogger and editor of Liveinnanny.com. She welcomes your comments at her email: jdebra84 @ gmail.com.