Summer is a great time for potty training, and if school is approaching in the autumn and your soon-to-be Reception child is still clinging stubbornly to nappies it’s the last real chance before September.
There are 3 things to consider before you start – age and readiness, timing, and method.
Risks, in general, are seen as a bad thing. Parents and child carers are told to minimise risks, to make things safer, to always be careful and pay attention, ready to swoop in the moment there’s danger. But what if this is a bad thing? Are we going to far?
Of course we don’t mean giving children uncooked chicken to eat, or letting them practice their new found cycling ability next to the river, we mean sensible risks. Perhaps instead of removing all the hazards teaching children to respect dangers and deal with them safely would help them lean. instead of hovering and catching children before they hit the ground allowing them to fall from a safe height and feel the effect of letting go and the point where they went too far.
More and more nannies are looking for jobs where they can take their own children with them. It seems like a perfect compromise between working and having time with your children, and increasing numbers of families are happy to reduce their costs a little bit – or get more for their money – by accepting a nanny who wants to bring her own child to work.
The law
A nanny can care for children from up to 2 families at once, and that includes her own children. So a nanny based at an employer’s home is able to take her own children along. Doing a nanny share and taking your own child is not allowed unless you register with a OFSTED as a childminder on the Early Years and Childcare registers. Registering on the voluntary register as a Home Childcarer, which is what OFSTED call nannies, isn’t enough. Nannies, however, don’t have to comply with ratios so can care for 2 babies or 4 children under 5.
Almost every nanny at some point flirts with the idea of nannying overseas. British nannies are sought after from Paris to Monaco, Dubai to Washington and salaries can be far more competitive than staying in the UK. There are several ways to go about finding a job overseas.
Almost every nanny at some point flirts with the idea of nannying overseas. British nannies are sought after from Paris to Monaco, Dubai to Washington and salaries can be far more competitive than staying in the UK. There are several ways to go about finding a job overseas. One option is work as a ski or summer holiday nanny in a resort. The advantage of this is that you have a team of other nannies around you and everything is taken care of by the company. The disadvantage is that you often don’t get to experience local culture and you may find yourself also working in a creche or nursery setting as well as with a family. If you’ve never worked as a nanny before this can be a great transition. You could also work for programmes such as Camp America for a season which will enable you to work in the US.
Alternatively you can find yourself a job with a family either through an agency or responding to a private advert. As with all private adverts it’s very important to make security a top priority. Ask the family for references and be wary of scammers. Book flights yourself and be reimbursed rather than giving the family your personal details and look up the details for the consulate in your destination country. Hours can be long and expectations high, and if you find nannying in the UK isolating you may want to avoid cities which don’t have a large nanny, au pair or expat community. Most overseas jobs are live in and it can be easy to find yourself spending evenings and weekends in your bedroom skyping your friends or catching up on Facebook instead of getting out and making the most of a new country.
If you are young and single an ideal way to try out working abroad is as an au pair. Although au pairs are paid far less than professional nannies and do fewer hours it is much easier to find a job, and once you have a reference to prove that you coped working abroad once you will find it easier to get a nanny job overseas. One of the other big differences between nannies and au pairs is the type of visa required. If you are an EU national you can work anywhere in the EU without needing a specific visa, however some countries have rules about what an au pair can and cannot do and the maximum and minimum rates of pay. British nationals can also get working holiday visas to countries such as Australia which will allow you to work temporarily as a nanny. To go to the US, however, the easiest way is to go as an au pair on a J1 visa. Many nanny jobs in America wanting a British nanny are actually advertised as au pair jobs so talk through the job carefully and know what you are signing up for.
A contract is an absolute necessity, particularly if you don’t know the language of the country you are going to. It is much easier to get a translation of a contract in your language or your employer’s than relying on verbal communication. A contract also means you have legal protection for your hours, duties and pay. Most employers treat their nanny well and provide not only accommodation and food but also a local mobile phone, help with administrative formalities and introductions to other local nannies or au pairs.
Having a young child who won’t or can’t sleep can have a knock-on effect for the entire family.
Sleep problems for babies and young children are becoming more commonplace and routines can be extremely difficult to stick to, especially when you’re not around your child 24/7. That’s where a nanny can step in and help to keep the routine running smoothly so that everyone in the family stays fully rested.
Continue reading “Sleep Difficulties with Children – How a Nanny Can Help”
Life as a nanny can be hectic and exhausting. You spend all day taking care of the family you work for, but who takes care of you?
If you want to do your job well, and more importantly, live a healthy life, it’s important that you take good care of your health and well-being to avoid getting ill or simply burning out.
Follow these 5 tips to help keep your health in tip top condition:
Live in child carers, such as live in nannies, maternity nurses and au pairs, have to not only get to grips with demands of the job but also balance the dynamic of living in someone else’s house. The exact relationship depends on the job – for example au pairs are expected to be part of the family whereas nannies are more independent – but there are some things which almost every live in child carer experiences.
Live in child carers, such as live in nannies, maternity nurses and au pairs, have to not only get to grips with demands of the job but also balance the dynamic of living in someone else’s house. The exact relationship depends on the job – for example au pairs are expected to be part of the family whereas nannies are more independent – but there are some things which almost every live in child carer experiences.
Household rhythms
Initially aligning times of meals and going to bed can be tough. Going to bed early, or being the last one up at night, may mean you feel a bit apart from the family you’re living with. If you don’t function until your second cup of coffee then negotiating the kitchen in the morning can be a challenge too.
Eating different food
Even when you come from the same culture every family has their preferred meals and cooking methods. Food is so important that not having your favourite meals can have a bigger impact than you would think, or even grilled bacon instead of fried.
Knowing where to go when your employers are having a private conversation
When you live with people it can be hard to have privacy, and conversations can’t always be schedule. Almost every nanny has walked into the kitchen only to have their employers stop talking. Nine times out of ten it’s nothing bad, just something your bosses may not want you to know (yet) such as their plans for another baby. Worse still is knowing where to put yourself when your employers have an argument.
Negotiating bathroom time, and hot water usage
If you don’t have your own bathroom there may be peak times to avoid, and even when you do the sound of running water may disturb others. A greater crime is using all the hot water. Nobody likes a cold shower, so be mindful of how much you use, especially when you have guests, and find out how to put on the immersion heater or boost the heating.
Hearing children in your time off
Whether it’s the middle of the night or the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning, if your bedroom is within earshot of the children you’ll probably get disturbed. Much as you may love them, if you’ve planned to sleep, their noise is a nuisance you could do without. Even in the middle of the day if you’re trying to read, watch TV or skype a friend those noises can be a disturbance.
Remember that it can take time to adapt to your new housemates, and communication is really important not just about your working hours but regarding living arrangements too. Before taking a job it’s a good idea to ask about household routines and how much they expect you to be around vs in your room so you can decide whether you’ll fit in comfortably.
Thought about hiring a nanny but not convinced? Here are 10 reasons to take the plunge.
Most children will end up visiting the hospital at some point in their life. The lucky ones have a quick trip to A&E and go straight home but sometimes a longer stay is needed. This can be a very testing time for the family and you may need to step into the breach to provide support but it can be difficult to know what to do beyond keeping everything ticking over.
If there are other children in the family your job probably won’t change much athough you might end up working longer hours to allow your employers to spend time at the hospital. Ask whether siblings are allowed to visit and if the parents would like your charges to see each other. Bear in mind that some hospitals don’t allow children to go onto the ward so be ready to suggest other ways your charges can keep in touch, such as drawing pictures or speaking on skype.
You can support the parents by packing supplies for your charge ready to take to the hospital. Hospital food often isn’t appetising so if they are allowed to take snacks in then you can go to the shops and prepare a care package for them to take in. You can also keep up a stream of clean pyjamas and other clothes as hospitals can be hot and sticky places. If allowed, toys from home will help relieve some of the boredom of being stuck in a hospital bed, and for school aged children keep in touch with school in case they ask to do some homework! It’s a huge help for parents to be able to come home, empty a bag and repack it with everything that’s been laid out ready.
Volunteer to take a turn sitting at the bedside to give your employer’s a break and provide a change of scenery for your charge. Your employers will feel more relaxed leaving their poorly child with someone they know and trust too. Children’s development doesn’t stop when they’re in hospital so you can talk to the doctors and nurses about providing some suitable activities. Encourage them to play, talk and laugh with you as they would at home.
You also need to recognise that it’s a worrying time for you. Most nannies become deeply aatached to their charges and it’s difficult to see someone you love in distress. Look after yourself and don’t be afraid to share your feelings with your family or nanny friends.
When they come home from hospital your charge may have medication to take or specific care routines to follow. Make sure you’re clear on what these are and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Communication will be more important than ever and be sensitive to the fact that your employers might want to check in with you more often to see how everything is going.
If you’re a nanny and have some tips about working with a hospitalised charge don’t hestitate to share them on our Facebook page, Twitter or our messageboards.
Although a performance review can also be helpful at any time if there are problems with your nanny carrying out their duties they should not be neglected if everything is going well. A performance review is a chance to praise your nanny and let them know what a good job they’re doing.
It’s a good idea once a year to sit down for a more formal meeting with your nanny to review their performance, your children’s development and plan the year ahead. You may like to do this on the anniversary of them starting work with you, at the start or end of the school year or the start of the calendar year. We’ve put together some questions you might like to consider or ask your nanny to think about before the meeting so you can sit down prepared.
Although a performance review can also be helpful at any time if there are problems with your nanny carrying out their duties they should not be neglected if everything is going well. A performance review is a chance to praise your nanny and let them know what a good job they’re doing.
Many nannies expect a pay rise, or at least a pay review, at their annual review. If you don’t want to discuss finances then let them know in advance that the meeting is solely about their performance and you’ll set aside another time to discuss pay.
Schedule the review for a time when there are no children around. Children can be a distraction and it’s especially important that you are able to be honest with your nanny if either of you have concerns about the children or if you have something negative to say.
We hope you find these questions helpful in facilitating communication with your nanny about their performance and your needs!
The year just gone:
Is the nanny able to do everything on their job description? Is there anything they are doing which is not in their job description? Does the job description need to be modified?
How has your nanny coped with the workload? How do they feel they have coped?
What have been your nanny’s strong points this year? What are areas for improvement?
Have there been any problems? How were they resolved?
Are the any developmental concerns about the children?
The year ahead:
Are there any foreseeable changes to duties?
Are there any activities it would be good to introduce? How can the children’s development be stimulated?
Do any strategies for behaviour management need to be recapped or reviewed?
Are there any areas where your nanny would like to refresh or update their knowledge?
What are the goals for the year ahead? (These may be for the children, the nanny or you e.g. potty training, ensuring all laundry is up to date on a Friday night, ensuring the kitchen is tidy on a Monday morning)
Is your nanny’s salary competitive and a fair reflection of the job’s demands?
