As society is experiencing a paradigm shift in the way we work, an increasing number of parents are now working from home, whether it be full-time or occasionally, causing them to reassess how they manage their childcare needs. While being a work from home parent and having a nanny present to care for your child can be a huge relief, it can also cause various issues for everyone involved. We’re here with some tips to help parents working from home have a successful relationship with their nanny as we enter a new age of employment.
Having a nanny caring for your children while you work from home can seem like the ideal situation: you can work freely without interruption and still spend time with your children when you take a break. It can take a while to settle into a routine as children can take longer to adapt to a parent working in a room next door or they may not immediately accept the nanny into an environment where their main caregivers are present. This isn’t to say that having a nanny as a work from home parent can’t work, but it is important to establish some rules that benefit the child, the parents, and the nanny. Platinum Nanny has placed nannies in families where one or both parents are working from home and the most successful placements follow the same basic tips:
1. Define a distinct workspace
Working from the sofa can seem appealing and comfortable but establishing a distinct workspace where your children can’t see or hear you is essential to avoid distractions on either side. Your children need to know that once you close the door to your “office”, it is as if you were working away from home and all their requests need to be directed to their nanny.
2. Back up your nanny
We all know children love to ask another adult the same question when they don’t receive the answer they want. To ensure you present a united front to the children, communicate your house rules to the nanny and then back up your nanny’s decisions as much as possible. Being on the same page in terms of decisions and discipline is vital to ensure a healthy and successful relationship between parents and childcare providers. If a nanny is regularly undermined then children will notice this and take advantage of the situation, preventing the childminder from doing their job effectively.
3. Work around your child’s routine
Having a more flexible home-working schedule can mean that you will be able to easily pop in and see you children during the day. Implementing a routine and schedule however will ensure that you are able to enjoy uninterrupted time to complete your work and your child will be able to focus on their activities, games, fun & learning as directed by their nanny without distraction. Don’t forget to schedule breaks for your nanny too. She also needs a bit of downtime to recharge her batteries so she is at her best when working with your child.
4. Resist the Urge to Intervene
You’ve hired an experienced, trusted, vetted nanny with excellent references, so resist the urge to step in if you hear your child not complying immediately with the nanny’s requests to nap or eat a certain food. Have faith in your nanny’s experience, she will be able to comfort your child, get them to sleep, or try a new dish. Interfering will only serve to undermine your nanny’s authority, something to avoid at all costs. Give your nanny the time and space to do her job without interfering, this will help them develop a better relationship with your child and will leave you free to work undisturbed.
All families and nannies are unique and what works for some may not work for you. Some nannies enjoy a co-parenting environment, sharing duties with parents while others prefer roles with a large amount of proxy-parenting, where they are left in sole-charge of the child whilst parents are traveling.
At Platinum Nanny we always strive to find the perfect match. We thoroughly interview and vet each and every candidate. We discuss the job description in great detail with each applicant ensuring they are right for the role. We explore the candidate’s needs and expectations to make sure all parties are aligned, and we only introduce candidates who we truly feel will be a good fit for the family and have the ability to help each child reach their full potential!
Platinum nanny is an international bespoke search consultancy in the placement of childcare, household & estate staff in Monaco · London · Dubai · Switzerland.
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