After finding the right nanny for your family, it is advisable to allocate some of your time to go through the routines together, to show how things around the house work, activities accessible around your neighbourhood and also for your own observations. Take your nanny as a partner and establish a positive and trusting relationship.
Here is the checklist to help you get started:
DAILY ROUTINE
Go through the activities that you want your nanny to do when she is alone:
feeding: likes, dislikes, food measurements, your view on sugary food and diet, any allergies, show how to collapse and adjust the highchair
nap routine: how many times, duration of sleep, bed setting, reading a story or singing before sleep, changing clothes, any duties to undertake while your child sleeps
nursery/school run: go through the location, directions, parking entrance, key nursery/school staff
playing: show toys, safety concerns during play, any certain activities desired, play dates, show how to collapse and set up the pushchairs, car seats and how safety gates open and close
bathing ritual: when, which shampoo and soap to use, hair care
go over safety concerns and any rules
Hear about any ideas from the nanny.
Observe how your nanny interacts with your child, give them opportunity to take over, how they react when your baby or toddler wakes up, how they interact with them during different activities, how present they are, are they alert, how they play with them.
VIEWS ON CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Communicate your views on child development, soothing when your child cries, screen time guidelines, sharing photos with you, food diet and how to communicate to you about any updates.
HOUSE OPERATION
Do a tour of the house and show the neighbourhood, where the nearest park is, what activities are close by.
Make sure your nanny knows how to enter to the house and arrange the key.
Explain all housing operations: heat/air conditioning, TV, washing machine, dishwasher, oven, hob, microwave, sweeper, hoover, cleaning products, fuse box.
Make your nanny aware about any visits or maintenance workers that are coming.
SAFETY
Inform about any allergies and intolerances or foods that are off limits.
Go over any medication and dosage requirements, locate the first aid kit.
Go over safety concerns, where to play safely outside, the rules for watching them, bottle feeding.
IMPORTANT CONTACTS
Inform your nanny about the work and mobile phone numbers of all family members and establish which one is easy reachable.
Prepare a list of numbers and names of the paediatrician, nursery and a close friend or neighbour should anything happen.
Introduce them to key people that they should establish a relationship (family members, friends, neighbours, child’s nursery/school teachers).
BUILD RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR NANNY
It is highly important that you get to know each other and build trust, it helps, if you show your personality, talk about your children and their needs and also hear your nanny about their life. Talk about your expectations clearly early on, what is the most important to you, if you would like the nanny to share photos of activities they do with you, what happens if you come home early, what should be like if you are working from home, etc.
Remember to work with your nanny as a partner, it is a two-way communication, be direct and tell your nanny how is best to communicate with you and other way around. Be honest, maintain positive communication and strive to resolving any issues immediately - excellent communication is key!