Imagine entering a stranger’s home, having a 2 week old infant placed in your arms, and told….”ok, we’ll see you in 10 hours”. Now, I don’t care if you have 20 years or 0 years experience caring for children, placing yourself in a unfamiliar environment with a new family is and always will be nerve-wracking. As it should be….a Nanny’s job is one filled with incredible responsibilities and commitment. We have the same cares and concerns as the parents, but must always keep our boundaries in check .

It’s sometimes surprising for people to learn how much nannies love the children in our care. A good nanny will care for children competently, but a great nanny will break their heart over and over loving each and every child they care for.

Hiring a nanny can be a vexing task, but with a bit of understanding and appreciation for a nanny’s role it can be easy if you know what to look for. Anyone who works well with children, and who truly loves what they do will have an inviting demeanor as soon as they walk through your door. Nannies tend to be nurturers and full of compassion for those around them, and this is what you want to look for right off the bat.

When interviewing, you want to think hard about how this person makes you feel. At ease? Awkward? Easy to communicate with? Hard to read? This is important because whatever you feel, your child will feel as well. If you are comfortable with the person caring for your child, then this will help your infant to feel more secure and bond easily with their caregiver. This is so important, because once the nanny begins working in your home, you want him/her to become part of the family. A nanny caring for your children should feel like an extension of your own parenting. It should be a team effort, and all the needs of the child should be met by both the parents and nanny.

I like to have a 2 week’s trial period with the families I work for. This gives us all a chance to see if we’re a good fit, not only for the child but for the family and nanny as well. The last thing you want is a nanny that feels uncomfortable, unwanted and/or under-appreciated in your home. Which leads me to my next thought.

Unfortunately in some homes a nanny is looked upon as “the help” or as a trivial household worker that merely babysits and helps clean up. This could not be further from the truth. A nanny should be thought of as a partner in raising, teaching and caring for your children. This job requires a person to hold the responsibility of another human life in their own hands, to nurture and love a child not as a substitute for the parents, but again as an extension of the parent’s love.

Because you want the best for your child, in my opinion you should hire no less than the best available. I believe when it comes to childcare, what you pay for is what you get. If you are willing to give up some key qualities (examples: knowledge of child development milestones, stays current on the latest recommendations on health, intellectual development and motor skills, engages in daily, age-appropriate physical and mental stimulation) in order to get a nanny with a lower rate, chances are you’re only going to end up cheating yourself and your child.

You want a nanny who can track, maintain, and encourage the development of your child or children; you do not want a nanny who will sit at the park chatting on her cell phone while your child is off on their own. That’s one of the differences between a babysitter and a nanny.