What Should You Expect From a Nanny?

Nannies are professional child care specialists whose primary responsibility is the supervision and care of the child/ren in their care. It is important to have clear expectations for your nanny, and to communicate these expectations to ensure that the arrangement is mutually beneficial and satisfactory for both you and the nanny. A nanny’s responsibilities can vary depending on the specific needs and preferences of your family, but generally, here are the typical duties a nanny should and shouldn't be expected to perform:

Responsibilities a Nanny Can Do

  1. Childcare

    • Supervising and monitoring the safety of children in their care

    • Light meal prep and snacks

    • Changing diapers and/or assisting with potty training

    • Manage sleep and nap time schedules

    • Dressing children appropriately for their activities

    • Bathing children.

    • Devising and implementing engaging activities that promote the child’s physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development

    • Helping with homework and school projects as needed

  2. Light Housekeeping Related to Children

    • Cleaning up after meals and snacks

    • Tidying up children’s rooms and play areas after play time or doing an activity

    • Washing children’s laundry each week

    • Cleaning bottles and toys

  3. Transportation

    • Driving children to and from school, activities, and playdates

      • We highly encourage the family to have the nanny use a family car, and add the nanny as an additional driver under your car insurance

      • Or if not feasible, the family provides mileage reimbursement if nanny is expected to use their own vehicle

  4. Health and Safety

    • Maintaining a clean and sanitary home environment

    • Administering basic first aid when necessary

    • Creating and/or maintaining the children’s daily routines and schedules

    • Following dietary restrictions and allergies

    • Providing emotional support and guidance

  5. Communication with Parents, etc

    • Collaborating on childcare strategies with parents and/or therapists and specialists involved in the child/ren’s care

    • Implementing specialized care plans such as IEPs

    • Providing daily updates and/or progress reports

    • Addressing concerns and issues in a timely manner

The following is a list of responsibilities that fall outside the traditional scope of a nanny’s role. However, these tasks can be discussed with a nanny to fulfill if necessary. While flexibility can be a part of the job, it should be within reasonable limits and agreed upon in advance within the Work Agreement signed by you and the nanny. Generally, any additional, light housekeeping items warrant an increase in pay by $2-4/hour.

Responsibilities a Nanny Shouldn't Do

  1. Heavy Housekeeping

    • Deep cleaning tasks such as mopping, vacuuming, or scrubbing bathrooms

    • Washing the entire family’s laundry

    • General household chores unrelated to the children

  2. Personal Errands

    • Running personal errands for the parents

  3. Pet Care

    • Extensive pet care duties

  4. Yard Work

    • Mowing the lawn, gardening, or other outdoor maintenance tasks.

  5. Professional Duties Outside of Childcare

    • Managing the household budget

    • Performing secretarial work or managing the family's personal affairs ie. doctor’s appointments

I hope you find this framework helpful as you go about hiring a nanny for your family. This will help to ensure that nannies can focus primarily on providing high-quality care for the children while maintaining a balanced and fair workload.

Tiesha Sinouthasy