The Responsibilities of a Nanny
All the Responsibilities of a Nanny
A nanny is a caregiver that works specifically with children in a private care setting. Nannies generally dedicate themselves to one family for an extended amount of time and handle all duties that surround caring for the children. If you’re thinking of becoming a nanny, you need to be aware of what tasks fall under the umbrella of typical nanny responsibilities and what tasks aren’t. You should also be mindful of all the other responsibilities on your shoulders that aren’t outlined in the job description, but are absolutely essential to know so you can thrive in your role.
Below, we’ve outlined all the responsibilities of a nanny.
Keep Children Safe
Priority number one is always safety. Safety should always be at the forefront of your mind while you and the children are doing any activity, or setting out for the day. Use your better judgment to assess whether a situation is appropriate for the children’s ages and abilities.
A huge part of safety is being prepared. Do you know how to help a child who is choking or has an allergic reaction? Whether you’re confident in how to handle these situations or not, it’s becoming standard for all nannies to have CPR and first-aid certifications. Getting these certifications will give you and the parents peace of mind knowing you’d know how to handle these types of situations if they were to arise.
TIP: Make sure to keep all health and safety numbers saved in your phone, such as the child’s primary care doctor, poison control, and the family’s emergency contacts just in case there’s a time you can’t get ahold of the child’s parents.
Follow Family Routines and Schedules
With morning and evening routines, school, doctor appointments, extracurriculars, birthday parties, and playdates, it’s surprising that any family can stay on top of it all. Families have busy lives - that’s why they hired you for help! By taking on the role of a nanny, you will be expected to uphold a family’s routines. Depending on the age and how many children there are, this could mean balancing multiple children’s schedules, appointments, and commitments.
Nannies and families communicate often about weekly schedules and depending on how busy the days are, they work together to make sure that everything runs smoothly.
Create a Playful and Engaging Environment
Now for the fun part. As a nanny, it’s your job to plan age-appropriate activities that encourage intellectual development, self-discovery, and overall create an environment for children to thrive. Children learn about themselves and the world best through play, so finding different ways to keep children learning and growing is a key part of being a nanny. It’s a nanny’s responsibility to be aware of developmental milestones and to prepare activities that go alongside those to help nurture physical and social development. Be mindful, present, and engaging while doing these activities; it will help everyone involved get the most out of it!
Household Duties and Chores
As a nanny, you’ll typically be taking care of all household tasks that involve the children. The amount of housework and duties that are your responsibility can vary from family to family due to some needing a mix of childcare and family assistance. You are allowed to set your own boundaries as a nanny for what you will take on and what you will not, but it’s also a good idea to bring a “teamwork” attitude to work every day just in case a family needs a little extra help every now and again.
Here are some tasks that you can expect to be typical nanny responsibilities:
Preparing meals for the children
Cleaning the kitchen after meals
Children’s laundry
Keeping the children’s room/playroom clean
Organizing children’s toys
Changing children’s sheets
Packing school bags
Packing children’s suitcases for trips
Assisting with schoolwork
Driving the children to activities, school, etc.
Maintain and balance children’s calendars
Sometimes a family will need a bit of extra help and will ask you for more assistance with tasks such as:
Doing the family’s laundry
Preparing meals/cooking for the whole family
Cleaning/vacuuming the house
Pet care
Make sure to always clarify what a family is expecting from them and make sure their expectations align, making sure to set boundaries from the start.