What does a nanny do?
As you start looking for a nanny or looking to become a nanny, this is one of the most common questions. What responsibilities does a nanny typically take on? What is the difference between a nanny and a babysitter?
The International Nanny Association defines the following categories for domestic childcare providers:
Babysitter: An individual who provides supervisory or custodial care of children on an irregular, full-time, or part-time basis. Special training should not be expected.
Au Pair (Foreign): A foreign national who resides in the United States for up to one year lives as part of the host family and receives a small stipend in exchange for babysitting and helping with housework. She may or may not have previous childcare experience. (See our "Nanny vs. Au Pair - Cost & Benefits" article)
Parent/Mother's Helper: An individual who lives in or out of the home and works for a family to provide full-time or part-time child care and domestic help for families where one parent is home most of the time. The individual may be left in charge of the children for brief periods, may or may not have previous nanny experience, and will always have childcare experience.
Nanny: An individual employed by the family, on either a live-in or live-out basis, to undertake all tasks related to the care of the family's children. Duties are generally restricted to child care and domestic tasks related to child care. A nanny may or may not have had formal training, though they often have a good deal of nanny and childcare experience. Nannies' work week usually ranges from 40 to 50 hours per week. Nannies usually work unsupervised.
Other positions as described by Your Child's Nanny:
Nanny/Housekeeper: This individual follows the above description of a nanny with heavier housekeeping duties included. Such duties may include cleaning restrooms, mopping floors, dusting, cleaning windows, and more regularly.
Nanny/Household Manager: This individual follows the above description of a nanny with household manager duties included. Such duties may include organizing and supervising other domestic employees, paying bills, maintaining the overall running of the household and schedules of household members, heavy shopping, project management, and more.
Nanny/Personal Assistant: This individual follows the above description of a nanny with personal assistant duties included. Such duties may include office tasks, errands, personal shopping, and maintaining a parent's schedule.
Most people we represent here at Your Child's Nanny fall into the “Nanny” category. However, many younger and more inexperienced candidates may be hired as “Mother's Helpers.” Nannies typically work between 40 and 50 hours per week with two days off; most beginner nannies are best kept around 40 hours weekly. Live-in nannies still have a schedule and set hours; it is not carte blanche to have constant on-call care, although there is a definite advantage to having someone in the home who can jump in as needed.
Our nannies and mother's helpers are typically expected to perform minor housekeeping. Minor housekeeping may include loading and unloading the dishwasher, washing the children's and/or family laundry, keeping the children's bedrooms, bathrooms, and play areas clean and tidy, sweeping and vacuuming of living areas, basic pick-up and possibly other duties as laid out in your custom work agreement. Some families may request more extensive housekeeping, but the nanny is usually compensated more. A nanny may also be asked to run errands for the family, grocery shop, cook meals, help care for family pets, and more. All of the duties associated with any family will be clearly outlined in the Nanny/Family Work Agreement. It will be at the nanny's discretion to accept a position that has duties they are comfortable performing.
I believe in creating the job description that works for you and finding the right caregiver to fill that role. No two families' needs are the same, and my experience will help you create the job description you need and find the right nanny to fill that role!
A nanny is expected to work as a professional AND a family member. Nannies should be prepared to work hard to be valued employees and develop strong connections with the families they work for. Nannies help around the house as household members but also have duties required as part of employment. Our families and nannies develop strong bonds that can last a lifetime, an extraordinary relationship that should be nurtured. As you hire or become a nanny, think carefully about your expectations. Remember that every situation is different; you can call us anytime for more information!
To find salary information on each position, visit our "How Much Does Having A Nanny Cost" article.