When looking for a new Nanny to join your family it can feel like a daunting choice and task. After all it will be one of the most important decisions you make for your family and it needs to work for everyone.
Even if you work with a dedicated Nanny agency you will have to make the final decision, so we thought a definitive list of what we think makes a great Nanny would help you with your own selection process:
Genuine love of children: this is the start and foundation for a career as a Nanny. Without it you could undoubtedly look after children, even well, but given the role of a Nanny is tough, hard and ever-challenging without the love of children it will always just be a job - and that makes it impossible to be a great Nanny.
They are trustworthy: of course, any good Nanny agency will provide all the necessary references and security checks, but you have to be able to feel that you have full trust in this person. After all, not only will they be looking after your child, they will also be in your home and lives and you have to feel that you can trust them with anything.
They have common sense: any Nanny who joins your family will often be the primary care giver for your children and you need to be confident that they will assess and make decisions about your child’s well-being, health and safety in a calm, sensible manner.
Able to communicate clearly: communication will be key factor in your relationship with your Nanny and clear communicate is a must. You need to be confident that your Nanny is able to communicate the good and the bad confidently and clearly.
Nurturing: we could just as easily have used the words cherishing, encouraging, developing and supporting but which ever word you go with you want your Nanny to connect with your family and especially your children at a deep level.
Enthusiastic: no one ever said being a Nanny isn’t about working long days, often alone with young children and lots of responsibilities. It is a role that needs constant high levels of natural enthusiasm.
Punctuality: the whole point of hiring a Nanny is to make your life easier and you have to be able to rely on them being there on time, every time.
Fun-loving: you want the Nanny in your children’s lives to want to have fun with them naturally.
Flexible: this is a key chrematistic and one that can often make or break a relationship with a Nanny. The flexibility a Nanny can offer is one of the main reasons families choose to hire a Nanny over other types of childcare. Ensure your needs are discussed fully at the interview
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