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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

What answers would you expect from a potential nanny?

20 replies

saladsucks · 05/07/2007 08:58

We interviewed a potential nanny last night for our 9 month old DD. The nanny didn't have much experience but that doesn't worry me too much.

She was very good with our DD, played with her and interacted with her quite well. She answered lots of questions about how to build a relationship with us and how we could all get along really well.

But...when we asked what she would do with our DD on a day to day basis she was really stuck. She said "oh you know, go out and see friends with babies and go to groups and stuff". Now I don't know whether I am expecting too much and I'm not looking for someone to teach her rocket science but I think I was looking for a bit more than that!

What answer would you give/expect to receive?

Am I being too fussy?

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nannyj · 05/07/2007 10:45

The reason she couldn't answer that was because she doesn't have much experience so you would have to guide her alot more than a nanny with lots of experience. But if she seems bright in other ways and has a nice personality i'm sure that wouldn't pose a problem. Good luck

Millarkie · 05/07/2007 11:15

We interviewed a few nannys a little while ago and we also got blank looks for the 'what would you do with the children each day' 'How would you balance the different kinds of activities' type question. We had a few 'I'll do whatever you ask me to do with them' answers, and a couple of ' umm...craft and playgroups'. The only 'structured' answer we had was from a very experienced nanny who had a timetable of what she thought she would do with them.
I think you are probably better off with someone who gets on well with you and dd and who you can guide into a routine of sorts than someone who may be able to answer that q better but not have such a good relationship with you and dd. At the end of the day it is your wishes that the nanny will be following, and these things vary between families (I know some mums who don't like painting/messy craft to be done at home and others who expect nanny to keep baby out of the house except for meal times)
I have a new nanny starting tomorrow and I have put together a big folder of local children's activities/days out and written a 'welcome pack' with contact details (eg. Dr's number, Grandparents names and number, school number), Kids routines, Favorite toys, Suggested meals/snacks, House rules (no shoes etc), where the first aid kits are...etc
I did this for our last nanny (who was from a nursery background and hadn't nannied before) and it meant that although we showed her round/spoke to her before leaving her sole charge she had something to go back to for inspiration for what to do on a rainy day or what to cook for lunch.
Oh, and things we really wanted nanny to do, we directly asked about at the interview ie. 'Would you be happy to take ds/dd swimming each week'.

Good luck, it's a stressful process but I hope you find someone fab.

Original poster

saladsucks · 05/07/2007 12:40

Thank you both very much for your replies. Millarkie - I am in awe of your welcome pack! If I start now I may have something reasonable by September.

You're right, as long as we get on then the rest can go from there. After all - I've been making it up as I go along for the past 9 months!

Thanks again.

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Millarkie · 05/07/2007 13:40

Saladsucks - the other thing I've found really useful is to invite your favourite interviewee to a 'trial day'. THe nanny who starts tomorrow, worked for us for 2 days at half-term..long enough to get a good idea of how she got on with the kids. Kids loved her, she found a variety of things to do with them, and left a tidy playroom/kitchen - thank goodness

Original poster

saladsucks · 05/07/2007 13:44

That's a good idea. Unfortunately this one is putting pressure on me to tell her by the end of the week as she wants to give her current employer lots of warning that she is leaving.

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Original poster

saladsucks · 05/07/2007 19:50

bump

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eleusis · 09/07/2007 12:58

When you say the "nanny didn't have much experience" are we talking two years or two weeks?

Is she going to do a nanny diary? Does she know what one is? Are you happy with the diet she will give your DD? HAve you lined up some play groups and other activities for them? ossibly a swim class or monkey music?

We just hired a new nanny who has only a couple of years of nanny experience. She and the kids have a membership to the gym, DD is signed up for swim camp one day a week, and I have pointed her to some resources to find a church (which is important to her).

Is this nanny livein or out? Is she local? If she is not local, then I definately think you need to just sign them up for say two activities a week and also leave her with some time to organise things for herself as well. I also STRONGLY urge you to get a nanny diary and make it part of her duties outlined in the contract. As she is young and inexperienced I also thinkyou should implement some review sessions. Probably weekly for the first few weeks, then monthly. Make them fun, go to dinner and have a chat. (and you pay for it of course)

NKF · 09/07/2007 13:00

I quite like the reply "what does your child enjoy?" but perhaps that's only relevant with an older child. They all say arts and crafts in my experience. Beware the ones who concentrate on groups and other nannies.

MyEye · 09/07/2007 13:07

I disagree with nfk, I'd really rate a nanny who said she's happy to going to groups/clubs etc.

Also, I think it's terrific when nannies hook up with other nannies/charges. Happy nannies, happy dcs. I like socialising with the dcs, why shouldn't a nanny?

MyEye · 09/07/2007 13:08

sorry, NKF

BirdyArms · 09/07/2007 17:24

NKF - I'm interested to know why you say beware the nannies that concentrate on groups and other nannies. I've posted another thread about a nanny I am considering hiring who is very keen on these things. I saw this as a plus because I am pretty keen on these things myself. Ds1 is 2.3 and had a very short attention span for craft type activities so really not worth the time it takes to clear it all up at home but he loves socialising and so do I. Seems perfectly reasonable for the nanny to do the same. But am I going to change my mind as the ds's get older?

eleusis · 09/07/2007 18:05

I too regard a nanny who like to get out and go to groups as a good thing. In fact, if I had a nanny who didn't do these things, I think she would soon find herself signed up for them.

NKF · 09/07/2007 18:27

Well, it may just be my experience but I think nannies often get together in groups that benefit them and not really the children. And often they need those groups because, actually, they're not very good spending long days alone with children. I've heard that some parents actually write into the contract how many nanny get togethers/playdates are permitted a week.

nannynick · 09/07/2007 19:28

I partly agree with NKF... when nannies spend a lot of time with other nannies, then that may not be very good for the children.

However, I do feel that going to groups is beneficial for the children and the nanny. They get to socialise, they get to try things that may not be done at home, they get out of the house - they get some exercise if walking, get to see the local world around them.

Spending all day stuck at home, is a nightmare for anyone... parent, nanny, or even the children. We've all probably done it - especially recently with the rain, but once the sun comes out, I certainly started taking the children out for walks, to the park/woods, today I went to a military museum (where they liked going in the tunnels to the ammunition stores).

As with most things, it's everything in moderation. Going to groups I feel is good. Doing it every day I feel is not good. Same with nanny meetups/playdates.

Just my view of course

Genidef · 09/07/2007 21:54

Groups are fine as far as I'm concerned, and I made a point of having an activity a day for my daughter to do when we had a nanny. It's when the nanny is prioritising visits to friends for 'coffees' over activities which would be interesting for the child. I have a feeling that this is what the others may mean, rather than whether they're running up to story hour at the library etc on a daily basis.

My nanny even took our daughter to friends' houses who didn't have children!

Sorry - didn't mean to use this solely as an opp to vent!! still smarting over nanny experience.

jura · 09/07/2007 23:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

eleusis · 10/07/2007 08:39

Yes, I agree that if getting out of the house constitutes hanging out with nanny's friends and not stimulating activities for the kids then that's not good. However, if they stay home too much, that could lead to kids in fron tof the telly while nanny talks on the phone, surfs the web, or however else she might choose to neglect the kids.

nannyj · 10/07/2007 10:21

I think its a question of balance, i personally don't tend to hang out with my nanny friends i'll leave that for after work but playdates with my childs friends who have nannies are sch a good way to encourage interaction with other children. At the end of the day your nanny should do exactly what you want them to do as they are your children.

Original poster

saladsucks · 12/07/2007 00:15

Thanks for all your advice.

Eleusis - I'm talking qualified a number of years ago but never actually been a nanny (zero nanny experience since NNEB).

My worry is that if she didn't prepare for the interview the types of things she would do with my DD then would she prepare before she started work with her? She is not local but she does have friends where we live (they are not nannys) and she wanted to visit her friends who have babies.

I think that I was just a tad niave in thinking that she would do the organising of each day/week and I would merely approve it. I realise (with the benefit of all of your experiences) that I will have to supervise closely. Which is no bad thing.

OP posts:

eleusis · 12/07/2007 10:42

Just point her in the right direction. And remember that junior employees no matter what the line of work do of course require some guidance and mentoring.

I would sign them up for activities on say two mornings a week, and let her organise the rest. Require a nanny diary (there is a good one here. I use this one and it is fab.

I have a new nanny who has a year or two of nanny experience, but not the 12 hours a day, 5 days a week that my job is. So she is a bit of a beginner and needs some guidance on what I expect in terms of cleaning, what food is/isn't acceptable, etc. But, this is fine. She is a lovely girl, is genuinely fond of the kids, they like her, she's really good with the disciplne, etc. I will mold her into a fab nanny very soon.

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