Learning and growing is an essential value we have at Sittercity—especially continuing to learn about the caregivers and families who make up our community. The child care industry is ever-evolving and we want to make sure that we’re actively learning new things about the professionals who are doing the important work every day. Here are five important things we’ve learned about nannies this year that we think parents should also know.
1. Nanny Moms are an important part of a healthy child care industry.
A nanny mom (or dad) is a professional nanny who is also a parent themselves. As simple as it sounds, we’ve been learning how challenging it can be for them to juggle both responsibilities. Having a child shouldn’t prevent someone from continuing in their chosen profession—and that includes nannies. It’s essential to keep these uniquely experienced professionals in the child care industry. That means understanding the benefits of hiring a nanny mom. We spoke to some nanny moms about their experience and perspective.
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Courtnee Jones is a former PreK & Montessori Teacher and now a nanny. Carrie Bland is a Certified Professional Nanny, Newborn Care Specialist, and graduate of the former English Nanny and Governess School. With 12+ years of child care experience each, they’ve been presenting and sharing what a nanny mom is and how significant their impact is on the child care industry—including at a Sittercity staff on-site!
2. Nannies are interested in professional development more than ever.
Nannies and sitters have always looked for ways to improve their skills so that they can provide the best care for the families they support. Traditionally, they’ve looked to important training like CPR/First Aid, and while that’s still true, there’s more that they’re looking for these days.
With the amazing organization and coordination skills they have for their profession, the nanny community has an International Nanny Training Day. Local and virtual events are hosted worldwide with a variety of courses that range from all areas of child care, the business of nannying, and even self-care and financial planning. Nannies are passionate about supporting each other in growing and developing their skills.
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3. It’s imperative that your nanny has healthy boundaries with their job.
As much as child care is a serious profession, it’s also a job that can get very personal. Caregivers are going into homes and interacting with the entire family. They can naturally build bonds that exceed the typical professional realm. Setting boundaries can be difficult but it’s imperative for keeping the professional relationship between caregiver and family healthy and thriving.
Without healthy boundaries, it’s easy for caregivers to burnout. At first it can seem like fatigue or general stress, but if root causes—like unhealthy boundaries—aren’t addressed it can lead to bigger issues like insomnia, high anxiety at work, and/or a loss of interest in the job. We talked with a nanny culture and career coach, Sarah, about the importance of healthy boundaries.
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4. Nannies and sitters are genuinely passionate about helping families.
While technically we didn’t learn this for the first time this year, we spent some time thinking even more about why nannies and sitters are in this profession. We regularly hear from caregivers the reasons why they choose this profession—and year after year they regularly say how much they love helping families and their kids.
This is an important reminder to families that there are so many passionate and experienced people who are ready and excited to help in whatever way is needed. However, they can’t help if you don’t ask. We had a great conversation with motherhood and purpose coach, Cecilia Rivera, all about it.
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5. Nannies are looking to work with families who have done their research.
No one’s expecting you to know everything. However, experienced nannies can tell the difference between parents who are seeking to understand how things work and those who aren’t interested. It’s important to find out:
- what the typical responsibilities are compared to what your family needs
- the going rate in your area
- the range of rates based on experience
Once you begin speaking with caregivers, be honest with them about where you’re at in your research of the industry. Even if you aren’t familiar with everything, a genuine interest in understanding will go a long way—especially with experienced nannies.
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Nannies are essential to supporting families in the logistics of making life work. We’ll continue to stay connected to the nanny and sitter community to make sure we can help parents easily navigate finding the child care they need. When you’re ready to find care, just post a job and we’ll help you every step of the way. If you want to keep up with the child care industry experts we interview, follow us on Instagram.
