Those who work in the child care field aren’t doing it for the cash. The best nannies are passionate about their role in a family and helping support kids and their parents. Nanny Connie, a child care expert with over thirty years in the field and author of the award-winning book, The Nanny Connie Way, describes her work in child care as her calling.
“I don’t take this lightly,” Nannie Connie shared during an Instagram Live interview with Sittercity. “If it’s your journey, you don’t take it lightly. You give 200% of yourself,” she said.
During the Live, Nanny Connie also discussed her tips and tricks for building a connection between nannies and families, showing up to work as your authentic self, and why child care consulting is a valuable communication tool for both nannies and parents.
Nannies Are Part of the Family
Many people believe that nannies and sitters are hired to simply cover hours the parent is unavailable to watch their kids. But the truth is, nannies are dedicated to seeing children grow up into healthy adults. And that requires collaboration between parents and caregivers.
“If parents never connect with you or see your work as a valuable asset to your life, that’s a huge red flag,” Nanny Connie said. She urges parents to see their nannies as a teacher and an equal. Parents and nannies can learn a lot from each other, which makes for a healthier and happier environment for the kids in the family.
Nanny Connie believes that the families she works with are a part of her own family, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Being Your Authentic Self at Work
An important lesson for all career nannies is that putting up a facade at work will only backfire. Many nannies feel compelled to put on a performance to impress a new family because they want to impress them. However, that often leads to mismatched expectations and burnout.
Nanny Connie advocates for nannies to enter a new position as their authentic selves. In her work, she shows up as a clean-cut version of herself, but she will stay true to her values, mannerisms, and communication style to remain authentic and genuine.
Bridging the Gap With Consulting
One fantastic way to promote connection and authenticity in a nanny-parent relationship is by working with a consultant. To Nanny Connie, successful caregiving is about communication. Sometimes parents and sitters can get into the habit of skipping weekly check-ins—or never even build this practice into their schedule.
Nanny Connie sees child care consultants as a bridge between the parents and the nanny. A consultant is almost like a mediator to help promote healthy communication between both caregiving parties involved in the child’s home life. Parents and nannies share a common goal: to support the incredible kids in the family. When they can communicate in productive, healthy ways for the long haul, that’s a win for the kids.
Nannies and parents alike can benefit from hearing our complete conversation with Nanny Connie. Watch the full conversation below and follow Sittercity on Instagram to catch future Live conversations.
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