Part of a nanny’s job description is helping their charges meet developmental milestones and learn about the world around them, which is why it’s important for those striving to make a career out of private, in-home childcare provision to learn the best methods of doing just that. When you’re working with toddlers, it’s necessary to understand how many skills must be mastered in order for them to be prepared for the hard work of learning to read and write when they enter preschool and kindergarten. While there are a variety of teaching styles and philosophies out there, some skills are almost universally accepted as those that are integral to the process. These skills are among those that nannies can work on with their charges, helping to set them up for future academic success.

Matching

Matching skills are among the earliest that little ones can master on their path to reading, as it helps them to understand how to connect words with concepts. Matching pictures with spoken sounds, then matching pictures to others that are thematically related, is a key aspect of learning to read. Matching shapes, patterns and letters eventually evolves into the ability to match and recognize the patterns of printed words, phrases and sentences. Using homemade or store-bought flashcards, playing matching games, and working on the concept of matching through explorative play are all effective ways of building that foundation.

Rhyming

Working on rhymes and learning about rhyming words helps little ones to develop phenome awareness, which is the understanding of how words sound and are formed. This essential building block of pre-reading skills can be established and developed through rhyming games, listening to rhyming books as they’re read aloud, and singing songs that prominently feature a recognizable rhyme scheme. Researchers at Montreal’s McGill University, including experimental linguist Michael Wagner, claim that their studies suggest that hearing a word spoken will activate rhyming words in the listener’s brain. In fact, a 2004 study shows that young children associate the way that words sound and the fact that they rhyme over the words’ actual meanings.

Letter Recognition

Helping kids to learn the alphabet usually begins with singing the same melody that’s been associated with the ABC’s for generations. After kids have largely mastered the task of reciting the letters of the alphabet, it’s time to start helping them connect the sounds of those letters with their visual representation. Flashcards printed with a single letter are a great way to reinforce this association; once kids have learned the shapes that make up a letter, you can then move on to associating a letter with a familiar image. For instance, “A is for Apple,” et cetera.

Language Skills

While speaking to children in a pleasing tone is most effective, doing so in a high-pitched, babbling sort of “baby talk” actually does more harm than good. The earlier a child is exposed to spoken language, the more easily he will absorb and learn to repeat it. With a strong grasp of language comes an increased ability to master early reading skills, so make sure that you speak with your charges often, and do so in a clear, understandable voice. Even children that have not yet mastered verbal skills on their own will do so more easily if they’re exposed to plenty of spoken language as he reaches late infancy and early toddlerhood.

How to Properly Handle Books

When toddlers are taught to properly handle a book, making sure that it’s not upside down, they’re already mastering an important pre-reading skill. Turning the pages in sequence, looking at the pictures, and learning to understand that the words printed on the page are what makes up the story, helps them grasp the concept of print and understand that words are read from top to bottom and from left to right. Encouraging your charges to look at their books by holding them the right way and properly turning the pages establishes and reinforces skills he’ll need when he begins early reading in earnest.

Sequencing

Even if your toddler-aged charge can’t read his own bedtime story yet, you can help him to learn a valuable skill along the path to reading by working on the concept of sequencing. Learning that a puppy can’t dry off before he jumps in a puddle or that cookies can’t be eaten until they’re baked reinforces the logic behind sequencing, a fundamental skill. Making sequence cards, practicing predictions of upcoming events in a story, and even working together to help him write a story he dictates to you are all great ways of establishing the ability to recognize and understand sequencing.

Working as a nanny can be a stressful job, as nannies often work in isolation, take on tasks far outside the typical job description, and struggle to maintain a healthy nanny/family relationship. Burnout is common, and is harmful to both the nanny and the family she works for. Here are 10 ways a nanny can avoid burnout:

1. Don’t take on more than you can handle. Nannies are natural helpers, and usually are more than willing to take on additional tasks as needed. This inherent desire to help is one of the things that make them great caregivers. However, that trait can backfire when they take on more responsibilities and tasks than they have the time and energy to do. Remember, one person can only do so much, so know what you’re good at, what you enjoy doing, and what’s required in your job. If your employer asks you to take on more than you can handle, politely say no.
2. Keep the lines of communication between you and your employers open. A stressful nanny/parent relationship can be a huge contributor to nanny burnout. Make it a point to check in with your employers on a regular basis about things that are going on with the kids and things that are going on with the job. Let them know when there’s a problem, and be open to their feedback. By keeping the lines of communication open, you can address issues as they come up. This helps keep job-related stresses at a minimum and helps you avoid feeling overwhelmed and burned out.
3. Maintain a life outside of your job. Nannies typically work 45 to 60 hours a week, and when you add on a commute, the schedule can be grueling. It’s not easy to find the time to do things you enjoy, but maintaining a healthy life/work balance is crucial to staying happy on the job. When all you do is work, or think and stress about work, it’s easy to fall into the burnout trap.
4. Connect with other caregivers on a regular basis. Being a nanny is a unique job. No one except another nanny can really understand the job’s distinct challenges. By connecting with other nannies in your local area, you’ll have a safe place to turn to for support and resources.
5. Develop a regular practice that reduces your stress. Working with children all day can be a stressful endeavor. Find a regular practice that you enjoy that can also help you keep stress at bay, such as meditation, a hand craft like knitting or crocheting, or yoga. It’s not important what the practice is, just that you enjoy engaging in it and that you do it on a regular basis.
6. Exercise regularly. Nannies that have a regular exercise routine are better able to handle stress, which is one of the major contributors to burnout. Exercise doesn’t have to be a boring workout at the gym; the best kind of workout is the kind that you love, that helps you build strength and endurance while still having fun. Try hiking, swimming or biking. Explore a kick-boxing or yoga class. It can be challenging to find the time to fit regular exercise into your day but finding a workout that you love to do can make it easier to make it a priority.
7. Have a financial cushion. Childcare isn’t a high paying field, and many nannies worry about making ends meet. Financial worries and feeling like you’re not getting paid fairly for the hard work you do can be a big contributor to nanny burnout. To help ease money stresses, build a financial cushion. Save enough money to pay your bills and keep you afloat for at least 4 to 6 months.
8. Focus on the things about your job that you love. Every job has both good and bad qualities, but sometimes it’s easy to get wrapped up solely in the bad things. After a while, it may seem like there are only bad things. By staying aware of the good things too, you can keep a more balanced, realistic view of your job. You will still have struggles and challenges, but you’ll also have lots of joys and fun moments.
9. Avoid working too many hours. The typical nanny job demands more than the usual 40 hour work week. In some jobs, it’s easy for the hours to get out of control without the parents or the nanny realizing it. Before you accept any overtime, make sure you’re leaving yourself enough time to enjoy your friends, family and hobbies. Balance is the key.
10. Leave a job when it’s time. Sometimes you’re simply not well suited for a job. Before you enter the burnout stage and your performance starts to suffer, it may be time to leave the position. Although quitting a job is never easy and should be a last resort, sometimes quitting is the best option for both the nanny and the family.

Nanny burnout is a serious thing. By taking precautions against burnout and maintaining a healthy life/work balance, you can stay happy in a position for a long time.

Many of today’s two-parent households have both parents working outside the home. Time at home with the kids is tight, and parents are always looking for time-saving ways to make their lives easier. Fortunately parents that employ nannies have an advantage: their nanny. An organized, proactive nanny can help busy families save time and energy. Here are a few ways your nanny might be able to help your family.

Keep up with family laundry. Nannies typically do all of the children’s laundry as part of the traditional nanny job. However, that still leaves Mom or Dad washing, drying and putting away their own clothes, sheets, and towels in the evening or on the weekend. Because laundry requires that you’re home either for long stretches of time or that you do a lot of running in and out throughout the day, it can be an inconvenient and time-intensive chore. By including this in your nanny’s job description, parents can free up a lot of time and enjoy knowing that they’ll actually have clean clothes, sheets and towels when they need them.

Keep an accurate grocery list and household supply list. How many times have you gone to the grocery store or warehouse store only to realize that you didn’t know exactly what you needed? What a waste of time and energy. By using a simple inventory system, your nanny can keep your list up-to-date so you can make sure your pantry and refrigerator are stocked with everything you need to feed the family. She can also keep a running list of household items you need, such as toothpaste, toilet paper, baby wipes and laundry detergent. Putting your nanny in charge of your shopping lists helps you make the most of every trip and eliminates the need for any last minute, end of the day stops.

Handle grocery and household supply shopping. Having your nanny keep your shopping lists up-to-date is a big time saver, and if she also has the time to do the shopping during the day she can save you even more time. Stores are usually less crowded during the day so it’s likely that your nanny can get in and out quicker than you can on the weekend. She can also make it a fun learning experience for your kids too.

Schedule and oversee small household projects. Need to have the cable guy come out and fix a problem, but don’t want to waste a Saturday morning waiting for him? Need to get the air vents cleaned throughout the house, but can’t seem to find a good time to schedule it? Want to get an estimate on how much it will cost to retile the master bathroom, but don’t want to take off work to meet with the contractor? These and similar jobs can easily be handled by your nanny. She has the advantage of being able to be home for long stretches during the day so she can easily accommodate workmen’s flexible scheduling. Allowing her to manage jobs in a way that fits in with her overall schedule helps you without interrupting her daily rhythm.

Keep up with school to dos. Having children in school comes with a lot of extra projects and tasks. Your kids need supplies for the latest project. It’s your turn to bring in the class snack. The afterschool team needs a volunteer to help create the team roster and email regular reminders and updates. The spring play is around the corner and every child is responsible for his own custom costume. Parents who take on these tasks can save lots of time by asking their nanny for help with the logistics and details. This allows the parents to be active in the school community while delegating much of the behind the scenes work to the nanny. No, this isn’t cheating. This is putting your time and energy into what’s most important to your child.

Take on essential shopping and errands. In a busy household, there’s always something that’s needs to be done. Your child needs a gift for an upcoming birthday party, a new winter coat, or a replacement uniform sweater. The home office printer is low on paper and ink. You need to pick up a prescription refill before your business trip. Instead of spending an entire Saturday afternoon getting all of those things done, your nanny can spread the errands out over the work week or can pick up some extra hours in the evening or on a weekend morning to run errands while you spend time relaxing with your family.

Parents who have a nanny have the opportunity to tailor their job description in ways that can really save them time. Remember as you decide what you want your nanny to take on that one person can only do so much. You want your nanny’s first priority to always be your child.

Having a trusted caregiver to help you care for your kids while you’re on vacation is one of the many perks of having a nanny. But before you pack up and head out, there are some essential questions to ask yourself about traveling with your nanny.

Is travel part of my nanny’s job description?

Not all nannies want to or are able to travel with their employers. Some caregivers have their own families and don’t want to be away from them for extended periods of time. Some nannies volunteer, go to school, or have other commitments during their off time that make it next to impossible to get away. And other nannies simply don’t like traveling as part of their job.

It’s always best if you talk about travel during the interview stage and include the details in your nanny contract. However, if you didn’t talk about travel with your nanny up front, don’t assume she’s unwilling to head out on vacation with you now. Sit down with her and outline your needs and your plans, and ask if it’s something she’s willing to do. Once you have that conversation and decide how travel fits into her job description, it’s a good idea to update your nanny contract to reflect the new agreement.

Can I afford it?

When you take your nanny on vacation with you, it’s your responsibility to pay for all the costs related to her trip. That includes transportation (e.g. airfare, train ticket, car rental), lodging, meals on and off duty, and fees related to the activities she joins in on while on duty (e.g. amusement park pass, resort fees). Of course you still have to pay her normal salary plus any overtime she works. These costs can add up very quickly, and for some employers it’s simply too expensive.

What do I want my nanny to do?

A nanny’s responsibilities often expand when she’s traveling with a family. You may need her to care for additional children, or do more family-related tasks like grocery shopping, cooking, family laundry, or errands. Talk with your nanny about the scope of her responsibilities while you’re traveling. Communication is key; there’s a fine line between expecting your nanny to be flexible during travel times and expecting her to do things that are not part of being a nanny. Make sure you’re both on the same page before you leave home to avoid the stress of miscommunication during your vacation.

What schedule do I want my nanny to work?

A nanny’s schedule is often different during vacation time. You may need her to work a few very long days then have a few days completely off. Or work flexible blocks of time (e.g. from when your child gets up until after breakfast, from nap time until dinner, from bedtime until late night) throughout the day. Or you may just want to play it by ear and have her on call during the entire vacation. You have lots of scheduling flexibility during vacation time but make sure to put some boundaries in place to ensure your nanny gets adequate downtime to relax and recharge.

Remember, nannies are paid for their availability so if you want your nanny to be close by and ready to go to work at a moment’s notice, expect to pay a higher hourly rate during travel times or to pay a daily travel stipend.

Do we have a workable team approach?

If you’re a working parent, chances are you don’t work side-by-side with your nanny very often. However during vacations you’ll often be caring for your children in tandem, which can cause some confusion about boundaries and expectations.  Setting basic guidelines ahead of time will make your time together go smoothly. Figure out what role you want your nanny to play in planning activities, handling discipline, and pitching in on other tasks. Do you want her to be a proactive partner, making decisions and taking the initiative, or do you want her to simply be an available extra set of hands, waiting for specific instructions from you?

Will having our nanny with us interfere with our privacy?

Many families want vacation time to be strictly family time. Having an outside person, even a beloved nanny, can change the dynamics of the vacation considerably. If privacy is important to you, make sure you provide your nanny with separate living accommodations. If she’s simply in a bedroom in the family condo, there’s a good chance you’ll be sharing time with her in the kitchen, living room, or deck, and you’ll get little “alone” time.

If you decide traveling with your nanny doesn’t work for your family, yet you still want to have some help with the kids and enjoy some adult time on your vacation, consider hiring an on call nanny. Most hotels, resorts, and condo rental offices can connect you with a reputable local agency that can provide a caregiver to meet your particular needs.