{"id":27307,"date":"2018-07-05T01:00:38","date_gmt":"2018-07-05T06:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/?p=27307"},"modified":"2018-07-05T03:47:33","modified_gmt":"2018-07-05T08:47:33","slug":"5-tips-setting-best-ground-rules-nanny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/5-tips-setting-best-ground-rules-nanny\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips for Setting the Best Ground Rules for Your Nanny"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"nanny,Hiring a nanny can be quite a blessing for many households.<\/h3>\n

Between busy schedules, careers, extra-curriculars, and everything else that pops up in our daily lives, having someone there to lend a hand can be a godsend. That is, as long as you find the\u00a0right\u00a0someone to help out and you take the proper steps to keep things running smoothly.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re anything like me, you probably have a certain way you like things done around your house, no matter how chaotic or untidy it may be. I love when my husband does dishes because it means I don\u2019t have to, but I cringe when I find the egg whisk in the same drawer as the spatulas (doesn\u2019t everyone keep those separate? No? Just me? Let\u2019s move on).<\/p>\n

The point is, you likely have a set way to do certain things, even if you don\u2019t realize it, and these are things that a nanny will most definitely need to know about.<\/p>\n

In order to keep things running as smoothly as possible and to help acclimate your new household helper to optimize the experience, I highly recommend setting a basic sort of \u201cground rules\u201d at the beginning of any new nanny contract. I say that term loosely, however, because trust me, you don\u2019t want to overdo it and give your nanny a ridiculous list of do\u2019s and don\u2019ts that send them running before they show up for day one. Be\u00a0specific. But be\u00a0reasonable\u00a0too.<\/p>\n

1. Keep It Simple<\/h3>\n

At the heart of it all is to keep things simple. You don\u2019t want to inundate your new helper with crazy rules and regulations that aren\u2019t necessary, but at the same time, you need to help her learn the ways of the household.<\/p>\n

I recommend setting up a \u201cNanny Guidelines\u201d sheet to be handed out with the contract at the time of hiring. This way she can have\u00a0it\u00a0at her fingertips and can take it with her to look over when she has time and isn\u2019t under your eyes being scrutinized\u00a0as she reads.\u00a0(We know, you would never do such a thing, but just in case\u2026)<\/p>\n

You can find lots of sample templates online if you don\u2019t want to create your own from scratch. Need some\u00a0inspo? Care.com has an excellent example of a \u201cNanny Rules\u201d sheet\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2. Stick to the Main Points<\/h3>\n

You\u2019ll want to make sure you cover all of the main points,\u00a0such as how you choose to discipline your child and what you discipline over\u00a0(as well as what you look past).<\/p>\n

Other important points to cover would include\u00a0what kinds\u00a0of foods and meal\/snack schedules you have, and even an overall \u201cthis is how we believe\u201d\u00a0section\u00a0to give your new nanny a feel for who your family is.<\/p>\n

\"adults,3. It’s OK to Disagree<\/h3>\n

Keep in mind that your nanny will likely never agree with 100% of your parenting choices (does anyone?). They may very well vent about you to their friends or not show complete enthusiasm over some things. Remember that that is completely acceptable behavior. They are allowed to vent about their day just as much as you are, and if you keep an open mind, you might just gain some knowledge from the disagreements.<\/p>\n

As long as they aren\u2019t disrespectful about it, it\u2019s\u00a0OK\u00a0if they aren\u2019t super excited about your\u00a0\u201cthey have to eat three bites of everything on their plate\u201d rule. They should always follow your guidelines (within reason), but don\u2019t judge them if their own personal opinions come out here and there.<\/p>\n

4. Give Some Examples<\/h3>\n

Sometimes the easiest way to explain a point is just to give an example of\u00a0it. It\u2019s good to give your nanny specifics on what your kids like or don\u2019t like (toys, games, special treats, normal meals, etc.). This helps the nanny take the guessing game out of getting to know your kids in the beginning and can give them an advantage to building a relationship.<\/p>\n

\"brunette,5. Communicating<\/h3>\n

It may seem trivial,\u00a0but setting a basic standard of how and when to communicate with you can help immensely. Oftentimes,\u00a0nannies are hesitant to call or text because they don\u2019t want to interrupt a work day or meeting. Outlining how you prefer to be contacted (and when) can take away some of the pressure from the nanny trying to guess if they should call you to let you know little Jenny just\u00a0stabbed herself in the eye with a light saber while playing superheroes.<\/p>\n

Overall, the most important thing you can do to keep things running at optimal levels with your new nanny is to keep communication open and keep an understanding outlook on the relationship.<\/p>\n

Remember that this is an employment contract for them, so try to keep in mind the kind of guidelines and relationships that work best for you in your line of work and try to apply them at home as well.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t like a stifling schedule or a ridiculous To-Do list\u00a0(or a hovering and overbearing boss?), your nanny probably won\u2019t either. Be reasonable. Be specific. But also, be nice.\u00a0Your nanny will most likely thank you for it with exceptional service.<\/p>\n

Like what you read? Also check out our latest\u00a0FREE online classes<\/a>,\u00a0parenting advice<\/a>,\u00a0events<\/a>,\u00a0childcare listings<\/a>,\u00a0casting calls<\/a>\u00a0&\u00a0raffles,<\/a>\u00a0and our\u00a0Parents With Nannies Facebook group<\/a>.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n

\"author,Jamie is a married mother of four \u2013 two girls and two boys \u2013 ages 3 to 22. With 19 years between her oldest and youngest, she writes to keep her sanity in check with a healthy dose of therapeutic humor injected for good measure. She is a children\u2019s book author and full-time mommy blogger for her site,\u00a0Momma Juice<\/a>\u00a0and regularly guest blogs for other sites.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hiring a nanny can be quite a blessing for many households. Between busy schedules, careers, extra-curriculars, and everything else that pops up in our daily lives, having someone there to lend a hand can be a godsend. That is, as long as you find the\u00a0right\u00a0someone to help out and you take the proper steps to keep things running smoothly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3360,"featured_media":27310,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"schneps_byline":"","schneps_post_style":"","schneps_post_source":"","schneps_syndicated_read_more":"","schneps_post_source_sitename":"","schneps_post_source_shortname":"","schneps_post_source_url":"","schneps_post_source_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[51,45,66],"tags":[48,50],"class_list":["post-27307","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dads","category-moms","category-nanny","tag-childcare","tag-relationships"],"acf":[],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/5-tips-setting-best-ground-rules-nanny\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"5 Tips for Setting the Best Ground Rules for Your Nanny","url":"http:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/5-tips-setting-best-ground-rules-nanny\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/5-tips-setting-best-ground-rules-nanny\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/07\/NannyGuidelines5_preview.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/mommybites.com\/newyork\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/07\/NannyGuidelines5_preview.jpeg"},"articleSection":"Dads","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jamie Kreps"}],"creator":["Jamie Kreps"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Mommybites New York","logo":""},"keywords":["childcare","relationships"],"dateCreated":"2018-07-05T06:00:38Z","datePublished":"2018-07-05T06:00:38Z","dateModified":"2018-07-05T08:47:33Z"},"rendered":"