Becoming a new parent is undoubtedly challenging. With the arrival of a baby, every aspect of life revolves around ensuring their well-being and safety. While new parents may initially struggle to adjust, they eventually find their footing.
Among the many concerns new parents face, finding a suitable nanny ranks high on the list. Balancing professional responsibilities with the need to care for their baby can be daunting, and entrusting someone else with their child is often nerve-wracking. However, hiring a nanny or enrolling in daycare is a common practice, and it can greatly benefit both parents and their children.
The most daunting aspect of this process is finding a trustworthy nanny. Entrusting a stranger with the care of your child can be anxiety-inducing. However, conducting thorough interviews with potential nannies can alleviate many concerns.
Building trust with a nanny begins with understanding who they are and how they will care for your child. While interviewing candidates may seem daunting, asking the right questions can provide valuable insights into their character and suitability for the role.
If you’re unsure about what questions to ask during the hiring process, you’re not alone. To assist parents like yourself, we’ve compiled a list of essential questions to pose to potential nannies. These questions are designed to help you find the best caregiver for your child, providing you with peace of mind and confidence in your choice.
Contents
- 1 Questions To Ask Nanny
- 1.1 1. “Where are you from?”
- 1.2 2. What are your experience and credentials?
- 1.3 3. What do you think are the qualities needed to be a good nanny?
- 1.4 4. When did you last update your first aid training?
- 1.5 5. What kind of food would you cook for our children?
- 1.6 6. Are you working at any other job?
- 1.7 7. Are you willing to stay overnight with the children if required?
- 1.8 8. What age groups have you cared for?
- 1.9 9. How can you discipline the child?
- 1.10 10. Ask the what-if questions.
- 1.11 11. Discuss the fees.
- 1.12 Conclusion
Questions To Ask Nanny
1. “Where are you from?”
This is the first question that you might want to ask. Not that you can get a lot of insight from this question but it would be a great conversation starter that can help you to know a little bit about the upbringing of the nanny for your child.This can be answered with a lot of insight for a nanny as you would know whether they are an open person and how much they can tell you in this question, for example, they can answer the question by stating the state and city and you can lead to more personal question to know a little bit more about her life.
2. What are your experience and credentials?
One thing that you want to know first about your potential nanny would be her experience and what qualities they have.It would be better if you hire an experienced nanny rather than a beginner, for obvious reasons. The experience will tell you how much practice they have done and how good they are. This will certainly help you decide whether you would want to hire them or not because the experience will speak for itself. You can ask if they have gone through training or not.
3. What do you think are the qualities needed to be a good nanny?
This might be a trick question to ask and you don’t want to skip it. There are some obvious qualities one should have to be a good nanny and there are some of the qualities that you would want in your nanny specifically.So asking this question would help you to figure out what qualities according to them are enough to be a good nanny and what qualities they have. See if the answer is satisfactory to your needs and whether you think they have the qualities that you are seeking.
4. When did you last update your first aid training?
It is one thing to have a first aid training and it is another thing to be updated with the first aid training. The training won’t matter if it was done years ago, because they may not be able to recall it.So the point of asking this question is that not only should they have done their first aid training but they must have been updated with it recently as well. Your child can need first aid anytime and anywhere and they should be able to provide that.
5. What kind of food would you cook for our children?
Not many parents depend on the nanny for food requirements but some do and it may be included in their package as well. So if you want your nanny to provide food for your kid then you must ask the food-related question.You should ask what types of food they can cook and how they cook. Whether they would be able to cook some specific dishes for the kids or they will only heat the packed baby food.These are some of the questions that can give you an insight into their cooking skills. You should better communicate with the nanny about your food requirements for your baby or whether they would meet those requirements.
6. Are you working at any other job?
This is another one of the important question that you will need to ask. There are plenty of nannies who are working two jobs. This is why it is important to know what kind of jobs they are working apart from being a nanny and if that job is flexible or not.They need to give your child proper care and attention so you can be assured about the safety of your child. If the other job requires too much then the nanny might not be able to provide all of their attention to the job. So make sure you get the details right.
7. Are you willing to stay overnight with the children if required?
This is again a question regarding their availability for your child. If you are a working parent with a job that may not have fixed hours then you might want to ask this question.Parents with jobs that aren’t very predictable may need to work late or even can’t come home at night. This will require your nanny to be present with the child, especially if you are a single parent.So make sure the nanny can stay over time or for the whole time needed. Of course, this will affect the fees of the nanny, but your child’s needs are more important.
8. What age groups have you cared for?
If you are concerned about whether the nanny would be ideal for the age of the child then you can ask the question. If you want the nanny to be able to take care of a child who is less than a year old, make sure the nanny can do a good job at that.If they have cared for a wide range of children like from very early to adolescence then it would be great. You can also ask if they would be okay handling your child at this age.
9. How can you discipline the child?
Most parents do forget to ask this question to the nannies but it is an important question. The nanny won’t only be caring and providing security to the child but also shaping their personality. So you would want to know if the nanny can discipline the child as well as care for them.So ask your nanny how would she handle the baby if they throw a tantrum or demand something unreasonable?You want to know if they can deal with the child if they are being uneasy.
10. Ask the what-if questions.
Now that you have asked the important questions that are generic in nature. You would want to ask some questions that you are concerned about.The what-if question can involve situations that you are scared of or concerned about. Make sure you don’t have any doubt about how they will handle the child.
11. Discuss the fees.
Last but not least, you would want to get a nanny that you can afford and ask for a reasonable price. Of course, money is the most important factor here, but it does make a difference.You can make a contract on the fees and also the length they will provide the service.Ask them to take care of the baby for a few days so that you can make an informed decision.
Conclusion
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions to pose to a potential nanny. These questions are aimed at helping you find the caregiver that best meets your needs. While we’ve provided generic questions, feel free to personalize them to suit your specific situation and preferences.
That concludes our list for now. We hope you’ve found all the information you need. If you have any further questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out. Best of luck in finding the perfect nanny for your family!
