Building a Healthy Nanny Relationship - Working from Home

With the growing level of flexibility being provided by many companies, there has been a substantial increase in the number of positions that permit employees to telework. While this is an exceptional benefit, it does not remove the need for childcare for most parents. Even though it may be tempting to try to care for your children and perform your work duties, most parents quickly find it to be too big of a challenge for them to overcome. Having a nanny in to watch your children while you work from home is an excellent option but requires some special considerations. Below you will find some tips on building a healthy nanny relationship when you work from home.

Separate Spaces

There is a mutual benefit to occupying a physically different space from your kids and can be one of the most underrated factors in establishing a healthy nanny relationship. Setting a portion of the house as off limits while you are working, it ensures that you will be able to focus on the tasks you need to complete without unnecessary interruption. Additionally, your kids and nanny don’t need to worry as much about how their activities might be a distraction to you. It is a significant benefit to your nanny because they can do their job without feeling like they have someone over their shoulder constantly critiquing them. Even if that is not your personality, it's hard to not be self-conscious when your boss is in the room potentially watching your every move.

Know When to Step In

While it is your home and your nanny is watching your children, a healthy nanny relationship is built on trust, so it is necessary to discern when it is appropriate to step in or not. In general, if a situation is not going to cause harm to your children, or your home, or violate your parenting philosophy, it is advisable to discuss the issue with your nanny outside of the situation while the kids aren’t around. As your nanny gets to know you better, the need for intervention should become all but non-existent. Of course, it is always acceptable to pop in on your lunch break to see your children and enjoy a meal with them.

Beware of the Expectation Creep

Being at home, you can observe exactly how much free time your nanny has while on the clock for you. Additionally, as you begin to develop a healthy nanny relationship, it becomes easier to ask for little “favors” that will help you out. Over time, these “favors” can turn into expectations that can quickly sour an otherwise excellent relationship between you and your nanny.