A few things Nannies learn the hard way
☆ The job description rarely tells the whole story.
☆ “Flexible hours” can sometimes mean very flexible hours.
☆ “Light housekeeping” means very different things to different people.
☆ Saying yes once can quickly become an expectation.
☆ Boundaries are easier to establish on day one than six months in.
☆ “We’re like family” shouldn’t replace a contract.
☆ A lovely family doesn’t make being paid legally any less important.
☆ “Can you stay a little later?” adds up.
☆ A higher salary doesn’t always mean a better job.
☆ A job can pay well and still leave you feeling undervalued.
☆ The job can be emotionally exhausting, not just physically exhausting.
☆ You can be treated wonderfully until you’re no longer convenient.
You can take every course, get all the qualifications and prepare yourself as much as possible for working with children. But some of the hardest parts of being a nanny have nothing to do with childcare.
Some of the biggest lessons come from navigating expectations, boundaries, pay, communication and relationships with the family, and unfortunately, some of those lessons are learned the hard way.
What’s something you learned the hard way as a nanny?
