An ideal nanny for a baby: basic requirements, selection rules and responsibilities of a home educator

Before looking for service personnel, you need to think about what qualities a nanny should have. Usually, applicants with their own children or women with experience caring for newborn babies are considered.

The ideal “Mary Poppins” must have an understanding of the developmental characteristics of infants, the pattern of falling asleep and staying awake, and feeding. A big plus is knowledge of the basics of caring for such young children. In general, there are many requirements for a specialist.

But even knowing these basic requirements, every mother still asks numerous questions: how to choose a nanny for an infant?, what should you pay attention to?, where to look for a governess and how to build a relationship with her? See the answers below.

Nanny for an infant: main types of assistants

Of course, each specialist has his own working style and teaching skills. However, experts in working with domestic staff were able to unite all applicants for vacant nanny positions into several types:

Nanny-medic

Profile medical specialization is a huge plus for domestic staff. Medical or nursing skills are especially useful for caring for a newborn baby, since it is during this age period that sterility, first aid skills, etc. are important.

The advantages of such candidates:

• high accuracy;
• discipline (you don’t have to be afraid of missing medications);
• the possibility of providing additional services (massage, injection procedures);
• Most medical nannies don't mind night shifts.

Minuses:

• provide only care, but not education (however, this drawback is debatable, since in the first half of the year there will be enough care);
• As soon as the child gets used to it, he will have to look for a new home teacher.

In infancy, it is the emphasis on physical health and care, and not the adherence to educational methods, that plays the most important role. Therefore, a nanny for a newborn with a medical education will come in handy here.

Nanny grandma

Another option is retired women, who did not necessarily work as doctors or educators. The main thing is that they have the desire and opportunity to work with children.

The main advantage is extensive life experience, raising your own children and grandchildren.
In addition, many nannies and grandmothers approach caring for someone else’s baby with all their hearts, and do not perceive such work solely as income. Pros:

• extensive life experience;
• patience;
• love for children;
• usually reasonable cost of services.

Minuses:

• ancient methods of education (however, in the first year of life this disadvantage is irrelevant);
• age-related slowness and unhurriedness;
• There are frequent comments towards parents.

An elderly nanny is a tribute to tradition, because from time immemorial it was these “Arina Rodionovnas” who looked after the kids. In addition, many older nannies have free time, so they can sit with the baby all day long and even stay longer if necessary.

Nanny student

Such a governess is still more suitable for older children, but if there are no other options, then a girl who is a student at a psychological, pedagogical or medical university can also babysit an infant.
Pros:

• availability of services;
• nanny activity;
• nannies are full of enthusiasm and creative ideas that will help her interest and captivate the child.

Minuses:

• lack of experience caring for a newborn baby;
• difficulty combining work and study schedules;
• not taking work too seriously.

First of all, you should understand that such candidates, with rare exceptions, do not take temporary part-time jobs very responsibly. Also, due to inexperience, caring for an infant will not be ideal (with the exception of girls from families with younger brothers and sisters).

This is perhaps the least preferable option among all the possible ones. However, when the child grows up, a student nanny will become a good tutor or accompanying person for visiting museums, exhibitions and other cultural institutions.

Professional nanny

Such specialists are professionals in the field of child care and development.
Most often, these are women over 40 years old with a pedagogical or medical education, who have extensive experience working with infants. Pros:

• professionalism;
• reliability;
• ability to swaddle and feed a baby;
• knowledge of infant development techniques;
• ability to build relationships with employers.

Find out from the children's doctor's article which is better - feeding on demand or by the hour.

Flaws:

• quite high cost of services.

In general, for children under one year old, a middle-aged nanny with a medical education and experience working with young children is most suitable. Ideally, she should listen to the wishes of the parents, and not be guided by her own ideas about caring for the child.

Tips for choosing a nanny

Tip 2. Experience, health and education

Give preference to a staff member who has previous experience working with infants.
In this case, your assistant should be quite young (30-50 years old) and healthy. Try to gently find out if she has hypertension, dizziness, or heart problems. This can be dangerous, because the baby needs to be carried in your arms a lot. It is better to choose a babysitter with a medical education. You can also consider a nanny teacher with certain skills (baby massage, medical care, etc.)

Tip 3. Appearance matters

A neat appearance, absence of nail polish, perfume and decorative cosmetics are mandatory conditions when working with a newborn. Such children are very sensitive, and besides, the nanny will have to dilute the mixture many times; chipped varnish is of no use.

Tip 4. Decide on a deadline

Usually, a nanny for a newborn is hired for a short period of time for babies from 3-4 months to a year. But if you are planning a long-term cooperation, choose a specialist who works with infants and young children. They know how to care for babies and master early development techniques.

Tip 5. Monitor your child's reaction

Let the nanny hold the baby. See how he reacts. If contact is established, the baby smiles and behaves calmly, you have found your employee.

Monitor your child's behavior after a day spent with the nanny. Has your child become capricious, sleeps poorly, suffers from bowel problems and is untidy? It may be worth changing employees. Although tearfulness can also be a symptom of intestinal colic. First, make sure everything is in order medically.

Tip 6: Give the necessary instructions

Tell us about allergic reactions, suitable formulas, care cosmetics and diapers. If an infant needs special care - taking medications, treating eyes, ears, skin - write instructions on a piece of paper. Tell us where the hygiene products and first aid kit are.

Tip 7. Monitor your duties

The nanny provides full care for the newborn: feeds, plays, develops, changes bed linen and clothes, and takes walks. You can also agree on additional services: washing, ironing children’s clothes, etc.

The nanny must teach the baby: teach him to recognize colors, shapes, types of surface (hard-soft, etc.).

Where to look for a nanny?

Selecting household staff is not so easy, because you want to find the ideal worker, especially if we are talking about a very small child. To find the best candidate, experts recommend using several sources:

1. Recommendations from friends. One of the best options for finding a babysitter for a child. It involves contacting friends who have already had experience using the services of a professional nanny. If friends recommend her as a valuable employee, an interview can be arranged.
2. Agency services. This method is considered one of the most reliable, since candidates usually have medical records and recommendations from previous places of work. Also, agency employees will weed out unsuitable nannies in advance. Naturally, you will have to pay for the exchange services.
3. Advertisement in the newspaper. A very simple and fairly inexpensive method of finding domestic staff. However, nowadays few people use it, since printed publications have lost their former popularity. In addition, the option is unreliable in terms of selecting a responsible employee.
4. Internet. An increasingly popular method of finding a nanny for an infant. There are many special sites on the World Wide Web that specialize in the selection of governesses. There you can find detailed profiles of applicants and read reviews from past employers.

The question of where to choose a nanny for a baby is really important. The best options are an agency and word of mouth. It is also worth taking note of Internet portals. And yet, you should remember that this is just the first stage in selecting a nanny. A personal meeting is much more important.

Cost of nanny services:

from 300 rub. per hour Prices for babysitting services for a child

Applicant profiles

Anastasia Anastasia – nanny-educator for children over 1 year old nanny services, best reviews Nanny questionnaire Read also:  Cooking for children: rice dishes for little gourmets

Galina Galina – nanny-teacher for children from 3 years old nanny for a child, good recommendations Nanny questionnaire

Marina Marina – nanny-educator, governess Moscow, wonderful reviews Nanny questionnaire

Maria Maria - nanny-educator, governess nanny for a child, wonderful reviews Nanny questionnaire

Natalia Natalia – Nanny-teacher for children over 2 years old nanny services, wonderful reviews Nanny questionnaire

Tatiana Nanny-teacher nanny for a child, best recommendations Nanny questionnaire

Larisa Nanny-teacher with knowledge of German, Moscow, best recommendations Nanny questionnaire

Olga Olga – infant nanny, child nanny, best recommendations Nanny questionnaire

Natalia Natalya - nanny-educator, governess with a musical education, nanny services, wonderful recommendations Nanny questionnaire

Svetlana Svetlana is a teacher specializing in preschool education, nanny for children, wonderful recommendations Nanny questionnaire

All nanny profiles »

Articles

• What is the difference between a nanny and a governess?
• Early child development: techniques to help mothers and nannies
• Senior and junior: how to make them friends
• How to choose a nanny for your child
• Nanny recommendation letter
• Bad Nanny
• How to choose a nanny through an agency
• To help a mother who chooses a nanny
• Nanny or kindergarten?
• Live-in nanny
• If you don't have a nanny

« Babysitter for a baby

Live-in nanny »

How to choose a nanny for a baby?

When planning to hire a nanny for a child, you need to collect the maximum amount of information about her, since there are no trifles in such a matter. For example, a governess who is fond of cigarettes and alcohol is automatically not suitable for looking after a child of any age.

To prevent possible negative situations, you should use several rules that will allow you to choose the most suitable candidate:

1. Be sure to ask the candidate for a passport. If she does not have official documents, such a woman should not be trusted with a child under any circumstances.
2. Ask for recommendations from previous places of work. It is not always possible to verify the veracity of reviews, so in this case agency representatives have advantages.
3. It is extremely important to ensure that you have a medical record and that all examinations and vaccinations are up to date. If you have any doubts, you can suggest additional tests. However, in this case, such study will be at your expense.
4. Make sure that the nanny has a medical or pedagogical education (what is important in your case). It will be a big plus if the nurse knows how to perform massage or give injections. Knowledge of development methods in this age period is not so important.
5. A nanny for an infant must be able to properly change diapers, swaddle, bathe and know how to feed children of this age. This can and should be tested in practice.
6. It is also important to take into account the behavior of the governess. She must be cultured, calm, reserved and polite. Rudeness, lack of education, and incorrect pronunciation of words are unacceptable. Such behavior can affect the child's development.
7. A neat appearance is another prerequisite. However, you should also pay attention to the fact that the nanny does not use cosmetics (for fear of allergies), and does not wear bracelets or rings (they can scratch the child).

Such tips will help you choose a truly experienced nanny who will not only monitor the baby, but will also be able to prevent unforeseen situations from occurring.

How to conduct an interview?

Direct conversation with applicants is the most important stage in selecting a nanny for a child. First of all, you should familiarize yourself with the documents, if possible, call previous employers, and you also need to get answers to a large number of necessary questions.

They should be drawn up in advance, with special emphasis on the most significant nuances. It is better to write down the questions on a piece of paper so as not to miss something important. An approximate list of key points is presented below.

experience

Experience caring for infants is very important when hiring a nanny. You need to ask about this first, because explanations like “I raised my two children, so I’m convinced that I can handle it” will not work.

The applicant can be asked the following questions:

1. How experienced are you in communicating and caring for infants?
2. Why do you work as a nanny?
3. What is your past experience as a caregiver?
4. What did you do at your previous job?
5. Why did you leave your previous employer?
6. How did you and the child get used to each other?
7. What is the most difficult thing for you personally about caring for a child?
8. What do you want to know about my baby?
9. Do you have references from previous employers?

personal information

Questions regarding your personal life also need to be asked. Naturally, you shouldn’t go too deep into the intimate sphere, but you should get a general idea of ​​the person.

The most common personal questions are:

1. How old are you?
2. Are you married?
3. Where did you study?
4. Do you have children? What is their age?
5. What is their place of work (if they are already adults)?
6. Who will watch your children while you work (if the kids are still small)?
7. What do you like to do?
8. How religious are you? Do you visit the temple?
9. How do you spend your weekends?

Candidate's health

A nanny for an infant is the third most important person, of course, after mom and dad. Therefore, the issue of the health of candidates is extremely important, since infants are extremely susceptible to various bacterial and viral infections.

Mom should definitely ask the following:

1. Do you have a medical record?
2. How long have you visited a fluorography office?
3. Do you have chronic diseases? Which?
4. Can you walk outside with your child long enough in winter?
5. Will you be able to pick up your baby?
6. Do you smoke? Do you abuse alcohol?
7. Will you, at my request, do additional tests?

Possible difficulties

Unfortunately, some difficulties in the process of caring for a child cannot be avoided. That is why it is important to check with candidates for the position in advance how prepared they are for non-standard situations.

Be sure to check with applicants the following:

1. Can you sometimes stay late by prior arrangement?
2. Are you ready to work on Saturday and Sunday?
3. Can you go to the dacha with us?
4. What will you do if I stay longer than the agreed time?
5. Would it bother you if I worked at home, close to the child?

Emergency situations

No family can cope without force majeure when raising an infant. They can also arise while the child is with a babysitter, which is why it is imperative to ask how prepared she is for unforeseen situations.

You can ask the woman what her actions will be if the child:

• choke;
• falls from the chair;
• will lose consciousness;
• will lie with an elevated temperature;
• hits the head;
• cries all the time;
• stopped breathing;
• received a burn;
• swallowed a foreign object.

Tricky questions

In addition, the mother can ask some ambiguous questions that will help to understand how ready the job applicant is for force majeure or simply understands the issues of caring for the baby.
For example, you can ask the nanny the following:

• For what reason can a baby cry? An experienced nanny will name at least 4 - 6 probable reasons: his tummy hurts, he wants to eat or drink, he is hot or cold, uncomfortable, bored, his diaper is wet, etc.;
• Do you agree to install a video camera? Usually, if a woman has nothing to hide, she agrees to video surveillance. However, it is important to understand that it is imperative to warn the applicant about these plans;
• If the weather is bad outside, will you go for a walk as we agreed, or will you make your own decision? It is important to understand how capable a woman is of independent actions. Blindly following prescriptions is not always good;
• What do you think is the ideal child? A question like this will help you understand how the nanny copes with unexpected situations. It’s good if a woman dreams of seeing her baby healthy, active and curious. But if the applicant wants to see the baby obedient and calm, she should be wary.

During the interview, you must also raise the issue of payment. It is necessary to clarify how much the nanny estimates an hour of her work. It’s also worth finding out how best to pay for your work: daily, weekly or monthly.

All these important points must be recorded in the job description and contract. The last document is important because it protects all participants in the process from controversial situations. By the way, the main responsibilities of the nanny should also be included in the contract.

Responsibilities of a nanny

As soon as a nanny for an infant has been selected, she must be familiarized with the range of responsibilities and functions performed. They follow from a certain work schedule: full day, 5 - 6 hours a day, 2 - 3 days a week.

You also need to clarify whether the nanny will perform other types of activities besides directly caring for the child. For example, a nurse can additionally clean the nursery, wash baby clothes, and prepare food for the baby.

The most approximate list of a nanny’s responsibilities for caring for a newborn child might look like this:

• feeding the baby (it can be subject to a strict schedule or on demand);
• cooking or reheating already prepared food;
• walks in the yard (in a nearby park) for a total duration of at least 2 - 4 hours a day;
• regular diaper changes;
• washing the baby, using baby powders and ointments;
• washing and sterilizing bottles;
• swaddling a baby;
• dressing the baby in accordance with the temperature conditions of the room;
• play activities according to age;
• medical care, which may include massage treatments, gymnastic exercises, taking medications, visiting a clinic;
• listening to music;
• cleaning the children's room;
• keeping a diary.

In addition to the list of responsibilities described above, some parents can add swimming training and child development using a special method to the nanny’s functions. Naturally, all this must be discussed in advance and included in the employment contract.

What are her responsibilities?

Each family has very different requirements for a nanny, but when it comes to caring for a newborn, a professional woman must be able to:

• maintain an optimal daily routine depending on the age and developmental characteristics of the child;
• feed in accordance with the instructions of the parents (on demand, schedule);
• be able to prepare food according to age (dilute formula, heat expressed breast milk, give complementary foods correctly);
• provide comfortable conditions for sleeping, including in the fresh air;
• perform hygiene procedures, massage, doctor’s appointments (if necessary);
• play with the baby.

Through the mouth of a baby

Recruitment specialists recommend, first of all, inviting candidates home and observing how she communicates with a potential student.

If the nanny first goes to the bathroom to wash her hands, and only then approaches the newborn, this is very good. Otherwise, she shouldn’t even be introduced to an infant.

The next point is to look at how the nanny interacts with the baby: did she manage to establish contact with the baby, does she confidently hold him, rock him to sleep, gives him a smile, does she kiss him, etc.

An experienced nanny understands without prompting that even a newborn needs to communicate. If the applicant thinks that conversations with such a small child are not necessary, then her interaction will be mechanical, and this can harm the baby.

The final decision should be made after the nanny is left alone with the child. At first, a quarter of an hour will be enough, during which the mother will be in the next room.

If at this moment the child cries upon seeing a stranger, do not rush to calm him down - on the contrary, observe the woman’s behavior. If she calls you for help, we can conclude that she will not be able to cope with the baby without your presence.

What else needs to be done?

Let's say you were able to choose the best nanny for your baby, what steps should you take next? It is important to bring the woman up to date, acquaint her with her responsibilities and, most importantly, introduce her to your beloved baby.

List of responsibilities

A nanny can perform a variety of duties, so it is extremely important to discuss all sorts of details in a telephone conversation before meeting in person. A rough list of responsibilities might look like this:

• feeding the baby (and preparing formula);
• hygiene procedures;
• regular walks;
• gymnastic exercises;
• massage (if the nanny has special education or skill).

Some mothers, wanting to unload their own schedules, offer additional responsibilities to their assistant for a certain amount. But you shouldn’t burden a woman with additional loads; let her better focus on the “culprit” itself.

Familiarity with the environment

Having introduced the nanny to the newborn, it is important to bring her up to date by giving her a “tour” of the apartment.

In order for a woman to be able to quickly satisfy the needs of the baby, she must be well versed in the home environment:

• show where children's clothing, hygiene products, and medicines are stored;
• explain the rules for using household items;
• make a list of all necessary contacts;
• tell us who has access to the apartment;
• Introduce the nanny to your neighbors and familiar mothers.

Control

Having established a trusting relationship with the nanny, do not hesitate to control her every step and the peculiarities of communication with your beloved little one:

• upon returning home, observe the baby, evaluate his appearance and well-being;
• ask how the baby behaved and whether there were any problems;
• ask your neighbors or familiar mothers how the nanny interacts with the ward;
• Call the nurse more often to ask how the little one is behaving.

You need to look for a teacher for a newborn with great care and seriousness.
The babysitter temporarily turns into a mother, so it is important that truly warm feelings arise between them. Of course, she cannot replace a real mother, that is, you, but it is necessary to take care of the maximum comfort and safety of your child.

As a conclusion

There are many rules for choosing a nanny for an infant.
There is one more important condition - whether you feel trust in this nanny. Such a subjective feeling sometimes arises at the first glance at a person. However, this does not mean that you do not need to look through recommendations, study information about education and work experience. The following points need to be taken into account:

• the applicant’s work experience – it is very important that the woman has previously worked with newborn children, since the methods of raising infants and preschoolers differ significantly;
• age is a subjective parameter, since some young girls sometimes behave more thoughtfully than older women. Experts consider the optimal age to be between 35 and 50 years;
• education – the ideal applicant is considered to be a woman who has a medical diploma or a pedagogical education with completed courses in first aid for children;
• recommendations - reviews from previous employers will help to understand how well a woman copes with her responsibilities;
• restraint and accuracy are not all the personal qualities that a nanny for an infant should have; it is important to decide what is most important for you;
• resistance to stress – it is important to understand how capable a woman is of reacting adequately to unexpected situations and possible difficulties;
• responsibilities - the list of functions should be discussed in great detail. Payment will also depend on this.

Thus, the selection of a nanny for a newborn child must be approached extremely carefully and responsibly. It is important that not only you, but also the person under your care, likes it.

Of course, no nanny, even the most experienced one, can replace a baby’s mother, but a properly selected professional will be able to make the process of raising a baby comfortable and safe, which is what parents actually strive for.