What to Expect on Your First Day as a Nanny
The first day as a nanny is always different for EVERYONE. Different families, different rules, different quirks, different schedules — there’s no way to predict what your particular first day with be like. But there IS one common thread that first-time nannies often share: That first day is tough.
Even though it’s impossible to predict exactly how your particular first day will go, just knowing what you’re up against will help you feel much more calm and secure as a caregiver.
And now we turn to one nanny blogger who shares her tips for getting through that first day.
Here are the things you should look to do on your first day with a new family–>
1. Depending on the age of the children (my family is 1 and 4) you need to figure out what time they wake up and go to bed. You need to build a sleeping schedule so the children will nap and go to sleep at night. Don’t let them sleep too long during the day because they will not sleep at night. This is a trial and error process and it took me about a month to figure this out for my last family.
2. Eating habits is a BIG thing. Are your children small, tall, big? You need to know what they like to eat and when they eat. This is a definite thing the parents should tell you before your first day. Ask the family what the kid’s favorite foods are and when they eat.
3. Favorite toys and activities will give you an outlet to start talking to the children. If you are watching babies this doesn’t pertain to you. However, if you are watching children ages 18 mo and up… Talk to them! find out what their favorite toys are and play with the kids. don’t just sit there and watch TV all day! Your day will go so much faster if you just play with the kids. Also, ask them what they like to play outside. If they like soccer… take a soccer ball to the park. It’s as simple as that!
4. Maintaining your sanity is a key component to surviving your first day with your new family. It is very difficult to come into a person’s home and basically become “mommy” for 8hrs out of the day. You need to remember that you are an authority figure and if the kids are out of line you need to call them out on it. Don’t let the kids walk all over you on the first day because then they will never respect you. You can be their friend but you are an authority figure first. You are responsible for these children. A responsibility that should not be take lightly.
5. Knowledge that the first day is going to be rough no matter what. This is the best thing to remember. You need to know that any first day sucks. My luck today the baby was sick with a terrible fever and the boy just wanted to watch Noggin all day. I can’t stand Noggin anymore after today. haha. You need to know that if it doesn’t get any better after a month or so you need to look for a new family.
So, nannies, is this pretty accurate? Anything to add?
August 29th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I perfectly agree that this is accurate. I just started with a new family on the 19th of August of 2008. The children are 5 & 9, and the older boy has autism. So, the first day was especially hard to be able to get to know the routine a little bit and also to know what to say and do with the 9 year old when he got home from school was a key aspect for me. This is my first time working with a child with autism, so it was much more challenging working with a child with special needs. The 5 year old just started kindergarten for a half day, and I’m getting to know the 9 year old a little more. Things are going better, but that first day was very difficult. It’s important to stay cool, calm and collected in every situation and at all times of the day. If you remember that, despite all the bad things that happen the day will come to an end and it will get better as the days and weeks go by.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I have a new family, and you are spot on. I wish I had read your blog before I took on the assignment. It will help me for the next one. Thanks!
September 2nd, 2008 at 5:57 am
I believe there should be an overlapping of the new Nanny and the leaving one if that’s at all possible. The new one can see what the kids are used to and the routine.
September 4th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Those are helpful tips. First day is always hard and doesn’t matter if you’re a nanny or a receptionist or something else, first day is that day that you are learning what to do and how things work. I’m still looking for a family and I know that the first day might be a little awkward, but that’s normal, after a week things will be just perfect.
Good luck to everyone!!!
September 5th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
I think I had fairly easy first days because I generally already knew these guidelines in my head
One family I had already been with for 3 years, so nothing was new there, really. But the other one I was jumping into with 3 kids under age 3! (a 2.5YO and twin 9MOs) That was tough. Mainly because the babies had some separation anxiety and weren’t on a consistent sleeping schedule. But one of their parents stayed home for the first 3 days and that helped. By the 3rd day I had pretty much everything down and was ready to be on my own. So it’s been 3 months now and we’re totally in a groove and everything’s going great!
I think an important part in that blog was to make sure you affirm your authority. You’ll do no good for the kids or parents by being wishy-washy or a pushover. And something to add is to trust your instincts. If you’re feeling consistently overwhelmed, then you should start looking for a new family, or maybe even a new job. Nannying isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a tough gig, helping raise the future of our country!
September 6th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I would tend to agree that the first day can be challenging. It seems to me this is the time when you and the kids first start to really feel each other out, seeing where boundaries are and beginning to create some trust. It’s an interesting balance, setting boundaries and also being an engaging and playful nanny, as well as getting a feel for the scope of your job, especially if parents work at home and/or you have other responsibilities, such as household work. I’ve also experienced feeling more pressure to make a great impression on the first day, which can create added stress.
September 12th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Why can’t you talk to children under the age of 18 months? Isn’t it important to help them develop verbal skills?
September 15th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Thank you for the comments.I know that they will assist me in the job search.With extra love,care and attention,I know that I will succeed.Thanks again.
September 16th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
I don’t think the writer of this blog was implying that we CAN’T talk to children under 18 months. But she was saying that if they are younger than that they probably cannot articulate yet & they will not be able to tell you their favorite food, activity, etc. Of course we should talk to all children we nanny for.. no matter how old or young.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
First day on a job is usually though but the think to remember is that on the fist day its all about getting to learn all about the family. All the likes dislike and schedules. After the first couples or days if you are good at what you do and love what you do it whould be easy.
September 19th, 2008 at 10:53 am
My first day with a new family challenge is ALLERGIES! In some households there are foods that a kid might be allergic to. If there is more than one kid you will have to worry, one kid might drink milk and his/her brother/sister might be allergic to it. With the tiniest contact this my need a hospital visit. And that’s scary.
September 19th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
*~* OMG…!!! I take care of a beautiful & intellegent 15 month old little girl (Sarah Bella). I talk to her all the time ! I mean…talk “with” her. I explain everything to her as we go through the day & daily routine. This amazing little girl has comprehended so much in the 5 months that I have been her Nanny.
She is extremely verbal and can repeat and mimic many word and also a few phrases. She can say, “Mama, Dada, ball, juice, milk, book, shoes, toast, up, more, bye~bye “.
When I interviewed with her family…I looked right into Sarah’s eyes and smiled at her and said, “Hello, Sarah” ! I closed my eyes and and opened them slowly…talked softly and slowly and then I asked MOM if I could hold her. MOM said, “Okay, let’s see if she’ll go to you.” Long story short ? I was THE ONLY ONE who Sarah liked and the only one who she DID NOT CRY with ! I was also the ONLY ONE who actually talked to/with her instead of just being focused on the interview !
My first day with Sarah went great ! I asked alot of questions during the interview and also WROTE THEM DOWN.
*~* Nikki
September 19th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
I think a very helpful thing to me is that when ever I start a job the parents always have me work while they are home, just starting out. This way I can just ask questions. That’s how I did it with my last position and my current one. Although my current one the mother will be working from home, really “working”, where she can’t have constent attention on the little ones. Anyways she has started me on one a week while she’s on maternity leave. This is helping me feel way more comfortable then if she had just thrown the kids at me, it helps to not have to interrupt her during her work and she can explain things to me as the day goes.
September 20th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Wow, so many great responses. I would like to add a few more if I may. I choose to have a great interview with my potential new families that really spells out what the family is all about. When they hire me I ask that I can spend a hour or two or whatever time we discuss as reasonable to be with the entire clan and go over important factors like meal times, nap times, play times, etc. My current family thought this was outstanding and even went beyond with making me a notebook of where everything was located. Cleaning supplies, flashlight, phone books etc. I even got emergency numbers of the neighbors and eventually a personalized tour of the neighborhood by my parents so I was very familiar with my working environment. Now of course this might be alot for some families to do, but I tell you that first day went so smoothly that both kids, parents and I did not feel ackward at all. My suggestion is to take the time to ask alot of questions, and get to know what your in for before that important FIRST day and you will eleviate alot of tension.
Another suggestion, I do is have a spiral notebook or loose leaf notebook and write down what my parents do with the kids, the how’s what’s when’s, and where’s of their home and family life that involve my time and my responsibilities. I also journal each day for the family what I did with the kids, when I did it and what I did chore wise if chores are also part of my work. This way they know what has happened throughout the day, if any thing comes up we all can look at the book and discuss if problems occur and it looks impressive to Grandmas that come by.
This job is a huge responsbility but it is also such a rewarding one. You can make your day fly or you can make it drag on by what your attitude is about being a nanny/care provider, or whatever your title may be. We are helpers for Mothers and Fathers. I do not think of myself as a stand in “Mommy” for 8 hours. I do think of myself as a partner in this families dynamics and that is an awesome feeling.
Good Luck to all.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Great ideas!!!I agree with having a “nanny log”. It helps the parents see how the day went. My first day I brought an activity to do. Sometime I bring my mixer to make cookies, art project, or a special book. This helps break the ice with the kids and the parents are amazed at how intuned you are with the children. Keep those ideas coming.