Nanny Basics

	What is a Nanny? Nanny Salaries Nanny Hours Nanny Responsibilities & Expectations Communication Ideal Nanny Situation Learn More About Available Childcare Options
What is a Nanny?	A Nanny cares for children in the family’s home. The main responsibility of the Nanny is to provide the children with individual attention in a safe and loving environment. Historically, only the elite could afford a Nanny. Today, Nannies are becoming more popular to the general population due to the increased need for more flexible child care and the number of families with both parents working. Nannies positions include: Full-Time Live In Full-Time Live Out Part-Time Live Out Seasonal/Summer Help Return to Top
Nanny Salaries	Like most jobs, a nanny’s rate is dependent on experience, education, hours required, and job responsibilities. According to the INA (International Nanny Association), the average hourly wage for a nanny is $10-$15 per hour. In the Midwest, nanny salaries tend to be higher in Illinois and Minnesota. In the Chicagoland area, most full time positions are paid a weekly salary. This ranges from from $400-$700 per week with an average of $500-$600 weekly. Most part time positions are paid an hourly rate of $11-$15 per hour. Return to Top
Nanny Hours	Full-time nannies work 36-60 hours per week (average is 42-55 hours per week). The average part-time nanny works 20-35 hours per week. The amount of hours that a nanny works is dependent on the family’s needs. This is negotiated during the interview process. Overtime pay expectation should be discussed for additional hours, emergency babysitting, and weekend sitting for both live-in and live-out nannies. Return to Top
Nanny Responsibilities & Expectations	Most nannies expect that they will be responsible for most child related activities like cooking children’s meals, cleaning up after the children, driving them to preschool/school, and driving them to children’s activities. However, all responsibilities should be discussed and written down so there is no confusion. The typical requirements include age appropriate educational activities, nurturing of children, transportation to and from school or activities, supervising playdates, and light housekeeping associated with the care of children. Most nannies are expected to prepare meals for children and clean up and dishes used in preparation, help clean up or straighten up after children including toys and crafts, and wash the children's laundry. The house should be as clean as when the nanny arrived. Additional Responsibilities not associated with the care of children such as the family laundry, cooking family meals, cleaning bathrooms and toilets, grocery shopping for the entire family, etc. are not a standard part of a Nanny's responsibilities. There are Nanny/Housekeepers that are open to performing additional household duties. However, theses responsibilities should be clearly stated and negotiated with the nanny. During the interview process it is a good idea to ask the nanny describe her ideal job, state expectations for this position, and highlight future goals. Is she planning to make this her career or is she caring for children to pay her way through college? Return to Top
Communication	Both the family and the nanny’s experience with their employment situation is dependent on the expectations set during the hiring process. In an office or business environment, employees are given a job description and an employment contract which clearly states expectations and pay. Employing a nanny or any domestic help should follow the same standards. Often families feel a connection with caregiver and discuss the responsibilities associated with the job, but neglect to write this down on paper. Most families and nannies have good intentions during the pre-employment interviews for disclosing requirements and meeting job expectations if hired. However, without a formal job description, communications failures usually follow. Return to Top
Ideal Nanny Situation	The idea of having a nanny come to your house sounds great to most families. However, all families and nannies have their own way of doing things. Before hiring a nanny or accepting employment. Think about you and your family’s lifestyle and personality. Consider what type of individual would be a good fit within your household or what type of employment best fits your needs. Below are some family traits to keep in mind when interviewing candidates or accepting employment. Activity Level: Do you want a nanny that will take your child(ren) out of the house for activities like going to the library, museums, zoo, or local YMCA? How comfortable are you with someone else driving your children around? Do you want your children in someone else’s car as little as possible. Are you an active family that likes to be outside frequently? If so, do you want a nanny that will take your children to the park and is able to run around with them. Meals: Is your family very health conscious? Do you want a nanny that will only serve organic foods or do you want someone that will bake cookies with the kids? Will the nanny be preparing most meals for the children? If so, do you want someone who can make more than hot dogs and peanut butter and jelly (assuming of course that your little angels will eat more than that). Special Needs: Does your family have any special needs that require special attention, ADHD, behavioral disorders, extreme shyness, high energy, etc? Do you have a colicky baby that cries all of the time and requires considerable amount of patience and maturity from a caregiver? Hobbies: Does your family have any special hobbies that you would want your nanny to participate in with your children? Animals: Do you have any pets? If so, make sure that your nanny is not allergic to animals or afraid of them. Return to Top