Nannies
Assist parents in the provision of ongoing care and supervision for babies and children, usually in the child's home.
After school at the Hartley house
You are a nanny looking after two children, aged eight and five, from three o'clock until their parents come home at six. It is a Tuesday afternoon. You have collected both children from school, and the older one, Isla, is in a mood. A text from her father arrives as you open the front door.
Choose what you would do. Then see what happens. There are often good reasons for each choice.
Dad said I can have as much screen time as I want today because I did well on my spelling test. Mum said no screens on school days. You have to let me. It's not fair. Dad's the boss too.
Say you will check with both parents, and offer a game while you wait
You text both parents, and in the meantime Isla chooses a board game. Her mum replies first, and the answer is no. Isla grumbles, then loses at a board game with good grace.
Tell Isla her father said yes so you will allow it, since he is a parent too
Mum comes home to a long afternoon of screens and a row about it. You acted on a second-hand report, and both parents are annoyed at you. A rule you did not check can cost you trust.
Tell Isla the rule is no screens, end of story, and send her to her room to cool down
Mum's rule is kept, but Isla sulks for an hour and the afternoon is tense. You were probably right, and could have been warmer in how you handled it.
Hi! Leo has a bit of a cough today. Can you give him his usual medicine before bed? He knows where it is. He'll tell you how much. Back at six! Thanks so much, you're a lifesaver.
Ask Leo which one it is and how much he takes, and give it to him just before bed
Leo gives you a confident answer, and it turns out to be wrong. He is fine, but Mrs Hartley is shocked. A five-year-old's memory is not a medicine plan.
Reply that you need the exact instructions in writing, or will wait until she is home
She rings you back, a bit embarrassed. She tells you what to do and writes it on the fridge for next time. Asking for clear instructions was a good habit that kept him safe.
Skip the medicine, since you are not sure, and tell her at six that he coughed a few times
Leo is fine, but his mum is annoyed she was not asked or told sooner. Not doing it was cautious, and not saying so until later left her without a choice.
Sorry, small favour. Can you stay until eight tonight? Something has come up at work. Also, would you mind ironing the pile on the bed while you wait? I'll pay you for the extra hour, I promise. Thanks!
Say yes to both without mentioning anything about the arrangement you agreed originally
You stay, iron, and feel a little used. Next week the same request comes again. A one-off favour with no conversation easily becomes the expectation.
Say no to everything, because you have your own plans and it was not agreed in advance
You stick to your plans, but Mrs Hartley is stuck, and you lose some goodwill. You were allowed to say no. A short call about what you could do might have kept the trust.
Agree to stay if you can, ask about the pay and say ironing is not part of the job
Mrs Hartley says of course on the pay, and apologises about the ironing. You stay till eight and the children enjoy the extra time. A polite conversation kept your role clear.
How it went
By eight the children were asleep, the medicine plan was on the fridge and your hours were clear. Nannying means being the grown-up in someone else's home, which asks for warmth, firm boundaries and plain talk with parents. Would you enjoy that mix?
This is a simplified, fictional situation to help you explore. It is not professional instruction or a test of your ability.
Case study: The Wednesday meltdown
A fictional case set in a family home after school, with a kitchen, a backyard and two children to look after.
The situation
Chloe was a nanny for the Rossi family, caring for three-year-old Leo and his older sister after school. Every Wednesday at about four, Leo had an enormous tantrum, screaming and throwing his shoes. His mother, Francesca, had suggested giving him a biscuit to calm him, but the tantrums seemed to be getting worse, and Chloe was starting to dread the day.
What they did
Chloe kept a simple log for three weeks, noting what happened before each tantrum. She saw that Wednesday was the day Leo's sister had after-school sport, which meant a long wait in the car and a late lunch. She shared the log with Francesca and suggested a snack in the car and a small toy kept only for that trip. She also suggested that, rather than a biscuit afterward, they offer a few minutes of quiet reading on the couch.
How it turned out
The meltdowns eased within a few weeks, though not entirely. Francesca admitted she had not realised how much the Wednesday routine disrupted Leo. She asked Chloe to look at a few other parts of the week in the same way.
What would you do?
- Why was keeping a log more useful than guessing at the cause?
- How would you raise a suggestion with a parent about how their child is handled?
- What do you think a nanny needs to know about a family beyond the children?