Dont Burn Out Your Nanny
Basically a nanny or au pair is expecting to do the duties that are associated with caring for the child. They do not want to do things like gardening, the dishes, cleaning the toilet and all of that. Yet that is exactly the first thing that happens to some nannies who are hired. They are paid a low hourly wage to do seven jobs instead of one – caring for the child.
It is important to outline your expectation when describing domestic couple jobs or nanny jobs in any of your advertisement. For instance the jobs for couple might include things like gardening, cooking, shopping, taking the children on trips, buying clothes for the children and all kinds of things. This means that in your jobs for a couple description you need to describe it all.
Remember too that if you are hiring an au pair or nanny that you are not necessarily hiring a chef. Your nanny can make snacks for your kids but she should not be expected to cook full meals for you, shop for food or do all of your dishes. A good nanny will make a grilled cheese for your kid or help you load the dishwasher after dinner out a wish to be helpful but technically this type of thing is not her job unless you have specifically discussed it beforehand.
Live in couple jobs tend to be more domestic in nature and usually the couple will tell you what they are willing to do for you and your family right in their own ad or at the interview with you.
It is also up to you to provide a firm contract that describes what you expect from the live in domestic couple or the nanny and to also agree on a salary that makes sense. The worst things you can do is not pay the nanny or live in couple enough and then expect them to do things like rake the leaves or wash the windows. You can end up with very resentful help if you behave in that way.
You also want to avoid burning out your nanny by expecting her to work too many hours. It is harder to burn out alive in couple because when one is not functioning so well the other can take over. However as a general rule you should give your nanny an eight hour day. You should also figure out how your nanny will be able to feed herself or take a break. It is unacceptable to not pay nanny overtime if something comes up and she ends up working for you more than 12 hours a day.