Your professional nanny bears the important responsibility of supervising and caring for the health and well-being of your child/children and their guests. This is a busy, full-time position that includes all activities inside and outside of the home, including managing schoolwork schedules, activities and travel.
The ideal candidate has a patient, caring demeanor, is energetic and flexible, because this is also an on-call position that may include travel. She or he should have excellent communication skills, a college education or degree, a background in childcare-related activities (either previous nanny experience or work in education, therapy or nursing) and be certified in CPR and first aid response.
A governess covers the same ground as a nanny, with one notable addition: he or she is capable of tutoring your child/children, so a degree in education is necessary. If your child has special needs, you may consider hiring a governess who has expertise in special education.
Responsibilities
- Fully responsible for all childcare
- Arrange activities and play dates
- Schedule appointments
- Supervise school schedules and homework
- Prepare paperwork for school and extracurricular activities
- Transport children to/from activities and school
- Prepare healthy meals and snacks and/or coordinate child’s/children’s menu with the cook or chef
- Tidy child/children’s bedroom and play spaces
- Do laundry (if no laundress)
- Pack for trips
- Bathing and dressing children, including ordering/maintaining school uniforms
- Keep an up-to-date database of all key contacts (school, playmates, activities, doctors/dentists, etc.)
- Communicate with parents about child/children’s social, educational and behavioral development
- Care of infants
- Shop for gifts, school supplies and other child-related necessities
- Run errands & do chores, especially when the children are in school