What is a nanny share?
A nanny share is an arrangement between two or more families who jointly hire a nanny. A nanny share reduces the cost of childcare, provides more socialization amongst children and allows the nanny to earn more than working for just one family. Learn more by reading How to Start a Nanny Share: 7 Tips for Families.
What are best practices for a nanny share?
Figuring out your priorities as a parent and employer before finding a compatible share family is probably the most important step. You should enter into a nanny share with the expectation that you may have to compromise on certain issues. Make sure to document your decisions in addition to all terms of employment in the form of a written agreement. Learn more about nanny shares: How to Start a Nanny Share: 7 Tips for Families.
What if other families in a nanny share don’t agree with me about fair employment practices?
Not everyone always understands what it means to be a fair employer. It can be helpful to start by explaining how it is mutually beneficial for all parties to be the best employers you can be. The following three elements of fair employment can be brought up with your share families around the kitchen table.
- Paid Time Off. Say something like, “Can you imagine what our lives would be like without paid sick days? Of course we need to provide them alongside vacation time. We all need time to rest and care for ourselves and our loved ones.”
- Clear Communication. Say something like, “Establishing a written work agreement will make it easier for all of us to be clear on the job duties. We can revisit it regularly as our needs shift.”
- Fair Pay. Say something like, “Providing the best wage we can will show the nanny we hire how much we value their work. It will also decrease the likelihood they may leave for a higher paying situation.”
What if there are cultural or generational differences between how we parent and how a nanny approaches childcare?
Cultural and/or generational differences between you and a worker can be a great benefit to you and your family. You might learn about new holidays and community rituals. You might also learn different philosophies about child care. It can be a relief to learn about all the ways a child can happily be fed, carried, changed, sung to, and put to sleep.
Simultaneously, differences can be challenging. Differences between two parents, parents and in-laws, parents and domestic workers—all relationships involved in raising a child requires skilled communication. Common flashpoints can include sleep training, breast/bottle feeding, introduction of solid foods, screen time, discipline, and monitoring of play dynamics. Determine which issues are most important or non-negotiable to you, and identify the issues you have untested ideas about.
Be explicit about your priorities and solicit their views from the nanny about their experiences as a child care provider. See where it goes! Over time, you might not alter your views or you might be more comfortable trying different approaches. Remember: when you hire a nanny—or when you leave your child in the care of any other adult—you are ceding some control. Accept that you will not be able to anticipate every scenario or control the outcome. It’s important that you and the nanny you employ share general values, instincts, and ethics. Doing so will help you feel confident that they will make decisions that work for you.
Am I supposed to provide the nanny I employ with paid time off?
The short answer: you should provide them with sick days, vacation, holidays, and family or medical leave. Learn more about how to calculate and manage paid time off with your employee by reading our Paid Time Off for Nannies resource.
