Modern living’s led to social changes in the structure of families and how they operate.

Between 15 and 20 percent of households in New Zealand and Australia have one parent. The majority are Mums. In two-parent families, it’s common for both to work.

If you’re considering hiring a nanny, then the chances are that you won’t be the only parent on the street who’s at least toyed with the idea. So, is a nanny worth it? There’s a lot to weigh up. Read on to find out.

Must-Dos When Hiring a Nanny

To an extent, the benefits of having a nanny will depend on the individual you hire. That’s along with the skills, personality and experience they bring to the table.

There will also be an element of people management at play. You must have a clear idea about your expectations, especially when it comes to your nanny’s duties and how you want them carried out. Great communication on this is essential.

Get the selection and management processes right and you’ve performed part of your due diligence to ensure that your nanny’s a good fit. Fall at the first hurdles and having a nanny could become a costly mistake.

Here are the key questions to ask yourself before you sign on the dotted line:

• Does the nanny have the right qualifications and personality?
• Will they be a good fit with my family and are we all going to get along?
• Have I made my family’s expectations crystal clear?
• Am I confident that my nanny understands and can manage those expectations?

Is a Nanny Worth It?

For many parents, staying at home is not an option. The cash they earn not only puts a roof over their family’s heads but also creates all sorts of opportunities for their kids. But, a working parent needs support. Here are some of the practical ways a nanny can help:

• Keeping your child safe while you’re not at home
• Providing far greater one-on-one care when compared with daycare centres
• Ensuring the kids get the stimulation and exercise they need 
• Taking the kids to and picking them up from nursery or school
• Preparing the kids’ meals
• Taking care of light housework such as tidying up and folding clothes
• Acting as your kids’ social secretary

For many nannies, their job is a vocational profession. It’s a career choice. Some have highly respected, child-related qualifications. Others will have years of experience behind them. They’ll often know how to deal with a child who has special needs.

The Key Benefits of Hiring a Nanny

Hiring a nanny doesn’t come cheap. To help mitigate the pain, here’s how a nanny’s going to help you and your family:

1.  Reduce Stress and Imposition on Family and Friends

There’s no question that running a home as well as having a career can take its toll on our mental health. Letting your nanny take some of the strain is going to relieve some of the stress many of us have to deal with on a daily basis.

Having a nanny also means you’ll be less reliant on close family members or friends to step in. You can keep them in your back pocket for times when you really need them. A parent who displays less stress is a good thing for any child’s well-being.

2.  The Focus of All the Attention Is on the Kids

Nannies offer one-to-one care for your child in their own home. In terms of attention, it’s going to be similar to the kind of care your kids would receive from you. Creating a bond with the nanny allows a child to adjust gently when it’s time for you to return to work.

There will be continuity in familiar surroundings. That adds a valuable sense of emotional security.

3.  Healthy Meals and Snacks

Having a nanny gives you more control over the food your kids put into their bodies. Even when your nanny is preparing any meals instead of you, you will still be providing the ingredients. You can also give direction about what you’d like the kids to eat.

4.  Greater Flexibility

Due to the hours they work, some parents can struggle to find the childcare hours they need. That can have a negative impact on their job opportunities by limiting their options. Hiring a nanny means you get to decide the hours you want cover for.

It also means you can synchronise your time off far more easily. It helps to avoid strategies like ‘shift parenting’ when parents work at different times and split childcare between them.

As your nanny’s employer, you’ll be able to request overtime subject to your nanny’s availability. Work emergencies or changes to a person’s schedule are part of life, so it’s good to know you have a backup plan.

When your child is ill, you’ll have the assurance that there’s someone to look after them at home. Sickness can be a real problem if you’re solely reliant on a nursery or childcare centre.

5.  Unique and Specialist Skills

Parents will often try to find a nanny with a particular skill or qualification. They may for example want someone who can support their children with school work. Some prefer a male nanny, or manny so that there’s a male role model in a child’s life.

Specialist care is also an option when there are children in need of extra support due to a disability or special learning difficulty.

6.  You Get Quality Time With the Kids

Because you may be able to include some light housework and meal prep in your nanny’s duties, you’ll have more time to spend with the kids.

Getting home after a hard day’s work, you could find that your nanny has washed and fed the kids, tidied up and even left packed lunches in the fridge. This means you get more quality time with your children before bedtime or at the weekends.

Your circumstances might also mean you can get home briefly during meal breaks at work. Again, a nanny will allow you to take full advantage of the precious time you have available.

7.  Consistency of Parenting Style

Every parent has their own style of discipline. They’re able to impart this to their nanny who in turn can feedback on any issues. Parents can also give a steer on lifestyle choices and routines for their kids such as outdoor activities and sports.

Maintaining a level of consistency in all aspects of a child’s development is a good thing. Continuity of care helps to avoid mixed messages.

Are There Downsides to Hiring a Nanny?

Many people consider nannies to be one of the most expensive childcare options. However, you need to weigh it all up.

You might reach the conclusion that the advantages of hiring a nanny make it a cost-effective solution. That’s because, not only does a nanny provide cover when you’re not there, they also free up more quality time for you to spend with the kids.

There are ways to mitigate the cost. The more kids a nanny looks after, the more you’ll save. Some parents choose to nanny-share. It can be complex to arrange but offers the potential to give a single child someone to connect with who’s of a similar age.

Some parents also have legitimate concerns about what would happen if their nanny gets sick. A day centre will always have a backup plan but it’s not possible to magic up a nanny at a moment’s notice. There will, however, almost always be a solution.

You may have a reliable relative or friend you could talk to for emergency cover. You could create and keep a list of reliable babysitters that you might be able to call on. Making an agreement with another family that also uses a nanny is another possibility.

Dealing With the Paperwork

Something that often catches parents out is the amount of admin that comes with hiring a nanny. In almost all cases a nanny will be an employee of the parents who are hiring them. As an employer, paying cash under the table is never an option.

You will have legal obligations to your nanny. These include:

• Providing payslips
• Having workers’ comp insurance or equivalent
• Ensuring car insurance if you want your nanny to drive
• Taking care of sickness and overtime payments
• Keeping track of leave etc.

For busy parents, all the extra paperwork can initially be a real turn-off. There is a quick and easy solution. That is to outsource all this extra work to a third party.

Using a company like Pay the Nanny is a small price to pay to keep you compliant with all the rules and regulations that come with being an employer.

Talk to Us as Part of Your Research Plan

Being forewarned is being forearmed. If you’re considering hiring a nanny, talk to us. We have a highly qualified team of experts who are on hand to help you through all the administrative hoops.

Get in touch with Pay the Nanny now to find out about all the time-saving services we offer to set you and your family up with your nanny.