10 Good House Rules for Nannies

As a nanny, you are more involved with the families of children in your care than you would be as a babysitter. This means that there are some differences in the general rules to go along with the specific rules of any house in which you work. Here are 10 good, general rules for Nannies.

1. Your Friends. As a nanny, it is a good idea to avoid ever inviting friends to drop in while you’re working, unless you’ve discussed it with your employer ahead of time.
2. What’s Theirs is Theirs. This may seem obvious, but sometimes lines are blurred when you work with one family for a long time. Always remember that what is theirs stays with them, and does not go home with you unless it has been gifted to you.
3. Vehicle Use. You may, in the course of your employment as nanny, have the use of a family vehicle. Although the specific rules of use will vary from family to family, always remember that this is your employer’s vehicle, not yours. Use it only for transporting kids and performing errands related to the job, unless there is a specific purpose that you’ve received permission to pursue.
4. Outings. This could almost be part of the vehicle use topic, but is actually a separate issue. Outings with the kids should always be related to the job and their care. For example, you are not at the park to exchange war stories with other nannies; you are there to allow the kids to play under your watchful eye.
5. Food. It is wise to never introduce anything new into the diet of a child in your care, unless it is done with a parent’s prior knowledge. There is no need to risk triggering an allergic reaction or other food intolerance symptoms.
6. Family Values. Part of your job as a nanny is to reinforce the family’s values with the children in your care. Not your own family’s values, but theirs. It’s okay to disagree on priorities, but keep it to yourself in front of the kids.
7. Discipline and Reporting. It’s good to establish from the beginning, what sort of disciplinary actions are expected of you, and when and what the parents want reported to them. Don’t make assumptions when it comes to these issues, discuss them ahead of time and revisit them as you feel is necessary.
8. Media. This is another case where the general rule is to establish the rules. Use of television, computers, game consoles, and related items, should all be discussed and set with the parents from the beginning.
9. Kids’ Friends. There will be times when the kids in your care will have friends over, and you will be responsible. Treat this as you would as a parent. Make sure and speak with a parent of the visiting child, ask about any allergies or other concerns to be aware of. It’s good to take a moment to tell the visiting child’s parent what sort of activities you expect to be taking place while the child is visiting.
10. Discretion. Respect the privacy of the family you work for. All will have quirks and habits that might make great fodder for amusing stories to share with friends. Resist the urge to do so. Ask yourself whether you’d want someone discussing your own family’s private issues outside of your home.

You will obviously be dealing with as many different sets of rules as the number of families that you work with over time. These 10 will give you a good foundation to work from in any house.

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