9 Challenges Working Moms Face and How Nannies Can Help

Juggling the demands of a career and a family is a difficult task, even for the most driven and accomplished women. Both demand the majority of a woman’s time and resources, leaving her to balance these two aspects of her life very carefully, with almost no time left for herself. If you’re returning to the workplace after the birth of a child, or even after a long absence from your career while your children were very small, there are areas in which a nanny can offer assistance that you will not have access to when opting for center-based care or a casual babysitter. Here are nine of the challenges that you’ll face, and ways that a qualified nanny can help you through them.

1. No Time for Transportation – Whether your young children have play dates to attend or your older ones are signed up for extracurricular activities in the afternoon, the bulk of your kids’ travel will most likely occur during regular business hours. Teenaged babysitters will still be in school themselves during this time, and very few daycare centers offer pickup services, either at school or practices held after class.
2. Managing Kids’ Dietary Habits – The necessity of feeding a large number of children means that the fare at daycare centers is likely to be processed, cafeteria-like food laden with chemical preservatives and fat. A professional nanny will prepare meals for the children in her care, and will adhere to any dietary guidelines you put in place.
3. Supporting Children Academically – If your kids are in the habit of doing homework right after school, you will almost certainly be at work when they return and attempt to do it. Young babysitters and workers at daycare centers may not have the inclination or the ability to help them academically, but many nannies offer tutoring as part of their services.
4. Never-Ending List of Household Chores – Nannies typically don’t perform any household chores that aren’t directly related to the care of her charges, but most will make exceptions to that rule for an increase in salary. Coming home to a clean house and a non-existent laundry pile allows you to devote the precious hours after work to spending quality time with your brood, rather than plunging headlong into housework the moment you return.
5. Managing Household Repairs and Maintenance – Most servicepeople and repair technicians will not enter an empty home, or perform their duties on the property when no one is home. Because your nanny is an adult who’s authorized to act on your behalf, much-needed repairs and maintenance work can be completed while you’re in the office, rather than shelling out extra for the same job at weekend rates.
6. Making Sure Kids Get the One-on-One Attention They Need – Kids need individual attention on a regular basis, which is something that they’ll be hard-pressed to find in a crowded daycare center. With a professional nanny, your kids will receive personalized care from a qualified and capable individual.
7. Encouraging Active Habits and Limiting Kids’ Screen Time – Under the care of an experienced nanny who understands the importance of active play and limited screen time, you can ensure that your kids escape the pitfalls of the sedentary lifestyle that’s becoming part of the new normal for today’s children.
8. Keeping Kids Healthy, and Caring For Them When They’re Not – Daycare centers will not accept a child with a fever or obvious signs of illness, leaving you to scramble for alternative childcare in the event of a cold or miss work to care for them yourself. Veteran nannies understand that caring for a sick child is part of their job description, meaning that you’ll be able to go to work knowing that your under-the-weather little one is in caring, capable hands.
9. Long Hours and Late Nights – A demanding career often leaves women in the office long after business hours, but daycare centers typically aren’t open much later than early evening. Late pick-up fees can be quite steep, but this irregular schedule also affects the routine that your child is accustomed to. Kids need structure, and a good nanny can provide that by keeping them in a familiar environment and minimizing any disruptions caused by your temporary absence.

“Nanny envy” and “mommy guilt” are phrases that are thrown around very often among working mothers and nannies, with moms feeling guilty about leaving their children behind to pursue their careers and worrying that they will eventually come to love and trust the nanny more than their own mother. It’s important to remember that these feelings are perfectly natural, and that even the very best nanny won’t, not will they try, to take your place in your kids’ hearts.

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