The One Skill You Cannot Afford to Overlook to Grow as a Professional Nanny
If you’re currently a nanny or thinking of becoming a nanny, this post is for YOU!
We know it can be incredibly frustrating when you feel unheard, ignored or misunderstood in your job, and working as a nanny is no different.
But did you know that the root of your frustration and stress may have something to do with how you communicate with your employers and coworkers?
Hear us out.
Nannies need to have solid childcare experience and abilities, of course, but they also need to have excellent COMMUNICATION SKILLS to do their job well and to grow in their nanny career.
WHY IS HAVING EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION SKILLS SO IMPORTANT FOR NANNIES?
We believe that nannies perform an invaluable service that allows parents to work, catch up on house chores, have downtime and basically have balance in their lives. To do their job well, nannies must be able to confidently and effectively communicate with both parents and children.
Communication is part of the job
Nannies communicate with both children and families as part of their job.
They speak with parents daily to learn about the children, their childcare style, their preferences, the children’s schedule, etc.
Nannies give feedback and recommendations about the children to their parents, and they also receive feedback from the parents about their childcare performance.
Likewise, nannies communicate with children, listening and speaking with them in a way that supports their needs using age-appropriate strategies.
Use the right communication tool
Nannies need to be proficient in using different communication tools/platforms according to the situation and purpose:
-In-person meetings for important and timely conversations
-Telephone calls when promptness and clarity are required
-Texting for quick, less important exchanges
-Email for more formal requests or exchanges
Poor communication leads to misunderstandings and low job satisfaction
In our experience working with both nannies and families since 2001, we’ve learned that at the core of virtually ALL nanny-parent work tensions is a lack of clear and EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION between both parties.
Whether it’s miscommunication, misunderstandings, or unresolved issues, poor communication can directly contribute to a nanny feeling unhappy in their job and/or a family being frustrated with the nanny.
HOW DOES EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION HELP NANNIES?
Effective communication is a MUCH NEEDED SKILL that can be learned, practiced and developed over time.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION can help you:
-create and build trust between you and the family you work with
-deepen the connections you build with parents and children
-improve your social, emotional and mental health
IMPROVE YOUR NANNY COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN 4 STEPS
Here's how you can take action and improve your communication skills right away:
1. Before any interaction, think about who you're speaking or writing to and tailor your message accordingly whether it’s a nanny agency, a recruiter, parents, or kids.
2. Practice active listening by giving your FULL ATTENTION to the person you're communicating with - whether it's in person, by phone, email or text.
3. Communicate your message clearly with kindness and empathy.
4. Use the right medium for your message. Quick, non-urgent messages can be exchanged via text or email. More important messages should be conveyed by telephone or in person.
If you found these tips helpful, share them with a fellow nanny!
Looking for a rewarding career as a professional Nanny in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto or Ottawa? Join our pool of extraordinary, professional Nannies for our in-home Babysitting service! Get started here.
We can also help you find permanent nanny positions via our sister site dedicated to full and part-time Nanny placements, The Nanny Solution.