If you’re considering a career as a nanny, you’ve come to the right place. Understanding the job requirements, expectations, and necessary skills is crucial. This guide will navigate how to become a nanny, covering various options like travel, live-in, summer, and night nanny roles.
What is a nanny?
A nanny is a child care specialist who works in a family’s home to provide customized, personalized care for children. A nanny job may be full or part-time, and may or may not be a live-in nanny arrangement. The job requires a love of children and a genuine interest in their well-being, growth, and development.
5 steps to becoming a nanny
1. Build your background and skills
Nannies typically have previous experience caring for children. Either through babysitting or caring for their own kids—or by working with children as a teacher, counselor, nurse, or daycare provider. Typical characteristics include dependability, emotional maturity, high energy, and adaptability. Nannies should have the ability to focus on each child’s needs, provide a safe and stimulating environment, and remain patient and calm under pressure.
“In addition to understanding how to protect and enrich the lives of the children in their care, a professional nanny needs to be able to communicate effectively with his or her employers,” says Marcia Hall, first vice president for the International Nanny Association (INA). “Good nannies excel at caring for children, the great ones can also interact with the child’s parents with ease and honesty.”
2. Train and get certifications
Although no formal nanny training is mandatory, specialized classes and certifications will enhance your caregiving knowledge. As a result, this makes you appealing to parents seeking a nanny. These include:
- CPR and First Aid Certification— According to the INA, nearly 83% of nannies are CPR and First Aid Certified. You can find a class for training and certification (certification typically lasts only two years, so you may need to be re-certified) through the American Red Cross. They also offer Water Safety Education classes or the American Heart Association.
- Early Childhood Development and Education—It’s difficult to care for a child and meet his developmental needs without an awareness of typical development. You can find a course at a local community college by searching the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
- Newborn Care—Local hospitals provide basic newborn training classes. Whether that is diapering, bathing, infant behavior, sleep patterns, recognizing illness, or comforting techniques.
3. Know your duties
Just as no two families are the same, no two nanny jobs are exactly alike. Understanding a family’s unique needs is the key to becoming a successful nanny. From there, you know how to best use your skill set to nurture, care for, and manage childcare. Here are some typical duties:
- Attending to each child’s safety and needs.
- Planning and providing developmentally appropriate play and learning activities for children in and out of the home.
- Providing intellectual stimulation and helping older kids with homework.
- Providing necessary transportation to school and activities.
- Reinforcing the family’s rules and discipline techniques for the children when appropriate.
- Meal planning and preparation for the children.
- Basic household management related to the children, such as doing their laundry and keeping their belongings clean and organized.
- Traveling with the family.
4. Explore nanny specializations
There are several specialties—in addition to a general nanny who cares for one or more children. Specialty jobs typically require more experience and training and, therefore, offer higher pay.
A newborn nanny focuses on caring for infants during their early months. A multiples nanny specializes in looking after twins, triplets, or other multiples. Many families are also in need of nannies with in-depth expertise in caring for children with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, or developmental and physical disabilities.
Alternatively, you can explore opportunities as a temporary nanny, providing short-term or sick care.
5. Understand compensation
Nanny salaries vary based on location (bigger cities tend to pay higher wages), experience, job duties, and the number of children. An INA Salary and Benefits Survey shows that live-out nannies who work part-time are paid, on average, an hourly rate of $7.25 to $20 or more per hour. Full-time, live-out nannies earn a weekly salary of $350 to $1,000 or more. To see what caregivers are making in your area, view UrbanSitter’s latest child care pay rates survey. How often you are paid can also vary significantly based on the type of job:
Live-in nanny jobs: Receive a weekly or monthly salary, often including accommodations and meals, as they reside with the family.
Live-out nanny jobs: Typically paid an hourly wage for the hours they work and may be eligible for overtime pay if they exceed a certain number of hours.
Summer nanny jobs: Compensation varies, with some receiving a fixed salary for the summer or an hourly wage, especially if the position involves extended hours or travel.
Travel nanny jobs: Receive a combination of their regular salary and compensation. Travel-related expenses like lodging, meals, and transportation are typically included.
Night Nanny Jobs: Night nannies who assist with infants during nighttime hours may be paid hourly, on an overnight basis, or receive a fixed fee for the entire night.
Finding the Nanny Job That’s Right For You
A nanny job can be a rewarding, fun experience that provides you with the opportunity to have an impact on a child’s life. To find a nanny job that is right for you, have open and honest conversations with potential employers about job duties and expectations to be sure you are in sync. A good rapport is also essential for success. In that case, relationship.
Let family and friends know you are available, check local job boards, or sign up with UrbanSitter. Create a nanny profile to showcase your skills, experience, and availability so you can easily connect with parents searching for child care.
