Hiring Guide: Nanny Job Duties and Responsibilities
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Typical Qualifications & Requirements
We’ve previously discussed Nanny Salaries in South Florida. Now, you may ask yourself, “what does a nanny do?” That varies depending on the part of the country/world you live in. In this section, we will cover nanny job duties and responsibilities that are typical with South Florida nannies. Let’s start with some basic qualifications that an ideal Nanny should have.
- At minimum, a high school graduate
- Verifiable, non-family-member experience caring for children
- Training in early childhood education
- First aid training and child and infant CPR
- Reliable transportation, Driver’s License, auto insurance, and safe driving history
- Authorization to work in the U.S.
- English proficiency
- Reliable, honest, and trustworthy
- Physical ability to care for a young child
- Ability to plan, organize, and multitask with minimal supervision
Typical Nanny Job Duties
The nanny job duties listed below are a generalized list. As you can see, nannies handle everything related to the children and child-related cleaning. However, every family is different. Your family may or may not need all of these or your family may need more! That is why having all expectations noted in a Work Contract is so important. And, if you hire an agency to find a Nanny, this can help you navigate the process.
Below is a list of the typical job duties for a full-time Nanny:
- Create a stimulating, nurturing, and safe environment for the children
- Supervise the children’s activities at all times
- Plan and prepare meals and bottles for, and feed, the children
- Dress the children
- Place the children down for naps and bedtime
- Bathe the children
- Change diapers
- Potty train the children
- Perform housework related to child care, including washing the children’s clothes, cleaning up after meals, tidying play areas, and washing bottles
- Teach the children good social manners
- Play with the children, both indoors and outdoors
- Plan and lead educational activities, including reading, with the children
- Discipline the children, when necessary
- Drive the children to and from activities
- Administer medicine to the children
Custodial v/s Whole Child Care
The distinction between a babysitter and a nanny lies in the level of care provided. A babysitter primarily supervises a child with limited emphasis on directed stimulation or child development. They might hang out around the house and put on the TV. However, what a nanny does is much more involved. Nanny’s typically become an extension of you. They plan and conduct activities and adventures that actively contribute to the child’s social, emotional, and cognitive growth.
Additionally, a professional nanny dedicates time each week to work on various developmental areas, including small and large motor skills, dressing, potty training, reading, counting, artistic activities like finger painting, outdoor walks, and fostering social interactions. The focus of a nanny’s job duties extends beyond mere supervision, encompassing a holistic approach to the child’s overall well-being and development.
A note about housekeeping job duties.
Please note that many families may also need house cleaning duties, however, not every nanny is skilled at housekeeping that is not related to the children. Most nannies only provide childcare because the quality of care can be diminished by the distraction of household cleaning such as deep-cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming and mopping floors, ironing, dusting, and organizing storage. We offer services for both nannies and housekeepers. Read about our comprehensive services here.
Summary
The Hiring Guide for Nanny Job Duties and Responsibilities, focused on South Florida, provides insights into the qualifications and duties expected. Basic qualifications include being a high school graduate, having childcare experience, and training in early childhood education. What nannies do and the typical nanny duties encompass creating a nurturing environment, meal preparation, and various child-related tasks. As you’ve seen, this guide emphasizes individual family needs, advocating for comprehensive work contracts.
Key Takeaways
- Most professional nannies have a minimum of 5 years of recent, verifiable, non-family member childcare experience.
- Nannies will typically only handle duties related to the children including child-related meal prep and clean up.
- Nannies do not generally perform housekeeping or deep cleaning duties.
- A nanny, in contrast to a babysitter, actively engages in planning and conducting activities to enhance a child's social, emotional, and cognitive development, dedicating time to various developmental areas.
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