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THE SAFETY OF OUR PROVIDERS AND THE FAMILIES THEY SERVE IS OUR TOP PRIORITY. LEARN HOW.
As a nanny, your role may shift during the holiday season. Children who usually are at school for part of the day are suddenly home. Parents might request you to stay longer on nights when they have holiday parties or dinners to attend. Grandparents and other guests might feel awkward around you.
Then, there’s the fact that you want some time to spend with your family and loved ones too!
Navigating the holidays can be challenging for both families and nannies, but it doesn’t have to be stressful. We have some suggestions to help you and your family enjoy a stress-free holiday season. After all, this should be a season of magic, not misery!
Use these ideas to keep things running smoothly all holiday season long.
Stick to routines (as much as possible)
It is shockingly easy for kids to fall off their routines when they’re out of school. So to make things more manageable for everyone, do your best to keep them on a schedule.
This includes waking them up around the same time each morning and not letting them stay up too late. It also means limiting the number of sweets and treats they eat. Junk food plus a lack of sleep is guaranteed to equal cranky kids.
Work with visiting grandparents
Grandparents can be difficult for nannies for a lot of reasons. Some grandparents don’t value the care and services a nanny can provide and therefore don’t pay them a lot of respect. Other grandparents may be jealous of the nanny and unknowingly do things to make their lives difficult.
If grandparents are in town, be open when you communicate with them. Include them in all of your plans with the children, and let them make suggestions for how to spend the day. Let the grandparents know what the routine is, and print off a daily schedule, so they know what to expect. Let them fill in the gaps as much as possible so they can get quality time with their grandchildren.
Help pack the children up for traveling
If your family is traveling for the holidays, offer to help the children with their packing. Pack extras of essentials like diapers, wipes, and underwear. Include an extra Ziploc storage back for any clothes that might get dirty as the family travels to their destination.
Voice any concerns or questions early
Even the most laid-back family can get stressed out during the holiday season, especially if curveballs are thrown at them at the last minute. This is why keeping consistent communication with your family is so important.
So, if you have any concerns or questions about it, voice them sooner rather than later. This gives your family time to think and respond to you. For example, if you will need time off, request it as soon as possible so they can make alternative care arrangements.
Create a calendar to stay organized
It can be helpful for both you and your family to have a shared calendar that lists all the additional dates you will be needed. Take the initiative to create one, then ask your family to check it and add any other events.
Include any time off that you have previously discussed with them so they can remember that you will be unavailable for those dates and times. Ask for specifics about what your responsibilities will be during things like house parties or family gatherings.
No matter what you celebrate, we hope that this holiday season will be magical and stress-free for you and your family. The tips listed above should help you communicate with your family so that you are all on the same page about what the holiday season will look like this year.
If you are an experienced nanny who is looking for a family, we can help! Fill out an application today, and a member of the At Ease team will be with you shortly.
