Nanny Relationship Advice

Some of you might not know that Founder Susan Fox has her Ph. D. in Communication (from a gazillion years ago). She still teaches a graduate level Interpersonal Communication Course at NYU every so often and at the end of the semester I hand out a documnet called, "Doc Fox's Lessons for Better Communication."

When she mentions it to people they say they'd love to see it. So here it is; raw, un-prettied up, and for your knowledge. So come sit

It's inevitable that your childcare needs will change as your kids grow older or work schedules change. But what can you do to still keep your nanny? According to PSP Nanny Survey Data, only 12% of nannies transition into the afterschool pick up. Here are some words of wisdom from PSP members who have changed their nanny's job description over time.

This article contains a summary and the advice from two discussions on the PSP advice forum.

Conducting performance reviews for your nanny is essential for maintaining a positive working relationship.  Park Slope Parents recommends having a review with a new nanny at one month, three months, and yearly (near or on the nanny’s official hiring date). If there are areas you know that you’d like improvement, we hope that you’ve been logging those and bringing them up already so it won’t come as a shock to the nanny. If things are generally going

Working moms talk about how their baby adjusted to nanny and overcoming baby’s separation anxiety.

Frequently asked questions about the nanny relationship, answered.

This article looks at what PSP members pay their nanny when they need childcare overnight. You will find what members revealed in the most recent Nanny Survey (2015) and shared across our groups.

This article talks through the ins and outs of what you need to know and the steps you need to take for terminating your caregiver.

This section talks you through making a final decision, final offer, and orienting your new nanny.

Interested in a Nanny Share?

Hopefully some of these questions will be easy to answer if you’ve been having frequent, open conversations with your nanny about how they’re doing, whether they’ve been sick, and their family situation.

 Transitioning your nanny from being full-time to part-time is a frequently talked about issue with our members. Whether the kiddo(s) are starting school, daycare, or preschool, the transition can raises a lot of questions about pay, expectations, and more as you can piece together many different arrangements. This article summarizes the advice and multiple perspectives of parents who dealt with this change: some kept their nanny full-time in a

What PSP members think about a nanny bringing their child with them to work.

Lots of you are sending your kids to school in the fall and your nanny is transitioning to a child attending pre-school, Pre-K, Kindergarten and beyond…

Hurricanes, blizzards, and foul weather forecasts: oh my! Bad weather can wreak havoc: transport halts, schools close, and work schedules get rearranged. What happens to your nanny? Maybe you don’t need your nanny to come in anymore, or your nanny can’t get to work because the subway stopped or their own, personal childcare needs fall through. Do you pay your nanny for the day off? Or do you not pay? Here PSP members share their experiences.

Wondering what to expect your nanny is expecting? What do you do when your nanny is pregnant? How do you manage maternity leave? Or what if they want to bring their baby to work? PSP members share how they handled their caregiver expecting their own little one.

A PSP member's nanny asked if she could go to the gym while she was working. Members discuss the pros and cons of giving a nanny this perk.

Wondering what to do when there is unanticipated "time off" and you find yourself *not really* needing your nanny to come in?

Love and adore your nanny, but hate that they're late? PSP members debate this dilemma.

 This question comes up frequently on Park Slope Parents: "When we hired our nanny we told her that she would get 2 weeks paid vacation. It now turns out she may get around 5 weeks as we will be away for a lot of the summer. How have folks dealt with the situation?"

More than anything Park Slope Parents wants to help those who employ nannies to develop and maintain positive relationships with their nannies. To that end we're re-posting an abridged version of some of the information that we have on the PSP website about communication, compensation, respect, and appreciation that will help you build a strong relationship that begins and ends well.

Wondering when you should give your nanny a raise?

Have a Nanny? Here are the ins and outs of year-end bonuses.