Juggling life’s responsibilities as a parent can be difficult. You may be thinking that hiring a nanny will help make your life easier.
You are probably wondering, what is the job of a nanny and what can they do for your family? How do you even go about finding a good nanny and vetting their qualifications?
Let’s delve into the role of a nanny and the duties associated with this job.
What is the job description of a nanny?
The typical role of a nanny is to care for every aspect of the children’s needs, but can vary depending on a family’s needs.
Sometimes nanny duties include household chores amongst general child care.
Many nanny job duties include preparing meals, doing laundry, cleaning, and general care for the children.
The duties and responsibilities of a nanny differ depending on the requirements of a family, but a shared objective is creating a safe and nurturing environment for the children.
List of Common Duties for Nannies
The nanny’s role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities. Typical professional nanny duties include, but are not limited to:
- Grocery Shopping
- Preparing meals
- Children’s Laundry
- Cleaning & Light Housekeeping
- Helping kids with homework
- Providing entertainment for the children
- Transports children to and from school and activities
List of Other Nanny Tasks
Sometimes families need more from a nanny that the typical nanny duties. Some tasks on a nanny duties list may include:
- Taking care of pets
- Meal prep for the whole family
- Laundry for the whole family
- Cleaning entire home
- Staying overnight with children or during parent’s vacations
- Planning events for the children or family
- Errands like picking up laundry
How do these nanny responsibilities differ from Au Pairs?
Nanny tasks and duties can be similar to those of an Au Pair but there are some key differences. Au Pair duties can only include kid-related tasks like:
- Supervising children
- Playing with the children
- Preparing children’s meals
- Children’s laundry
- Cleaning up after children and children’s rooms
- Taking children to school and extracurricular activities
- Grocery shopping for the children
When doing an Au Pair vs nanny comparison, you’ll see that an Au Pair provides child care services like a nanny. However, they become part of your family, not just an employee.
Au Pairs offer a distinctive child care experience by sharing their culture with their Host Family.
The majority of Host Families believe that cultural exchange is crucial for a child’s growth. Your child can not only learn about another culture but can also learn a new language, right in your home!
How are nannies and Au Pairs regulated?
Nannies are typically a contracted worker that is seeking employment on their own. Sometimes a nanny can come from an agency.
A nanny and a family may sign a contract, but this may differ from person to person. Some nannies may work for a nanny agency and the agency would handle the contract. You may not know how long you will have a nanny for or what you will do if you are suddenly without child care.
Au Pairs in the U.S. are always part of a J1 visa sponsoring agency. They follow the rules set by the Department of State. The great thing about Au Pair rules is that they protect both the Host Family and the Au Pair. They also keep the program’s requirements clear for everyone involved.
Host Families and Au Pairs always sign an agreed upon contract to make sure the requirements are clear. Au Pairs usually work with a family for up to one year. They can extend their stay, allowing Host Families to keep the same Au Pair long term.
How much does a nanny cost, and how does that compare to an Au Pair?
A nanny usually sets their wage based on their experience and their responsibilities. These costs may vary based on your location and nanny expectations. Care.com says the average cost for a full time nanny caring for one child can average $766 per week, or about $19.15 per hour. The rates go up if care is needed for more than one child or for infants.
Au Pairs are paid a fixed stipend per week in addition to fees you pay to your Au Pair agency. The weekly stipend you pay an Au Pair does not change. It stays the same, no matter how many children they care for.
The cost of an Au Pair also does not change based on whether they care for infants or older kids. Host Families generally pay about $405 per week or $8.98 per hour for an Au Pair.
How flexible are nannies and Au Pairs?
Families will usually have to work around a nanny’s availability. A nanny may not have the availability to be flexible and will require a fixed schedule. Au Pairs are able to work up to 45 hours per week, 10 hours per day. Your Au Pair will be living in your home which gives you flexibility for child care needs.
How do you choose the right fit for your family?
When a family looks for a nanny, they need to check the nanny’s personality and qualifications carefully. Au Pair agencies pre-screen Au Pairs for their child care experience, background check, driver’s license, health report, and more. Host families can relax, knowing they have taken care of the basics. They just need to find the right fit for their child care needs.
Finding the right fit for your family’s child care needs is vital and Go Au Pair is here to help! We can help you decide if an Au Pair is right for your family. We will also help you find the perfect Au Pair to match with. Register now to start viewing Au Pairs for free!
