Have you found the nanny of your dreams?Did the true Marry Poppins land in your house yet? If not, maybe you should ask yourself whether you’ve offered your nanny what today’s nannies look for… "Be a good boss,"

To learn how, look to your own workplace. Who do you consider a good boss, and why? What makes you loyal to your company? What does your employer do that upsets you? Your answers may provide insight into what your nanny needs to feel secure, appreciated and happy to work for you.

HAVE A HAPPY NANNY

• Offer your nanny a fair wage. Just as you wouldn't be happy earning a below-average salary at your own job, neither would your nanny. Depending on where you live, how many children you have, the nanny duties involved, and your nanny's experience and qualifications, the nanny salary can be anywhere from 350 to 500 pounds a week or more for 35 hours of work.

If you offer room and board, the range is a bit lower, from 250 to 350 a week. But if you plan to have your nanny work longer than eight hours a day or more than five days a week, you need to compensate her for that. To determine what a competitive nanny salary is in your area, ask nearby parents with nannies what they pay or contact the Royal Nannies agency, we are always happy to advise you on what you should be paying your nanny.

• Provide your nanny with good benefits. To ensure that your nanny stays, hammer out a sweet incentive package in your employment agreement, which should outline days off, paid holidays, and vacation time… Some parents provide a car for their nanny to drive. (Make sure she's covered by your car insurance.) Others offer to pay for classes at a community college or for a gym membership. If you're chipping in for health or car insurance, specify this in the nanny-contract.

Letting your nanny bring her own child to work is another benefit that will likely make her happier to work for you, but it isn't a reason to lower her compensation.

• Treat your nanny like a professional. Nanny job may be in a home instead of an office, but nannies take their job seriously, and so should you. If you're confident of her abilities, show it. Trust that she'll do a good job and don't second-guess your nanny’s decisions. If there's something that you'd like done differently, don't assume that she's wrong and you're right. Be respectful of her approach, and suggest without undermining her that you have your own particular way you'd like it done. Address any complaints or concerns you may have in a constructive manner. Avoid attacking her personally and stick to the issues at hand.

• Lay down ground rules and respect them. Remember, you want to hire a nanny to care for your children. She's not the housecleaner, so she shouldn't be asked to do extensive housework unless her nanny-contract - and her nanny salary - includes that expectation from the beginning. Don't ask your nanny to run errands unrelated to childcare unless she agrees to certain duties, such as picking up your dry cleaning, ahead of time in her nanny-contract. If nanny’s hours ends at 6 p.m., make sure you're home at that time (emergencies excepted). And if you have to ask her to stay late, compensate her fairly. Remember, your nanny has her own life, and if she doesn't live with you, she may have a family to go home to at the end of the day.

• Show your nanny some appreciation. Remember how good you feel when your employer tells you how important you are to your co-workers? Nannies, au pairs or babysitters need to hear the same thing. Nannies are doing a very important job for you, and it's important to tell them often how much you value them and the job they’re doing. Nannies will appreciate a thank-you note anytime they do something especially wonderful or bring them a small gift. If you've stopped at the market on the way home, bring your nanny some fresh fruit. If it's been a stressful week for all of you, a bottle of bubble bath would be a nice acknowledgement for your nanny. Celebrate your nanny’s birthday and other special events. She'll also be thrilled with an unexpected cash bonus for a job well done.

• Be flexible. Allow for some changes in your nanny's schedule, as long as she doesn't take advantage of this. Sometimes you have to take time off during the workday for doctor's appointments or other personal errands. So will your nanny.
As long as she gives you plenty of notice so you can find a substitute/ (our on call nannies are designed for this) or adjust your schedule, try to accommodate your nannies needs.

• Be communicative. Whether you have compliments or complaints, make sure you touch base with your nanny consistently and often. If she feels you're open to talking, she'll be more likely to approach you with her nanny ideas and concerns. "Be clear and communicate," says Martina, a part-time nanny from Royal Nannies. She suggests spending a few minutes at the beginning or the end of each day checking in. If you don't see your nanny in person every morning or you're too rushed to talk, try writing down your thoughts.
Many nannies tout the benefits of a written to-do list. Note what you want done, with the date you wrote it down and a "due date" if you need it done by a certain time. Leave a separate column where you can indicate the priority of the various items, so your nanny knows what to tackle first when she has a few free moments. Don’t forget a written “thank you” at the end of the list!

• Back your nanny up. If your nanny attempts to impose agreed-upon restrictions on your child, don't undermine her authority by reversing her decisions. After all, she's only doing what you asked her to do. And you need your child to respect your nanny's authority just as she does yours. Susan W., the former director of Royal Nannies says one nanny they placed through her nanny agency left the family she worked for because the parents took away her power to enforce the rules of the household. Although they had said the nanny could take away their child's swimming privileges if she misbehaved, they often changed their minds and let their daughter use the pool whenever the child complained to them. This kind of thing is confusing to a child and makes the nanny's job much harder.

• Be concerned about your nanny as a person, not just as your employee.

Nanny Job may be to care for your child, but your nanny also has her own life. If she's young, she needs time in the evenings to see people her own age. If she has a family of her own, don't keep her overtime any more than you have to or she'll feel like she has to choose between your children and her own. Sometimes it’s better to call an evening babysitter rather than having to ask your nanny for an evening babysitting after she had a busy day with your children. Without prying, find out a little bit about your nanny. Does she like music? Is she a movie fanatic? If she has children, ask to see their photos. The more you get to know your nanny, the more she'll feel like the important member of your family that she is.

• Respect your nanny’s privacy and teach your child to do the same. If you get a live in nanny - your nanny lives with you make sure everyone in your home knows that when the day is done, she's off-duty. Your nanny’s days off should be truly her own — no asking for last-minute household or babysitting help.
Communicate this to your child as well: For example, if your nanny has Sundays off, make sure your child knows that Sunday morning isn't the time to knock on her door and ask for breakfast.

OK, now you know what nannies look for when searching for the best nanny job. What do you need to look for when selecting your nanny.

We always search for nanny’s childcare experience, qualifications, attitude, ask to see references, speak to the references, go over a nanny questionnaire etc. Royal nannies will do all the hard work and background check for you…you might want to ask some questions when you meet her face to face.

NANNY INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

• Let the nanny tell you a bit about herself, her family and last nanny jobs.
• What does she like about being a nanny?
• what does the nanny think children like best about her?
• What kinds of activities would she do with our children?
• Why does the nanny enjoy working with children?
• What is the nanny’s discipline style? At what point would the nanny call an emergency?
• Does the nanny have any health related problems?
• Can your nanny cook? What would she cook for your child?
• How does the nanny feel about performing light housekeeping duties
• Will she be able to adjust her schedule if you need to stay late at work?
• What is your nanny’s relationship with her family like?
• What does the nanny like to do in her spare time? Are her friends nannies as well?
• Is there anything she could improve about herself?
• Why did the nanny leave your last nanny position?
• What is her nanny-salary expectation
• What would be her perfect nanny job?

Nannies! Nannies! Nannies!

Have any questions about nannies? Call Royal Nannies for free advice!