So many times, we misconstrue the meaning to some regular words. The definition of who a nanny is not clear to the people who require the services of a nanny. We bring clarity to this as we show you the different types of nannies.
A nanny is an individual who provides care for one or more children in a family as a service. Professional nannies are said to be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, qualified in first Aid and have a degree or extensive training in child development.
When deciding to engage the services of a nanny, you must decide and communicate in clear terms all you expect and require the nanny to do.
We have different types of nannies and as a parent, you need to decide the one that fits very well into your own schedule.• Live-in Nannies: This type of nanny is available 24 hours a day, unless their employment contract states otherwise. Typically, a live-in nanny is responsible for the entire care of the children of their employers.Live in nannies have an expected resumption time and close of work schedule. Parents especially mothers need to know that the nanny cannot work 4am to 1am daily and get very little sleep, after a while she will not be able to function effectively.
• Live-Out Nannies: A live out nanny generally shares the same duties as a liv- in nanny, with the exception that once their working day is over, thechildren are once again their parents’ responsibility.
• Mother’s Helper (Job Description) – A mother’s helper or parent’s helper works alongside a mother or parent to help provide care for the children. Though the mother’s helper will often be responsible for carrying out many of the designated tasks on her own, she typically works under close supervision. Since a parent is usually present with a mother’s helper, the experience required of a mother’s helper may be less extensive. We have discovered over time that this type of nanny is what an average Nigerian mother is looking for, because a mother’s helper is required to do everything that mummy is expected to do at home (house chores and child care).
• Newborn Specialist (Job Description) – Newborn care specialists are called upon to help new parents care for their newborns. Newborn care specialists typically come into the home for several weeks after a child is born and help the parents develop healthy eating, sleeping and care routines. Many newborn care specialists function as parent educators, teaching parenting proper and accepted baby care techniques. They are responsible for all the tasks related to the baby’s care, including bottle preparation (if needed), baby laundry and nursery organization.
The Housekeeper
The term housekeeper is another word most people misinterpret and they expect their housekeeper to act as their nanny. This brings us to the question – who is a housekeeper?
“A housekeeper is a person employed to manage a household. the housekeeper is second in command in the house and except in large establishments, where there is a house steward, the housekeeper must consider herself as the immediate representative of her mistress”.Sometimes, the housekeeper is also called a maid.
The Job Description of a HousekeeperThe Housekeeper is responsible for making sure all assigned areas of the home are hygienic, spotless, and organized always. This includes any indoor household cleaning and organizing tasks as signed by the employer and may regularly include cleaning “projects” (e.g., cleaning and organizing a messy closet).
Typical responsibilities include vacuuming, dusting, laundry, mopping and waxing floors and changing and laundering linen. Some housekeeper/maid positions also require cooking or food preparation and heavy cleaning, like cleaning windows and furniture. The responsibilities should be specified early in the interview process to ensure the candidate is willing to tackle the tasks required. Housekeepers have the basic responsibility of keeping the establishment they work for clean, stocked with supplies and well-maintained.
Housekeepers work in various locations. They are employed in hotels, businesses, nonprofit organizations, museums, sports arenas and private homes. Their duties and responsibilities vary depending on their employer’s needs.