Nanny questions to ask family: 32 questions every nanny should ask during an interview
32 questions every nanny should ask during an interview
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It goes without saying that, when you score an interview for a nanny job, you want to bring your A-game. However, even though you’re, technically speaking, the one in the hot seat, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t come armed with a list of questions of your own. You do, after all, want to know what you’re potentially getting into.
“Asking questions is absolutely paramount for nannies during an interview,” says professional nanny of over 30 years Stella Reid, AKA Nanny Stella. “Just as the family is deciding if you are the right fit for them, you should be assessing if the family is the right fit for you.”
“Just as the family is deciding if you are the right fit for them, you should be assessing if the family is the right fit for you.
”
Stella Reid, AKA Nanny Stella, professional nanny
In addition to doing recon on whether the job itself is a good match and personalities mesh, right now, there’s the added layer of a pandemic. You want to learn upfront whether the family you may be working closely with is taking precautions with which you’re comfortable.
“The interview is time to have radical transparency and open communication — especially in the age of COVID,” says Michelle LaRowe, lead educator at NannyTraining.com and author of “Nanny to the Rescue!” “You want to make sure you’re accepting a job with a family you can trust and with whom you feel safe.”
Wondering what questions you should ask parents during an interview? Here are 32 questions to ask when interviewing for a nanny job, according to Reid and LaRowe:
General questions about the job
- What are you looking for in a nanny?
- What are the hours?
- How long of a commitment are you seeking?
- What are the daily duties?
- What did you like about your previous nannies and what are you looking to change?
- Do you travel? If so, would you require me to travel with you? If not, will there be responsibilities while you are gone?
Questions about the kids
- Do the children have allergies or any other health concerns?
- Do the children require any specialized care?
- What personality style or temperament do your children connect with best?
- What does the kids’ typical day look like?
Questions about compensation
- What is the wage and benefits being offered?
Obviously, this is something you, rightly, want to know, but LaRowe doesn’t recommend leading with these questions.
“Asking this question before seeing if you are a potential match can be a real turn off to parents who want a caregiver that expresses interest in their children before money,” she explains. “Plus, it’s a moot point if you’re not interested in the job.”
- How do you run the payroll?
- Will you be issuing a W-2 and handling taxes?
Questions about parenting style
- What is your discipline philosophy?
- What values do you want to instill in your children?
- Do you adhere to a specific parenting style?
- What model of care do you envision?
“If you are a nanny who’s used to running the show, you likely won’t do well in a position that requires you to stay in the house and be micromanaged,” notes LaRowe.
Questions about home life
- Do you have pets?
- Do you have a pool?
- Is there any other household staff?
- Will I be using my vehicle or yours to transport the children?
- Do you work inside or outside of the home?
Finally, LaRowe recommends asking potential employers if there’s anything they’d like you to know about their family at the end of the interview.
“Following this question with a long pause is going to get you answers to questions you would never have thought to ask” she explains.
Health questions
- Do you take the flu shot?
- Are you up to date on other immunizations, including whooping cough?
Questions about COVID safety and risk
The pandemic isn’t over, and every job-seeking nanny should feel empowered to ask questions in order to assess potential risks. The Association of Premier Nanny Agencies (APNA) has developed a COVID Risk Tolerance Scale that can help nannies and families identify their COVID Risk Factor. According to LaRowe, asking where a family falls on the scale can help match you with a family who practices the same or similar level of COVID precautions.
According to LaRowe, here are questions to ask when searching for a job during the pandemic:
- Have you gotten the COVID vaccine? If not, are you and the eligible children planning on getting one?
- Do you work in high-risk exposure jobs?
- What is the plan if someone in the family is exposed to or diagnosed with COVID? And will I be paid if asked to quarantine?
- What are the expectations if I’m exposed?
- Am I expected to wear a mask during work hours, and will the family, including children over 2 years old, be wearing masks?
- Am I expected to get regular COVID tests?
- Will the schedule or my job duties shift if schools close or go virtual at any point?
- What outings and social activities are acceptable for the children?
Read more: 10 COVID-era questions nannies should ask before caring for kids
“It’s important to understand the family’s COVID precautions and action plan when you’re interviewing, not after you’ve accepted the job,” explains LaRowe.
“This way, you can gauge your comfort level and consider whether or not it’s a good fit.”
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32 questions every nanny should ask during an interview
What can we help you find?
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It goes without saying that, when you score an interview for a nanny job, you want to bring your A-game. However, even though you’re, technically speaking, the one in the hot seat, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t come armed with a list of questions of your own. Asking questions is absolutely paramount for nannies during an interview. Just as the family is deciding if you are the right fit for them, you should be assessing if the family is the right fit for you.
In addition to doing recon on whether the job itself is a good match and personalities mesh, right now, there’s the added layer of a pandemic.
You want to learn upfront whether the family you may be working closely with is taking precautions with which you’re comfortable. The interview is time to have radical transparency and open. You want to make sure you’re accepting a job with a family you can trust and with whom you feel safe.
Wondering what questions you should ask parents during an interview? Here are 32 questions to ask when interviewing for a nanny job:
General questions about the job
- What are you looking for in a nanny?
- What are the hours?
- How long of a commitment are you seeking?
- What are the daily duties?
- What did you like about your previous nannies and what are you looking to change?
- Do you travel? If so, would you require me to travel with you? If not, will there be responsibilities while you are gone?
Questions about the kids
- Do the children have allergies or any other health concerns?
- Do the children require any specialized care?
- What personality style or temperament do your children connect with best?
- What does the kids’ typical day look like?
Questions about compensation
- What is the wage and benefits being offered?
Obviously, this is something you, rightly, want to know, but it isn’t recommended leading with these questions.
Asking this question before seeing if you are a potential match can be a real turn off to parents who want a caregiver that expresses interest in their children before money. Plus, it’s a moot point if you’re not interested in the job.
- How do you run the payroll?
- Will you be handling taxes?
Questions about parenting style
- What is your discipline philosophy?
- What values do you want to pass on to your children?
- Do you adhere to a specific parenting style?
- What model of care do you envision?
If you are a nanny who’s used to running the show, you likely won’t do well in a position that requires you to stay in the house and be micromanaged.
Questions about home life
- Do you have pets?
- Do you have a pool?
- Is there any other household staff?
- Will I be using my vehicle or yours to transport the children?
- Do you work inside or outside of the home?
At the end of the interview, ask potential employers if there’s anything they’d like you to know about their family.
Following this question with a long pause is going to get you answers to questions you would never have thought to ask.
Health questions
- Do you take the flu shot?
- Are you up to date on other immunizations, including whooping cough?
Questions about COVID safety and risk
The pandemic isn’t over, and every job-seeking nanny should feel empowered to ask questions in order to assess potential risks. Here are questions to ask when searching for a job during the pandemic:
- Have you gotten the COVID vaccine? If not, are you and the eligible children planning on getting one?
- Do you work in high-risk exposure jobs?
- What is the plan if someone in the family is exposed to or diagnosed with COVID? And will I be paid if asked to quarantine?
- What are the expectations if I’m exposed?
- Am I expected to wear a mask during work hours, and will the family, including children over 2 years old, be wearing masks?
- Am I expected to get regular COVID tests?
- Will the schedule or my job duties shift if schools close or go virtual at any point?
- What outings and social activities are acceptable for the children?
It’s important to understand the family’s COVID precautions and action plan when you’re interviewing, not after you’ve accepted the job.
This way, you can gauge your comfort level and consider whether or not it’s a good fit.
Like what you’re reading?
Join Care for FREE
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Click ‘Next’ to start an account and get tips, tricks and trending stories.
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Welcome to Care!
You’re on your way to finding someone your family will love.
Start now
What questions to ask when choosing a nanny or housekeeper?
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Tell us about your previous job? Why did you leave her? 
Tell us about your previous job? Why did you leave her? 
Tell us about your previous job? 
..” How to let a nanny into the family: advice from a psychologist
Before looking for a nanny, a mother should think about what kind of person she would like to see next to her child: what is acceptable in his behavior and character, and what is definitely not.
Young mothers have a strong intuition, it is important to listen to it. Sometimes it’s hard to explain why this or that nanny is not suitable – and that’s okay.
Decide in advance what the nanny’s responsibilities are: does she need to come for a walk with the child or for the whole day? Maybe you want her to entertain and develop the baby during his waking hours? Write down: whether you have to heat or cook food, wash or clean toys. The nanny needs to understand how much work awaits her.
Child or mother – who should like a nanny?
Of course, she must meet all the requirements of her mother. However, the behavior and attitude of the child is also taken into account. It is necessary to observe whether communication with the nanny gives him joy, whether he is waiting for a meeting, whether he is hiding when she appears on the threshold.
If you like several candidates at once, leave the choice to the child. A friend of mine suggested that her son, at the age of 2, approach one of the three girls she selected, which he liked the most.
The child held out his hands to the young woman. In the future, the mother was not disappointed in the choice of the baby.
Interview with a nanny: what to look for
To get started, carefully read the nanny’s resume. Evaluate the experience, how long and where she worked. See if she washed her hands when she came to your house. Was she able to immediately get in touch with the child, and after how long did he begin to communicate with her.
Here are the most important questions to ask to make sure that the candidate is competent and adequate:
What do you do if the child does not want to sleep/eat/walk? Punish? If so, how? (So you will know the style of parenting that the nanny adheres to).
What can you tell us about the families you worked for? (For example, I don’t like it when nannies talk about former employers or their children in a negative way).
Do you agree to work under surveillance cameras? (You need to understand whether the nanny is ready for control and criticism).
Acquaintance and the first days with a nanny
Be sure to introduce the nanny to your baby. Explain who it is, how much time she will spend with him, where you will go.
Tell the nanny about the child’s daily routine, what he eats, if he has any allergies, what vitamins and medicines he takes. Discuss all activities related to care and upbringing – the nanny should follow your terms, and not vice versa!
The first days are best spent together with the child and the nanny to make sure they are compatible. Listen from another room to all interactions and evaluate: how the nanny is coping, how the child reacts to her. Then leave them alone for 2-3 hours, after 3-5 days increase the time to 6-8 hours.
The child must trust the nanny and recognize her authority. However, the main thing in the family is still the parents. If the nanny begins to “be friends against mom” or contradict mom’s attitudes, it’s better to part with her.
If you notice something strange in the nanny’s behavior, tell her right away.