Whether your nanny is new or has been with your family for a while, it’s easy to fall into certain routines and habits in order to keep your home running smoothly. Although there is nothing wrong with maintaining consistency in your nanny’s schedule and duties, making sure – and allowing – your nanny to follow up with continuing childcare education is recommended for numerous reasons.

First and foremost, continuing education keeps your nanny excited about her job. Whether it’s a cooking class or an evening course related to child development, many of our nannies appreciate and enjoy learning more about the field they love. Similarly, a professional nanny is someone who wants to continue her childcare education, and often reveals just how dedicated a nanny is to her position.

Furthermore, continuing education allows you as a parent to help your nanny fine-tune certain skills you think she could brush up on. For example, paying for your nanny to attend an infant CPR class or car-seat installation course can give you the peace of mind knowing she is prepared should an emergency arrive. Beyond basic safety courses, perhaps you want your nanny to learn more about the phases and stages of toddlerhood, entering kindergarten, or dealing with difficult behavior. These types of courses are often available at your local community college or parent center. Please also remember that if you do ask your nanny to attend a course, offering to pay for the course is customary. In addition, some families choose to pay their nannies for her time taking these courses as an incentive.

In addition to outside courses, Westside Nannies is pleased to offer continuing education for all nannies, regardless of whether they have been placed through us or not. In recent years, we discovered a serious lapse in agencies providing ongoing support and education for their candidates, and have begun hosting events and workshops in the past year to provide nannies with an educational and social outlet pertaining specifically to private childcare.

Remember, the value of education starts in the home and communicating with your nanny that ongoing education is important to your family is key! Please refer to our Training and Events Page for upcoming classes and events!