Trialing London Nannies

Trialing a nanny before offering him/her a permanent position is always a wise choice.  It is up to your discretion as to whether or not you would like to host the nanny for a half or full day trial.  It is a common practice to pay the nanny for the hours you request his/her presence at the standard market rate. 

If your child(ren) will be at nursery or school for most of the day, invite the nanny to arrive at your home an hour or so before you need to pick up the children.  This will ensure you have some time to sit down and get to know your potential new nanny a bit more.  The right nanny is often someone who is highly experienced and adores your children, but also someone you know you will be able to develop a communicative relationship. 

You many want to start the trial day off by giving the nanny a tour of your home, indicating where you keep the daily essentials.  Take the nanny through your regular routine.   How does the nanny cope?  Does he/she seem like a natural?  Does the nanny ‘muck in’ when needed?  Does the nanny ask useful questions about the children’s schedules, eating and sleeping habits and allergies?

On a nanny’s trial day, it is very normal for the children to defer to you as the authority figure even if you’ve passed the torch to the nanny for the time being.  This is not necessarily a bad thing.  It is completely natural for children to test the waters with new people around – it’s how the nanny responds that matters most.

If your children immediately take to the nanny, then that’s a fantastic sign!  Your instincts will be your best guide.