Tips For Working With At-Home Parents

Having a parent in the home can be great when input is needed, but it can also disrupt the day because children begin to focus on the present parent. Here are some tips to help manage the day:

Establish a good report with your employer. This is critical. If a parent will be home during the day, the parent and the caregiver must have a comfortable, yet professional, relationship. Both adults must enjoy one another's company. And it is important to know how to complement each other when dealing with the children.

Know expectations of role. Is the nanny there to assist the at-home parent or is she there to take charge as the primary caregiver during the day?

Set boundaries. Prior to starting the position, speak with the parent to find out where the parent will be working. It's great for the nanny to understand what areas of the house are off limits so the parent can concentrate.

Plan outside of the living space. When parents are home, children may want to flock to them and become upset if they know the parent is close but they cannot be with them. It's good practice to plan the day as if the parent is not in the home. Go to work, spend a few minutes going over the daily routine with the parent and child present, and then have the child say their goodbyes to the parents just as if they were going to work. Plan activities outside of the home or in areas of the home where parents cannot be seen. This will help the children from becoming distracted by a parent.

Communicate professionally. When working with an at-home parent, it is easy to become overly comfortable and share more personal information than you would if the parent was less present. It's important to be friendly, but remain profssional. Personal information stays at home!