Dear DNB,
As our children are getting older and starting to go to school full time, we don’t necessarily need a “nanny” to watch the kids anymore. Still, my husband and I are extremely busy. We work every day, so we don’t want to lose the support of someone so helpful. What role can our nanny transition to?
Sincerely,
Busy Bee
Dear Busy Bee,
It sounds like you need a family assistant.
Think about your work. Do you have an assistant, an intern, or a secretary? Someone you can delegate tasks to, such as answering emails or scheduling meetings? This assistance at the office gives you time to do the important work that only you have the expertise for.
Family assistants offer parallel solutions. They are both the children’s nanny and the parents’ personal assistant. They’re part nanny, part assistant. While they have extensive nanny experience, they are capable of wearing many hats and being helpful in a variety of ways.
Your schedule is busy and your time is valuable, so if you have help in taking care of the little tasks, you’ll be able to focus on the important stuff. Your family assistant can drop the kids off at school and pick them up, do the grocery shopping, and schedule appointments. She can help handle the piles of laundry and keep the house tidy so that you can come home to a clean and relaxing environment.
If you set these expectations clearly, perhaps during a monthly review, then your nanny will smoothly transition to her new role.
Think about it: what tasks would you delegate so that you could spend more time doing what you love?
Love,
DNB