Tips on Timeliness for New York City Nannies and Babysitters
As an experienced New York Nanny or Babysitter, probably the most harrowing part of a childcare job is the commute itself. The children are adorable. The trains? Not so much. But when a family schedules you, whether you’re their occasional babysitter or their full-time nanny, they are counting on you to arrive at the scheduled start time (even if there was a sick passenger on the train). Here are a few tips to keep in mind so you’re always running on time.
Map your travel route well in advance
When mapping your route, make sure you are doing so for the time your job will actually occur. Depending on the time of day, map routes can dramatically change. If you are using your own transportation to get to a job, be sure to leave early enough to factor in traffic and parking. Sometimes parking alone can add an extra 30-40 minutes or more to travel time. Because you never can tell with public transit, we always suggest leaving extra early. The longer the commute, the more buffer time you need. Aim to arrive 10-15 minutes early for every job, that way, you'll always have a little extra time in case something does go sideways. Leave even earlier when working with a family for the very first time, since first impressions really do go a long way.
Arrive early so you’re ready to “start” at the start time.
Allow a few minutes to settle in, conduct proper greetings, wash your hands, and chat with the kids. While you may sometimes need to simply high-five the parents as you walk in and they walk out, an early arrival will set the grown-up minds at ease, giving them a few extra minutes to prepare for whatever it is they are doing, and to run down the details of the day so far (ie, who needs a snack, who hasn’t pooped yet, who woke up on the wrong side of the bed, what the food plan is, etc).
When despite your best efforts, you are running late…
Be transparent and communicative with the family and our Smart Sitting office. We’ve all been there - running late is the worst, but it happens to the best of us at times. Be sure to email, text, or call the family and keep everyone in the loop.
We work with top nannies in New York City and beyond and have been supporting childcare professionals for almost a decade. If you’re interested in joining our network, send us your application today. We can’t wait to hear from you.
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