5 Questions a Nanny Should Ask Potential Families

Interviewing for any nanny job is tricky; on one hand, you want to showcase your skills as a caregiver and as an employee who could fit in nicely and easily with a family. But on the other hand, you want to know if said family is one you can connect with and would feel comfortable around.

Coming right out and asking, “What is your parenting style?” may not yield the truthful response you need to determine if you’re a good match. Parents may have a skewed perception of their own parenting style. They may see themselves as strict, but then give in quickly when a toddler asks for a new toy. Or they may consider themselves laid back and easy going only to have a mild heart attack when their little one approaches the “big kids’” slide at the playground. 

If you’re meeting with a family, here are the five questions a nanny should pose in the interview to help identify 

1. “What are you looking for in a nanny? “

Remove yourself from the equation for the moment and ask the parents to describe their ideal candidate, their Mary Poppins. Consider their response and how much it resonates with your personality and character traits. 

2. “What would you need me to help you with?”

Similar to the question above, the parents’ answer will inform how much support they need from you-- which can tip you off to how much you can exercise your nannying style versus their parenting style. Are they new parents and relying heavily on someone with more childcare experience to be their de facto expert? Or are they hoping their nanny can be the primary disciplinarian and wrangle their wild bunch? 

3. “Describe a typical day with your child.”

This will give you insight into their day-to-day household norms and offer a glimpse into how your days with the family will likely run. Moreover, this will give you a good indication of how structured the family’s days are. Are they pretty laissez-faire with the toddler’s nap times? Or are the days packed with baby yoga and karate classes?

4. “How would you react to… “

Offering common scenarios that any parent, guardian, or caregiver would incur is a great place to start and compare notes on responses. Here are some hypothetical situations you could ask:

• What would you do if your toddler refused to eat the broccoli served at lunch?

• How would you respond if your baby starts crying immediately after you put them down for a nap?

• If your child takes a toy from another child at the playground, how would you react?

• When your little one takes a tumble, what do you do?

• How would you handle a temper tantrum at the playground versus at home?

If the parents’ responses differ from how you’d handle the situation, share your perspective and ask them how they feel about that alternative approach. This will allow you to gauge their flexibility and open-mindedness with your parenting style, too.

Alternatively, if the responses are wildly different or the parents seem pretty fixed on their disciplining approach, this may be an indication that this will not be a good fit. 

5. “What would my responsibilities be outside of child care?”

This point should be outlined in the job description, but it’s worth clarifying whether household chores (like emptying the dishwasher or running a load of laundry) would fall under your purview in addition to looking after the kiddos. 

And if you want to be more preared for the interview or if you’re a family meeting with candidates, check out our list of “5 Must-Ask Questions in a Nanny Interview.”