No other job involves as intimate a relationship with other people and their children as the nanny's job. Because nannies often live with their employers, it is important that they choose their employer with as much care as the employer chooses them. All necessary working conditions need to be negotiated at the time of hire. Nannies should be fair, flexible, and able to adapt to changes easily. Because nannies work in their employers' homes, their working conditions vary greatly. Some nannies are live-ins, sharing the home of their employer because of convenience or because of the number or age of children in the family. Newborn babies require additional care that may require the nanny to live on the premises.
It is also common for nannies to live with their families during the week and return to their homes on the weekends. When nannies live in the family's home, they usually have their own quarters or a small apartment that is separate from the rest of the family's bedrooms and offers some privacy. Sometimes the nanny's room is next to the children's room so it is possible for the nanny to respond immediately if help is needed.
Nannies who are not live-ins may expect to stay at the home for long periods of time, much longer than a traditional nine-to-five job. Since it often is the nanny's responsibility to put the children to bed in the evening, a nanny may not return home until late evening. Often nannies are asked to stay late or work weekends if the parents have other engagements.
The work of a nanny can often be stressful or unpleasant. Many employers expect their nannies to do things unrelated to their job, such as clean the house, run errands, walk dogs, or babysit for neighborhood children. Some employers may be condescending, rude, and critical. Some mothers, while they need and want the services of a nanny, grow resentful and jealous of the bonds the nanny forms with the children.
Nannies have very few legal rights with regard to their jobs and have little recourse to deal with unfair employers. Job security is very poor, as parents have less need for nannies as their children get older and start school. In addition, nannies are often fired with no notice and sometimes no explanation due to the whims of their employers. Leaving behind a job and the children they have taken care of and grown close to can be emotionally difficult for workers in this field.
The work is often strenuous, requiring a great deal of lifting, standing, and walking or running. The work is also mentally taxing, as young children demand constant attention and energy. However, it can be very rewarding for nannies as they grow close to the children, helping with their upbringing and care. In the best cases, the nanny becomes an integral part of the family he or she works for and is treated with professionalism, respect, and appreciation.