All About Travel Nannies (Hiring and Becoming!)
Taking a vacation may not feel relaxing when you have little ones running the show! Vacation nannies provide a much-needed relief from day-to-day parental responsibilities and give parents time alone with each other. We can assist with finding nannies for vacations lasting 3 weeks or longer, and for shorter vacations on a case-by-case basis, and we do charge an up-front retainer fee for these searches.
Accepting a traveling nanny job is an incredibly fun way to pursue your passion for childcare and see the world! However, being a travel nanny is much different than being an in-home nanny, and it has its own special set of qualifications and challenges.
Characteristics of the Ideal Travel Nanny
Not every qualified nanny is well-suited to be a travel nanny. These nanny jobs require a very specific skillset and mindset.
The ideal travel nanny should:
- Be flexible and patient, especially when it comes to schedule changes
- Love traveling
- Be creative and able to create fun on-the-go, especially during long plane and car journeys
- Have an energetic and enthusiastic personality
- Have a tolerance for jet lag and lack of sleep
- Not get motion sickness or have a fear of flying
- Not have severe food allergies or dietary restrictions
Benefits of Hiring a Vacation Nanny
Most parents want to spend time with their children on vacation, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a break every once in a while to see and do the things you want in a new place. Vacation nannies allow parents to relax and have some much-needed down-time while away from home.
What will you be able to do if you hire a qualified childcare specialist for a travel nanny job?
- Enjoy a date night or spa day
- Enjoy a parents-only sightseeing or museum day, which might bore younger children
- Sleep in!
- Dine at an upscale or exclusive restaurant
What You Need to Know to Get Travel Nanny Jobs
What could be more fun than traveling the world, spending time with children, and seeing new places for the first time?
Being a travel nanny might sound like the ideal job, but not all childcare providers meet the criteria for travel nanny positions. In addition to having the right type of personality to be successful in this job, you also need hands-on nanny experience to build the expertise you’ll rely on from one day to the next. It also helps to have experience traveling with families, both domestically and internationally, if you are interested in pursuing employment as a traveling nanny.
There are a few things you need to do before applying for a travel nanny job:
- Ensure your passport is up-to-date
- Make any necessary arrangements to allow you to be away for whatever length of time the position requires
- Thoroughly understand potential employers’ needs, preferences, and expectations
- Line up nanny references who can vouch for your skills and expertise
- When families you nanny for at home go on vacation, consider offering a reduced rate to build your travel nanny resume
What You Need to Know Before Hiring a Travel Nanny
The purpose of a travel nanny is to provide you with peace of mind while you’re on holiday. You won’t be able to relax if you are not confident that your kids are being well cared for and kept safe in a new environment. Since you will be on a different schedule than usual, it’s important to find travel nanny services that are reliable, trustworthy, and a good fit for your kids.
There are several things to consider before hiring a travel nanny to assist you with an upcoming family vacation. When interviewing and hiring a nanny, you should:
- Ask your nanny questions about her travel experiences, childcare style, preferred activities, and emergency preparedness skills
- Discuss rates up-front with potential candidates
- State the number of hours and amount of days you will need your travel nanny to work
- Be clear with your nanny about your expectations
- Define a schedule so he/she knows when they will have free time
- Outline a budget for your nanny’s travel expenses, including meals, hotels, and activities
- Write out a nanny contract to avoid confusion later
At Nanny Authority, we are highly selective with the nannies we work with and recommend. As an experienced and trusted travel nanny agency, only 10-15% of nannies who apply are accepted for placement. We require our nannies to have at least three years of childcare experience, verifiable references, and valid U.S. work authorization. We carefully screen and background check all of our nannies to give you peace of mind and ensure we allow only the most caring and qualified individuals into your life.
If you’d like to learn more about how one of our travel nannies can make your next family vacation the best one yet, please contact us today!