Traveling with your girls or with your significant other sans baby is always a good time, but there is definitely something to be said about bringing baby along for the trip! One way to make the trip equally enjoyable is traveling with a nanny. It’s truly the best of both worlds. Fun moments with your family as a whole, no constant worry about how baby is doing or missing her, yet some quality alone time with your spouse (or yourself, can you say massage?) makes for an amazing vacation. So what is the best way to pull this off and create the time away of your dreams?
Choose your Nanny Wisely
Obviously, finding someone who you both are comfortable with and can potentially enjoy spending a lot of time with in close quarters is important. It is also essential that the relationship between you and your nanny is one where complete honesty is accepted. If she is feeling uncomfortable about something, she needs to be able to come to you and know her concerns will be received with respect.
Likewise, your expectations need to be clearly stated when traveling with a nanny. You should have the ability to speak up when something isn’t going right, with kindness of course. Personality types can have a lot of say here. When interviewing, never push away your gut instinct. It’s not always perfect, but its certainly a great indicator of what is right. Of course, if you have a nanny you know and love than that is great- just again make sure that your travel expectations are clear.
Finances
Clearly, adding another member to your travel team means dishing out more money. But if you decide to go this direction, some good advice is to not cut corners too much. If the nanny feels more like a part of the team rather than the hired help, the whole trip will go much better. Allow her some time off to enjoy her vacation as well. Ever heard “happy wife is a happy life?” This can apply to your nanny as well. Happy nannies are priceless!
Something to consider is that it may be better to travel less but travel better, if money is of any concern. Save up and make sure it’s truly the vacation of your dreams.
Another important piece to consider is that this vacation is for you, not for your nanny. Even if your nanny enjoys herself and has a good time, she is still at work. This is not a leisure trip. It’s a work trip. Your nanny should still receive her regular pay while on this trip. A true vacation is one where you get to choose where you go, who you go with, and what you do, not where you tagalong with another family.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of Traveling with a nanny!