Balancing Nannying with Motherhood
In this blog, Carmen at The Nannies Place shares suggestions on how to find balance between being a nanny and a mother.
Being a nanny as well as a mum means that you are caring for your charges at work, as well as looking after your own children when you are at home. Balancing both roles can sometimes be difficult to draw clear lines between work and home life – which can feel overwhelming at times!
Therefore, striking the right balance between these two roles needs effective boundaries, time management and deliberate self-care. Let’s cover these tips in more detail below.
1. Establish Boundaries
The hardest thing that nanny-mums deal with is differentiating between nanny mode and mum mode. You may feel that you are “on duty” 24/7.
To help with this, you could use transition rituals, such as taking a walk before or after work, changing clothes or even taking 10 minutes to yourself at the end of the working day can be one of the psychological recharges between two roles.
2. Manage Time and Energy with Intention
Striking a balance between two roles of caring not only involves good scheduling but also preservation of personal energy.
• Implement efficient systems: Share your work and household schedule with your partner, and consider creating meal plans to reduce any unnecessary stress and the mental load throughout the working week.
• Prioritise recovery: Take a mental break and get the rest whenever you can. Ensuring you are prioritising enough sleep and eating well ensures you are filling your own cup in order to perform at your best.
3. Maintain Balanced Routines Across Environments
Children thrive in routine, and when there are two sets of these, one for work and one for home, it may become tiresome remembering both of these. Keeping a record of both helps to remind yourself of the different timings.
• Differentiate routines: There is no reason to feel a sense of pressure to duplicate the kind of routines that you employ at work with your own children, so adjust routines to suit home life.
• Delegate responsibilities at home: As long as you have a partner, a family member, or childcare support, you can redistribute the load and not bear it on yourself.
4. Recognise and Prevent Burnout
There can be a risk of burnout among professionals who have two caregiving roles. Long-term sustainability is all about being proactive and self-aware.
• Monitor for signs of stress: Do you often feel fatigued, angry, or unhappy?
• Integrate self-care as a priority: Plan out physical activities, personal pursuits, or time off just as seriously as you do work.
• Seek support: There are many nanny networks and communities that you can reach out to. If things are getting hard, please do seek further help which may involve speaking with a therapist or your GP.
5. Embrace the Unique Benefits of Dual Roles
Although balancing motherhood and nannying can be a challenge, it also comes with huge benefits and is incredibly rewarding.
When you approach your nanny job professionally and also maintain the space for your own family, you are putting in the habits to succeed in both without compromising your wellness.
Remember: be resilient by knowing your boundaries, recognising your needs and lean on someone if and when you may need. Through careful planning, not only can both roles be balanced, but a role you can thrive in.
The Nannies Place agency has an extensive network of professional nannies who are vetted, background-checked, and trained in first aid to ensure your child receives the highest standard of care.
If you would like to find out more about how Carmen and The Nannies Place can help find your next nanny role, click here.
If you would like to see the other nanny and domestic staffing agencies that we work with, you can view our Agency Directory here.
