Travel Nannies Help Both Parents and Kids Enjoy a Hassle-Free Vacation

In a world where we always seem to be on the go, travel gives us invaluable opportunities to bond with the family in ways that only come from seeing new places and experiencing new things together. Our kids don’t stay young for long, so time spent experiencing the world with them is priceless.

But traveling with kids can also come with challenges and obstacles.Traveling itself can be tough, but add kids to the mix, and there are a lot of moving parts to manage. So many parts, in fact, parents may find it hard to get in a little down time, even though they are supposed to be on vacation.

Every family’s needs are different, whether you have very young children children with different interests and needs, or a packed meeting schedule on your bleisure trip. Parents deserve to enjoy their vacations just as much as their children, and sometimes an extra person to help with the care and entertainment of little ones can be key to making a trip a success.

Enter the travel nanny.

PHOTO: © ALEXANDER SHALAMOV | DREAMSTIME.COM

As a special segment of the in-home childcare industry, travel nannies play an important role for families who travel. Whether you are going away for a few days, a few weeks or even a whole season, they are there to make parenting easier and ensure a family trip goes smoothly for everyone.

Their primary goal is childcare, meaning the kids are cared for and entertained. In doing so, nannies allow parents time to do things like attend to business, enjoy a romantic night out or simply enjoy their trip without the stress of managing every detail. Nannies provide companionship and supervision for the kids when parents aren’t around and an extra pair of eyes and hands when they are, but travel nannies also do so much more.

These mobile caregivers can help plan and organize activities for kids at your destination, ensuring the activities are age-appropriate, interest- oriented, educational and fun. They can also help kids keep up with schoolwork, take care of the children’s cooking and laundry if needed, and can even help pack (and unpack) for the trip.

These caregivers are a wonderfully special breed. Those who take a position as a travel nanny not only love children but also have a love for travel and a desire to see the world. They are adept at handling stressful situations and adapting to sudden, unexpected changes in plans, a characteristic that proves invaluable when traveling with children.

When it comes to finding the right person for the job, you have a few options, including hiring someone you already know, asking friends for recommendations or working with an agency.

Working with an agency offers an extra layer of support and security. The agency takes on the responsibility of locating potential nannies that are background checked, reference checked and hand-selected to meet your specific needs and circumstances. You can work with a local nanny service in your area or use a nationwide agency like Nanny Authority or Adventure Nannies.

As with any industry, professional organizations help set and enforce standard practices within the in-home childcare industry, such as Association of Premier Nanny Agencies and International Nanny Association. These organizations serve as governing bodies for the industry, and you should look for an agency that is a member of one of these organizations.

Once you have a pool of potential candidates, set up interviews so both you and the nannies can determine if you have a match. Start early and interview a lot. You wouldn’t trust just anyone to watch your kids at home, and while you’re on the road things shouldn’t be any different.

Whenever possible, arrange for a trial run in your home to make sure that person gels well with your family before you head out on a trip. Not every nanny is a good fit for every family, but once you are on the road, it is a bit trickier to resolve the problem. You’ll want to take your time finding the best match up front so you have time to keep looking. Although you’ll have to pay for these sessions — like all professionals, nannies deserve to be compensated for any time worked, even if it is just a trial — the time, effort and expense put into finding the right person for the job will pay off in the long run.

It isn’t just a matter of observing to see if the kids respond well to the potential nanny, but also to make sure they are comfortable enough with each other to do well under the often-stressful circumstances of travel. Even the most carefully laid plans can go awry when traveling; so if your kids are sensitive to changes in schedules, routines and plans, you’ll want someone they are comfortable enough with to help guide them through it with ease.

PHOTO: © DMITRII SIMAKOV | DREAMSTIME.COM

It’s also important to remember we all go through a honeymoon phase when meeting new people, and that includes our kids and the caregivers we hire to look after them. This makes the “getting to know each other” period even more crucial.

Finding a good match isn’t just a matter of making sure everyone clicks. You also want to discuss responsibilities, expectations, salary and work hours up front. This will set clear expectations and boundaries from both parties right away. You don’t want to have to negotiate these issues on the road, so get it all in writing with a contract before you head out.

As the employer, you’ll have plenty of your own responsibilities. On top of payroll (including things like overtime and taxes), you’ll also be responsible for making and paying for your nanny’s travel arrangements, meals and accommodations, as well as any fees associated with the activities they do with your kids during the trip.

You can expect to pay upwards of $25 per hour for a traveling nanny, not including the additional expenses for which you will be responsible. And just as the nanny is there to give you a break and have time away from the kids, you also want to respect their right to time off, especially on extended trips of more than a few days. Even though their job is to be with your family throughout your travels, labor laws still apply, and they are entitled to time off the clock.

With all the hard work of choosing the right nanny done, your job will be to enjoy your time traveling with the family. By bringing along a travel nanny, you’ll be able to take advantage of the many benefits of a qualified caregiver so you can focus on spending time enjoying your kids, your kids can enjoy their trip, and together you can all enjoy the experience. Every parent could use a little extra help now and then; and when you are traveling, the benefit of having someone there to ensure everything goes smoothly for everyone is priceless.