It is not uncommon for families to updte their expectations as they gain experience actually working with a nanny. Responsibilities they thought were important are replaced by other responsibilities that weren’t originally considered. As a result you may have hired someone who really isn’t qualified to do the job.
You may also find that your babysitter or nanny isn’t performing to your standards in spite of sincere efforts on your part to work with her.
Finally there are those unfortunate circumstances where a failure on her part demands an immediate change.
Regardless of the cause, this can be a difficult situation for everyone. And unless the situation is very extreme, your child probably has an affection and comfort level for her which is difficult to break. You must also deal with the practical problems of replacing her.
Here are some recommendations to help you handle the change with a minimum of stress:
- Once you have mad eup your mind to make a change, move forward as quickly as possible. Every day that yo keep your current babysitter you will find new reasons to disliker her or to be worried. This is not an ideal situation for your or your child and it is likely she will eventually sense the problem and further compound things.
- The most effective way to proceed is with your ‘employer’ hat on. Assuming the role of employer will enable you to be fair and objective with her. it will also help you reduce the emotiional distress, especially if you care fo rher as a person in spite of the cause of her dismissal.
- If you are unable to get interim chikld care while you look for a new care giver, it’s best to conduct a new search for a replacement before you dismiss her. This is not an attempt to deceive or mislead her in any way. It simply avoids the situation where you are without child care or where yo uare tempted to ask her to stay on until she can be replaced (never a good idea). Remember, your top concern is for your child.
- Be prepared to explain th esituation to your child on a level equal to his understanding. (Hoever, talk with him after you have dismissed his nanny to avoid the possibility of him breaking the news to her instead of you!) If appropriate, reassure him that he hasn’t done anything to make you send his sitter away.