Your nanny is seen as an extension
of you and your family, and you are there to set up the parameters on what kind
of social contact you want her to have with others in your life. Some parents
like the nanny to answer the phone in case the parent is calling. Other parents
like the nanny to answer the phone and take a message regardless of who is
calling.
Obviously, if you have a nanny
who’s English is not great you should choose not to burden her with answering
the telephone and taking messages. Either use a voice mail service that you can
access remotely, or get an answering machine so that the nanny can hear your
voice if you are calling in, and she can pick up the phone herself.
If you have someone who you believe
to be capable of taking messages, then make sure that you have pencil and paper
by the phone, and tell her how you would like the phone answered. Some choices
are, a simple “Hello,” or else, “Smith residence, may I help you?”
If you don’t have a mobile phone,
get one. It is too confining to expect anyone caring for a child to be locked
to one location with a “landline” that doesn’t transport.
Some families choose to get an extra
cell phone especially for their nanny so that they can reach her, and she them,
without burdening her to listen to an answering machine for your voice, or to
pick up every call of a family phone to see if it is you on the other end.
Extra cell phones on family plans are reasonably priced, often free with an
activation charge. Usually cell phone to cell phone calls within the same
family, or the same company service, are free. You can ask your nanny to limit
her personal calls on the phone. If it becomes a problem, you can restrict her
service with your cell phone company.
Another benefit of giving your
nanny a cell phone is that you can reach her if she is at the park, at the
library, at a play date or at the market with your child.
