4 Reasons Two Nannies Are Better Than One

We’ve come to expect a lot from our nannies, and their job goes beyond just making sure they’re safe and looked after.

Nannies are expected to keep kids engaged, entertained, and even to support their cognitive development with well thought out activities. That’s of course in addition to all the logistic support they provide, like picking up the kids, running errands, and making sure they get to soccer on time.

Nannies are lifesavers, but at the end of the day they’re also only human. They can’t be there for us 100% of the time.

Having two nannies is the perfect solution for busy families.

You might be thinking that introducing one nanny into the family was difficult enough, but we know you’ll find it’s worth the adjustment period to hire two nannies.

We’ve put together 4 reasons why two nannies are better than one, along with some tips on how to manage a two nanny household.

1. Avoid nanny burnout

Caring for a family 24/7 can be exhausting, and having a day off every week simply isn’t enough for some people.

Nannies can get easily burned out from their job, and leave after a few years. After all the time your children took to get used to the nanny, the last thing you want to do is have them leave because they’re had enough.

On the other hand, the need for a nanny doesn’t just go away during the weekends (we think nannies are especially important for weekends), so it doesn’t always make sense to go nanny-free on the weekends.

We recommend having two nannies – one during the week, and one for weekends.

Caring for children during the week is very different from caring for them during the weekend.

Weekdays are all about logistics, helping kids with homework, and transportation, whereas weekends are about fun activities and keeping kids entertained.

Look for extra certifications in your weekend nanny – like lifeguard certification – so she can take the kids to do fun activities, like swimming.

2. You have a big family

Families with multiple children can especially benefit from two live-in nannies.

When there’s four children under 5 running around the house, one person will never be enough.

One nanny can focus more on keeping the kids entertained, while the other can handle the logistics like transportation and playdates.

Having two nannies can be especially helpful if there’s a large gap between your children. You can hire one nanny who specializes in newborns and toddlers, while the other specializes in school aged children and can give the older sibling personalized attention.

When you have two live-in nannies at the same time, it’s important to clearly designate each nanny’s task, so one doesn’t feel like she’s doing more work than the other. You might also need more space to house two nannies, and should discuss with each one what their personal space needs are.

3. You travel a lot

Whether you travel as a family or you travel without the kids often, having two nannies will make everything easier.

We see this scenario often for parents who are in the entertainment or sports industries and have to be away from home for some portion of the year.

Two nannies can help ensure that your household runs smoothly while you’re gone, and that your children receive the attention they need.

Make sure you set clear boundaries and expectations with your nannies regarding how the household runs when you’re not there and how to deal with disciplinary issues should they arise.

If you travel with your children often, or you live in multiple locations throughout the year, then two nannies can be a great way to help your children acclimate to new locations. You can have a nanny for each location, or you can have one nanny who goes everywhere with you, and a second nanny that’s specific to each location.

Be sure to set expectations with your nannies regarding what their roles are when you’re traveling, and how to maintain routines.

4. Adjusting to change

One of the advantages of having a nanny is that it often means exposing your children to a new culture and language.

We’re seeing more and more parents specifically request bilingual nannies in order to increase their children’s exposure to another language.

With two nannies, your children are even more exposed to different cultures, cuisines, and languages.

While this doesn’t seem like a good enough reason to splurge for two nannies, it can have a huge impact on your family.

In addition, having multiple nannies can help reduce your children’s attachment to their nanny, which isn’t always a bad thing.

We often hear of families who fear that their children are getting too attached to their nanny, and who are devastated when the nanny leaves.

With multiple nannies, your children get used to having multiple people care for them.

Having two nannies means having double the help and support in your household, and who wouldn’t want that?