Family values

Everybody has a few conditions which they simply refuse to accept in a job, and just as some actors will 'never work with children or animals', many nannies never work with grandparents. The relationship between a nanny and any family member can be difficult, when that person is not the nanny's employer but still has a close interest in the child. A divorced parent, grandparent, aunts and uncles or even an older sibling can find it difficult to trust the nanny and understand the nanny's role.

In one of my first jobs I discovered, after starting work, that the grandparents visited twice a week. The first time we met I was essentially given a second interview by the grandfather, with one question after another fired at me so quickly I barely had time to answer! This was followed by several days of talk about previous nannies, which left me with the impression that some had been angels I could never live up to, while others were hardened criminals. Luckily, he came to see that not only did his daughter trust me, but also that I got on well with the children and none of the family silver had gone missing. After that, things settled down and I no longer dreaded his visits.