How to Hire a Nanny or Babysitter

Write your child's day

Start with the routine you want a nanny to follow. For a baby that means feeds, naps, nappy changes and bath time. For a toddler it means meals, play, outdoor time and sleep. For school children it means pick-up, lunch, homework and screen time.

Then decide what else the nanny will do. Children's laundry, sterilising bottles and cooking simple meals for the child are normal. General housework is not, and asking a nanny to clean the house while watching a toddler is how accidents happen.

Nanny, babysitter or maid who helps with children?

If you need someone mainly for the children, hire a nanny. Combining full housework with full childcare in one person rarely works for babies and toddlers.

Interview about real situations

Ask her to describe, step by step, how she would handle common moments. Experienced nannies answer with detail; inexperienced ones answer in general terms.

• The baby has been crying for twenty minutes and will not settle. What do you do?
• My toddler refuses lunch. What do you try?
• The child has a fever while I am at work. Who do you call and what do you do first?
• How do you handle a tantrum in a shop?
• What do you let a four-year-old watch, and for how long?
• Have you ever had to deal with a child choking or a fall? What happened?

Introduce her to your child during the meeting and watch, without directing. Does she get down to the child's level? Does she talk to the child, not just to you?

References: call at least two families

Childcare references deserve more care than any other. Call two families she has worked for if possible, and ask about the children's ages, how long she stayed, why she left, and whether they ever felt worried about their child in her care.

Ask for a copy of her CNIC and the name and number of a family member. For live-in nannies, a police character certificate is a sensible extra check, and both Islamabad and Rawalpindi police ask households to register domestic staff.

A supervised trial week

For the first few days, be at home while the nanny works. You will learn how she handles your child, and your child gets used to her while you are near. Agree that the trial days are paid.

If you have a home camera, tell the nanny about it openly. Hidden cameras damage trust if discovered, and in a bedroom or bathroom they are an invasion of privacy. A camera in shared living areas, with her knowledge, is a reasonable arrangement many families use.

House rules for childcare

• Who may visit or collect the children, by name
• Food the child may and may not have, including allergies
• Medicine: only what you have written down, at the times you set
• Screen time and phone use while on duty
• Going outside: where, with whom, and when to message you
• What to do in an emergency, with a list of numbers by the door

Put the list on the fridge in Urdu and English. Update it as your child grows.

Pay, leave and keeping a good nanny

Nanny pay depends on the child's age, the number of children and whether the job is live-in. Our nanny salary guide gives typical ranges in the twin cities. Agree overtime for late returns and for travel with the family.

Children get attached to a good nanny, so continuity matters. Pay on time, give the agreed day off without negotiation, and talk to her as part of the team that is raising your child. A good nanny who feels respected often stays for years.

Safety basics every nanny should know

Before the nanny works alone, walk through the house together. Show where the first aid box is, which cupboards have child locks, how to turn off the gas and the main electricity, and where the house keys are kept. Make sure she knows your full address so she can give it to an ambulance.

If she has not done basic first aid for children, consider paying for a short course. Knowing what to do for choking, burns and falls makes a real difference in the first few minutes.

Live-in or live-out nanny

For newborns and parents with very early or late working hours, a live-in nanny is often the practical choice. For school-age children, a live-out nanny with fixed hours usually works better and gives the family more privacy in the evenings.

If the nanny will live in, the night is the hardest part to agree. If she will do night feeds, that is night duty and should be paid and balanced with rest during the day. Our live-in staff guide covers rooms, meals and rest in detail.

Signs it is going well, and when to talk

In the first month, watch your child more than the nanny. A child who greets her happily, sleeps and eats to routine, and talks about their day with her is a very good sign. A child who becomes withdrawn, clingy or frightened deserves your attention.

Hold a short, kind check-in at the end of each week for the first month. Ask what she finds hard, and share one thing that is going well and one thing to change. Most problems are about routines and are easy to fix early.

When grandparents are also at home

In many homes in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, grandparents live with the family and help with the children. Agree clearly who makes decisions when the parents are out, so the nanny is not caught between two sets of instructions. A short conversation with everyone together in the first week prevents most tension.

Questions