4 Types of household staff and how they can support your growing family
Most people are familiar with what it means to have a nanny, but Motherhood Center provides families with four main types of household staff: nannies, family assistants, house managers, and governesses. Based on your family’s unique needs, we may recommend one or more types of staff to help you manage your childcare and your household.
The nanny: all things baby and child
A nanny’s primary role is to provide the highest-quality childcare, with a focus on babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Some of a nanny’s many duties can include:
- Ensuring playtime and mental/educational stimulation
- Enforcing a consistent naptime
- Feeding and clothing children
- Cleaning up after children and doing children’s laundry
Their responsibilities are more or less limited to attending to your children’s needs. A nanny caring for younger children most likely will not have adequate time to take care of additional household needs, which is where the family assistant comes in.
The family assistant: taking care of business
Family assistants often work most effectively for households that have school-age children. While they may assist with childcare duties such as drop-off and pick-up, their core duties are managing the ins and outs of the full household, depending on your needs. This could include:
- Running errands like grocery shopping, picking up dry cleaning, taking the pup to doggy daycare
- Home decluttering and organization
- Paying bills and processing the daily mail
- Scheduling appointments
- Making travel arrangements
- Coordinating the family schedule
A family assistant will attend to your individual needs and basic childcare duties, which vary from household to household. Each family is unique, so each family assistant’s tasks are different. Some families find that a combination of a nanny and a family assistant is the best fit for their households. For the organization and coordination of multi-staff homes, house managers can also be helpful.
The house manager: operating at a higher level
A house manager, just as the title implies, is responsible for handling the daily operations and events within your family’s home. This could include managing and training other staff, scheduling or performing maintenance, and performing general upkeep. House managers can also help you coordinate and organize dinner parties and events, ensuring the details are taken care of so you can enjoy entertaining. House managers may also keep an inventory of your household and restock as needed, or perform administrative tasks such as answering calls or emails, making travel arrangements, and paying bills.
The governess: in-home education
Unlike the other types of core household staff, the duties of a governess generally don’t cross over into household tasks or maintenance. A governess focuses primarily on educational activities for school-age children who could benefit from in-home teaching. This could take the form of home-schooling or be an extension of traditional school. Governesses can help your little scholars with homework, teach them a new language (if bilingual), and help them reach educational milestones. Some governesses also teach manners and etiquette, helping give your children the skills they need to succeed professionally and socially.
Which type of staff is best for me?
Regardless of which type of role best supports your family’s needs, keep in mind that none of these household staff is a full-time housekeeper. While some of the household roles we staff help with light housekeeping, deep cleaning your home is not a part of any roles Motherhood Center provides. Whether your best fit is a nanny, family assistant, house manager, governess, or some combination, we are here to assist you in finding and placing the support your family needs.
4 Types of household staff and how they can support your growing family
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Motherhood Center the expert in Household Staffing
3701 W. Alabama Ste 230, Houston, TX 77027 Phone: 713-963-8880
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