The Working Parent's Guide to Mid-Summer Childcare Check-Ins

You hired a nanny. The first few weeks went reasonably well. Now you're two or three weeks in, and life has resumed
its normal pace.
This is exactly the moment most families stop paying deliberate attention to the nanny relationship — and exactly the
moment that attention matters most.
The placements that last years are not the ones where everything was magically perfect from day one. They're the
ones where small misalignments were caught early and addressed before they became reasons to leave.
This guide is about how to do that well.

Why Mid-Summer Check-Ins Matter

In the first week or two of a placement, both sides are paying close attention. The family is observing. The nanny is
adapting. Everyone is on their best behavior.
By week three or four, the novelty has worn off. Patterns have formed — some of them good, some of them not quite
right. If those patterns aren't examined and discussed, they calcify into the default way things work.
A mid-summer check-in is an opportunity to catch those patterns while they're still easy to shift.
It's not a performance review. It's a conversation between two people who are trying to make something work well for
the long term.

The Four Questions That Matter

We recommend keeping check-ins simple — four questions, twenty minutes, every two weeks for the first two
months.

Question 1: What's going well that you want to make sure we don't accidentally change?

This surfaces what's working before it gets taken for granted. It also signals to your nanny that you notice the good
things — not just the things that need improvement.

Question 2: Is there anything about the kids or the household you're still figuring out?

This creates space for the nanny to ask questions they might be embarrassed to raise outside of a formal check-in. It
normalizes not knowing everything yet.

Question 3: Is there anything I can do to make your job easier or clearer?

This is the question most families skip. It signals that you see this as a two-way relationship — and that you take
seriously your own role in making the placement work.

Question 4: How are you feeling about the role overall?

Simple. Direct. Often the most important question asked least often. The answer tells you more than any other
question about whether this placement is sustainable.

How to Give Feedback Without Creating Tension

If something isn't working, the check-in is the right moment to name it — but how you name it matters.
Lead with specifics, not generalizations. "The morning routine has been running a bit long — can we talk about what's
happening?" lands differently than "You seem to be struggling with time management."
Name the impact, not the character. "When the kids aren't down for their nap by 1pm, I've noticed it affects their
afternoon mood" gives your nanny something actionable to work with.
Ask before assuming. "I noticed X — what was going on there?" is almost always more productive than leading with a
conclusion.
And end with an invitation: "Is there anything on your end that would make this easier?"
The goal isn't to win the conversation. It's to keep the placement working.

What to Do If Something Feels Off

Sometimes a check-in reveals something you weren't sure how to name.
The energy feels off. The nanny seems disengaged. Your child's behavior has shifted in ways you can't quite explain.
Don't wait for it to resolve on its own. In our experience, unaddressed discomfort in a placement almost never
resolves without a direct conversation.

If you're unsure how to have that conversation, reach out to us. Part of what A+ Nannies provides is ongoing support
for families navigating exactly these moments.
We've seen enough placements over fifteen years to know the difference between normal adjustment friction and
something that needs to be addressed — and we're here to help you work through it.
The placement you're in right now is worth protecting. A twenty-minute check-in might be all it takes.

Ready to Build a Placement That Lasts?

If you're still looking for a nanny for summer or fall, A+ Nannies is actively placing families across Phoenix, Atlanta,
Austin, Orlando, San Diego, and Denver.
And if you've already placed through us — we're always here for the conversations that come after placement day.
That's the part of this work we care about most.

Visit aplusnannies.com or reach out anytime.