The Little Things Children Remember About Their Nanny

When we think about what makes a wonderful nanny, we often think about the big things: experience, reliability, patience, organisation and the ability to confidently manage everything a busy family day can bring.

But ask a child what they love about their nanny, and their answer may be very different.

It might be the funny voice used when reading their favourite story.

The way their sandwiches are cut.

The song they always sing in the car.

Or the fact that Friday afternoon somehow always feels a little bit special.

The little rituals

Children love familiarity, and the smallest routines can become some of their happiest memories.

Perhaps it’s stopping to look at the same dog on the school run every morning, pancakes on a particular day of the week, a special handshake at the school gates or choosing the music for the journey home.

To an adult, these things can seem insignificant. To a child, they become their thing — a little tradition shared with someone important to them.

Being the person who joins in

A brilliant nanny knows that sometimes you simply have to get involved.

That might mean sitting cross-legged on the floor building an elaborate Lego creation, agreeing to be the patient at the imaginary hospital for the tenth time, getting muddy in the garden or dancing around the kitchen while making supper.

Children may not remember exactly what they did on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon.

They often remember who did it with them.

Knowing exactly what makes things better

A favourite snack after a difficult school day.

Knowing which teddy absolutely must come on a journey.

Remembering that the crusts need to come off.

Understanding when a child needs encouragement — and when they simply need a cuddle and a little quiet time.

One of the loveliest parts of a long-term nanny relationship is knowing a child incredibly well. Their moods, their quirks, their worries, their favourite things and all those tiny details that make them who they are.

The adventures that weren't really adventures

Not every childhood memory needs to involve an elaborate day out.

Sometimes feeding the ducks, taking a picnic to the park, baking something slightly disastrous or walking home in the rain can become the stories children remember years later.

A good nanny has a wonderful ability to make an ordinary day feel like an adventure.

And simply… being there

Perhaps this is the biggest little thing of all.

Being there at the school gates.

Listening to the very long story about what happened at lunchtime.

Celebrating the wobbly tooth finally coming out.

Cheering from the sidelines.

Helping with the tricky homework.

Knowing when something isn't quite right.

For many children, a nanny becomes one of the familiar, trusted adults woven into their childhood.

And while they may eventually forget the carefully planned activities, the perfectly packed bags and just how much organisation went on behind the scenes, they are far more likely to remember something much simpler:

How that person made them feel.

At Burlington Nannies, we have the privilege of introducing families to professional childcare candidates who can become an important part of family life. Experience and qualifications matter enormously — but so do warmth, connection and the ability to make the everyday moments count.

Because very often, the little things aren't really little at all.