How to interview a nanny: 12 questions that actually matter

Interviewing a nanny is not like interviewing an office hire. You're not testing recall. You're trying to picture this person on a Tuesday morning at 7:15, when the toddler won't put on shoes and the baby just spit up on the diaper bag. The best questions surface that texture.

Start with a real day, not a résumé

Ask candidates to walk you through the last full day they nannied. What time did they arrive? What did the kids eat? What went sideways? Specifics are the tell. Vague answers usually mean vague experience.

Probe the boring middle

Naps, screen time, transitions between activities, how they handle a meltdown at Target. These are 90% of the job. If a candidate lights up describing a craft project but gets fuzzy on nap routines, that's a signal.

Ask about the day it went wrong

'Tell me about a day you'd do differently.' A great nanny has an answer, and it's usually thoughtful. A candidate who says 'nothing comes to mind' either hasn't reflected much or isn't being straight with you.

12 questions worth asking

1. Walk me through your last full day as a nanny. 2. What's your approach to nap routines with a 2-year-old? 3. How do you handle a tantrum in public? 4. What's your screen-time philosophy? 5. Tell me about a family you loved working with. What made it click? 6. Tell me about a family that wasn't a fit. 7. How do you handle sibling conflict? 8. What would you do if my child got a small cut and I wasn't home? 9. What would you do if my child ran a 102 fever? 10. How do you communicate with parents during the day? 11. What are you looking for in your next family? 12. What questions do you have for me?

The last one matters as much as any of the others. A nanny who asks about your parenting style, your values, your kids' personalities. That's someone who takes the match seriously. A nanny who only asks about pay and hours might be a great sitter but a shaky long-term fit.