Defining Reasonable Duties for Your Bali Nanny

Hiring a Bali Nanny is an investment in your peace and a gift to your children. However, a common mistake made by visiting families is failing to establish clear, reasonable boundaries regarding the nanny’s job scope. This ambiguity can lead to confusion, resentment, and a breakdown of the professional relationship.

A nanny’s primary and most crucial responsibility is Childcare. Any deviation from this core duty must be explicitly discussed, agreed upon, and, in many cases, compensated separately. Defining reasonable nanny duties upfront ensures the caregiver remains focused on your children’s well-being and allows the professional relationship to flourish on a foundation of clarity and respect.

The Core Mandate: Non-Negotiable Childcare Duties

A Bali Nanny is hired primarily to ensure the child’s safety, happiness, and adherence to their daily routines. These duties should form the basis of the job description:

1. Direct Child Supervision

• Safety First: Constant, active supervision, especially around pools, beaches, or busy areas.

• Engagement: Playing games, reading books, and engaging children in age-appropriate activities.

• Behavior Management: Following the parents’ established disciplinary guidelines (e.g., time-outs, positive reinforcement).

2. Routine and Physical Needs

• Feeding: Preparing children’s simple meals and snacks (e.g., cutting fruit, preparing formula, heating food) and supervising mealtimes.

• Hygiene: Diaper changes, assisting with toilet training, and washing children’s hands/faces.

• Naps/Bedtime: Adhering to the child’s specific sleep schedule and routine.

3. Child-Related Light Tidy-up

• Tidying: Putting away toys after play and keeping the child’s immediate play area neat.

• Child’s Items: Rinsing the child’s drinking bottles, plates, and cutlery used during their shift.

Unreasonable Duties: Where the Line is Crossed

The biggest source of friction arises when parents treat the nanny as general domestic help or an adult servant. The following tasks are generally considered outside the scope of a standard Bali Nanny’s role, and should be avoided unless specifically negotiated and paid as an additional service:

1. General Housekeeping and Cleaning

• Cleaning Adult Areas: Mopping floors, dusting, cleaning bathrooms, or changing adult bed linens in the villa.

• Laundry for Adults: Washing, drying, or folding clothes belonging to the parents.

• Large-Scale Cooking: Preparing complex meals for the entire family (adults included). The nanny is a caregiver, not a cook or maid.

2. Personal Assistant Tasks

• Running Adult Errands: Taking the parents’ laundry to the cleaner, picking up groceries for the villa, or buying alcohol/cigarettes.

• Driver Duties: Being required to drive the parents or handle complex logistics beyond their local transport needs (unless specifically hired as a Nanny/Driver).

3. Financial and Administrative Tasks

• Handling Large Sums of Money: Asking the nanny to pay for major expenses for the villa or family. They should only handle small amounts for child-related purchases (e.g., buying a bottle of water).

The Negotiation Zone: Duties Requiring Explicit Agreement

Some tasks, though not strictly childcare, can be included if they are directly helpful to the family, provided they are discussed, agreed upon, and do not compromise the nanny’s focus on the child.

1. Child-Related Laundry

• Acceptable (with agreement): Washing, drying, or folding only the children’s clothes. This is a common add-on, but must be agreed upon beforehand.

2. Running Child-Focused Errands

• Acceptable (with agreement): Quickly popping out to buy diapers, baby food, or a specific toy the child requested. Ensure the children are safe during this time (e.g., left securely with the other parent).

3. Extended Hours or Overnight Stays

• Crucial Negotiation: If you require the nanny to work beyond the standard day (e.g., a 12-hour shift or an overnight stay), the compensation structure must be clearly defined and should reflect a significantly higher rate.

Creating Your Boundaries Checklist

To ensure clarity and respect from the start, use this checklist during your interview or contract phase:

Task Category	Acceptable (A) / Unacceptable (U) / Negotiable (N)	Notes & Clarification
Child Supervision	A	Mandatory at all times.
Washing Child’s Dishes	A	Only the child’s plates and bottles used during the shift.
Child’s Laundry	N	Must be negotiated and paid extra if included.
Adult Laundry/Cleaning	U	Never included in standard Nanny duties.
General Adult Cooking	U	Not a chef. Focus is only on the child’s meals.
Running Adult Errands	U	Nanny is not a personal assistant.
Emergency Errands (Child)	A	Buying medicine/diapers for the child is acceptable.
Overtime/Overnight	N	Must be heavily negotiated with a premium rate.

Conclusion

A successful relationship with a Bali Nanny is a balance of great care and clear communication. By respecting the professional scope of childcare and explicitly defining the boundaries of their duties, parents demonstrate respek and prevent the nanny from being overworked or distracted. When the focus remains solely on the well-being of the children, your holiday will be smoother, happier, and truly restorative for the entire family.