When your kids were younger, you could likely find camps and daycare centers that would care for them throughout the summer while you were at work. As your kids grow, those options dwindle, which can be challenging for families of tweens (typically defined as kids ages 9 – 12).
Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between leaving your tween home alone all summer or hiring a full-time nanny or babysitter. Instead, you can hire a flexible nanny to provide care for your tween when they need it.
The tween years, generally, are a weird time for a family. Tweens are old enough to function independently for most tasks. For example, they can typically get showered and dressed for the day, fix lunch, and follow house rules even when home alone.
At the same time, though, tweens are going through that wonderful time in life known as puberty, when their emotions run wild, and their impulses can quickly take over. So, it’s not always a good idea to leave a tween to their own devices for 8 hours daily.
Here are a few ways nannies can help your tween get through the summer without cramping their style.
If your child participates in summer athletics or other activities, they may have practice during the day. That can be highly inconvenient for a working parent, even if you work from home.
A flexible nanny can provide transportation to and from summer activities. They’ll stay on-site to ensure your child is safe for the duration of their activity, then bring them home safely. Please note that we require a four-hour minimum at At Ease Flex Care Solutions.
If your tween is home alone all day, they are sure to spend a lot of it in front of a TV, whether streaming a new show or playing video games. While many families are OK with their tweens spending some of their summers glued to a screen, there is such thing as too much of a good thing.
Hiring a flexible nanny might alleviate some of the boredom your teen faces. For example, you can hire a nanny to show up for just the afternoon or for a few days a week to offer engaging alternatives to screen time. Having some consistency can be just what your tween needs to stay on a schedule while still enjoying their summer.
Many families are comfortable leaving their tweens home alone for the day, but nighttime is another story. You can hire an on-call nanny when you know you will be working late or need a night out of the house without your kids.
Unlike a babysitter, who will merely supervise your tween, a nanny will provide meaningful, enriching engagement for your child while allowing them to exert their independence. Plus, a nanny can form a special bond with your tween, which can help build their confidence as they move into their teenage years.
Are you ready to hire a flexible nanny in Beverly Hills, San Diego, the Bay Area, or elsewhere in California? We can help!
At Ease Flex Care Solutions specializes in placing flexible nannies with families in California, no matter your need. We can help you find a temporary or on-call nanny to care for your tween this summer and beyond. Fill out an application on our website to start the process.
