How often to see a former charge?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a nanny for more than 3 years. It's three years later now and we still see her several times a year.

My advice would be:

- don't make too huge a thing of it. Kids take their cues from the adults so if you all have the attitude that this is not a huge deal and Johnny will see Nanny Annie soon then he'll work from that.
- plan something tangible in the near'ish future. "Nanny Annie will be here next week!" Then set up a couple of times when you can babysit in the first few weeks (so it's still the caregiver dynamic - not just a visiting friend).
- then you just space out the visits as you and the family wish. How much contact you all want to have is really up to you. The attitude the parents have when talking about you, and talking to the child about whatever change is happening, is the most important piece of this (IMO).

+1

[Anonymous]

I went 6 months before seeing my charges of 3 years (I had been with them since birth) because I moved. I now see them once a month. They're fine and adjusted well.

[Anonymous]

I was a nanny for a family for 5 years. I left 3 years ago once they started school full-time and I still see them at least twice a month. Sometimes it's to babysit but sometimes it's to have dinner with the whole family. We're all close and consider each other family.