Difference between a Nanny and a Governess
The job of nanny and governess is in demand again. The tradition of hiring nannies and governesses to take care of the children has a lot of benefits. For all the similarities in the roles of a nanny and governess, the duties of a nanny and a governess differ considerably. Here are some of the key differences: 1. When choosing between a nanny or governess, you need to take into account the child's age. As a rule, nannies are better equipped to take care of preschool children and governesses are more suited for school-aged children. 2. A nanny mainly focuses on taking caring of the daily needs of the children. They feed the children, take care of their personal hygiene, take them to their games, walks, etc. On the other hand, the main task of a governess is the upbringing and development of the child. They also oversee the children's school work, prepare meals, take them for a walk, but their main focus is the mental, cognitive and creative development of the child. 3. For household chores related to caring for a child, a nanny usually devotes about 70% of her work time, while for the governess, it’s about 30%. The focus of a governess is on solving educational, teaching and development tasks. These responsibilities must be taken into account when you hire a governess or a nanny. Do not overload the nanny with general household chores (cooking dinner for the whole family, buying groceries, cleaning). Similarly, a governess should not be asked to carry out the duties of the nanny (cooking for the child, child’s laundry, etc.). In this case, the nanny or governess will not be able to fully and completely perform their actual tasks.