Are you unflappable whatever happens, or is your nickname 'nervy nanny'? You may be up to speed with first aid procedures, but what about all the other contingencies that could come your way while you're just doing your job? The real-life scenarios below have all happened to nannies while caring for children. Imagine you were there, and answer honestly how you would cope.
1 The three-year-old in your care locks himself in the bathroom. Do you: A Shin up the drainpipe and climb through the bathroom window?
B Fetch a hammer and break down the door?
C Call the fire brigade?
2 During a cosy reading session a huge spider appears on the scene. Do you: A Laugh hysterically and run from the room with the child - you're both terrified?
B Encourage the child to observe the arachnid, count the legs, and admire its intricate furry body?
C Grab the 'spider catcher' you always keep ready and pop it out the window while reciting 'Incy Wincy Spider'?
3 In a public place the child gets on an escalator by mistake and is carried away from you, screaming. Do you: A Press the emergency stop button and alert everyone to what you're doing?
B Jump on the escalator, asking everyone to move out of the way so you can reach the child?
C Instruct the nearest person to the child to hold on to her while you catch them up?
4 As you are driving on the motorway the child suddenly vomits in the back of the car and becomes distressed. Do you: A Calm the child down by singing his favourite song?
B Cross lanes and pull up on the hard shoulder?
C Stop at the next service station?
5 The child disappears in a department store. Do you: A Start shouting her name and call for help?
B Tell a member of staff to alert security while you search the immediate area?
C Assume she is playing hide-and-seek and will reappear?
6 The toddler you care for is having a tantrum when she suddenly goes blue in the face. Do you: A Shock the child by shouting or making a silly noise?
B Try to hook the child's tongue forward to get her breathing properly?
C Offer a treat to distract her?
7 While tidying the child's room you find an expensive toy you know doesn't belong to him. Do you: A Put it back - you didn't see a thing, did you?
B Say nothing now but tell his parents about it later?
C Immediately accuse the child of stealing?
8 On the way home from her friend's house the child cries and says 'Charlotte's mummy smacked me'. Do you: A Rush back to the house, confront the parent and threaten her with the police?
B Tell the child that you will never let her play there again?
C Tell your employer what happened?
9 It is teatime in winter and there's a power cut. Do you: A Grab a torch, if possible, and keep things calm with a storytelling session?
B Phone your boyfriend to come round, as you're freaked out by the dark too?
C Search out some candles and tell the children to sit tight while you order a takeaway?
10 Your employer is unavoidably delayed for several hours and you really need to get home. Do you: A Take the children home with you, leaving an explanatory note?
B Ring social services for advice?
C Ring the children's grandparents or close friends?
ANSWERS AND SCORES
1 A = 1 B = 2 C = 3
You deserve a point for being 'up for it', but what if you fall? The child's still locked in there! Taking a hammer to the door could work if you get the child to stand away from the door and you are very careful.
However, the fire brigade is used to breaking in and will do less damage to the door. This is considered a 'special service', for which there may be a charge, and not an emergency and you should make that clear when you call them.
2 A = 1 B = 3 C = 2
You can have a point out of pity, but you really shouldn't be setting the child up for a lifetime fear of spiders. If you answered B, are you kidding? There's no need to over-egg it, but if you can be informative as well as calm and matter-of-fact you deserve top marks. Having a spider-catching device at the ready shows initiative, but is also a bit paranoid.
3 A = 0 B = 3 C = 2
It's downright dangerous to stop an escalator while people are on it - at best, you could end up banned from the store. B takes nerve, so well done, and carry on developing that authoritative 'nanny tone' when dealing with the public. C is second best, because the child may not like being grabbed by a stranger.
4 A = 1 B = 0 C = 3
With A you score a point for dogged cheerfulness, but you can't leave the child in his own vomit for the whole journey, can you? It's incredibly dangerous, and an offence to pull over on the motorway, and police would not count a vomiting child as a mitigating circumstance. A motorway service station may not be your favourite haunt, but it scores top marks because you can wash everyone down and take a break from that bout of stressful driving.
5 A = 1 B = 3 C = - 1
Screaming and calling for help shows that you care and may get results if you're lucky, but if you alert security they will cover the exits and use the tannoy system to tell staff; lost children are usually found close by.
C is just plain callous - are you sure you didn't lose the child deliberately?
6 A = 3 B = 2 C = 1
In this case the easiest thing to do is also the best. B is frequently recommended, too, but can be tricky to perform if the child is tensed up. C earns a point because it may work, but in most cases the child will have probably gone beyond the point of listening to you.
7 A = 0 B = 3 C = 1
Are you trying to follow in Fagin's footsteps? What kind of example would you be setting? This is a moral issue and it is up to the parents to take the lead, so they should be told as soon as possible. If you think you can talk to the child calmly and get to the bottom of the thing, then you earn a point, but you must still tell the parents.
8 A = 1 B = 2 C = 3
If you answered A you obviously really care about the child, but you are going beyond the call of duty here. With B you are also concerned about reassuring the child, and it should be a 'given' that she doesn't play there again, but you also need to inform your employer because nobody has a right to smack her child.
9 A = 3 B = 0 C = 1
A is the safest bet - the children will think it's quite exciting. If you answered B, what is it you're planning to do with your boyfriend in the dark? C shows you're thinking, but you lose two points because candles are dangerous when there are children around and a takeaway meal is an expensive and unhealthy cop-out.
10 A = 1 B = 2 C = 3
A may be the option the children will enjoy most, but it's not in your job description and your employer could feel justifiably miffed. Theoretically you're correct in ringing the authorities but, again, you're hardly likely to endear yourself to your boss, assuming you want to carry on with your job. It's sensible to contact family or friends and ensure you have arrangements set up for the future.
WHAT YOUR SCORE INDICATES
20 plus: You're a real gem and your employer is lucky to have you. She can leave her children in your care knowing that nothing will faze you and that you can cope with any eventuality.
Between 15 and 20: You are nearly there in the 'cool nanny' stakes, but you can be a little impulsive at times and tend to over-react in certain situations. Take a deep breath and allow yourself a second to think things through.
Less than 15: Don't panic! But isn't that exactly what you always do? The trouble is that you risk passing your alarm on to the children. Try meditation, yoga, anything to help you become a calmer, more controlled person.
