Nanny Duties vs. House Manager Duties: Understanding the Key Differences

Do you ever feel like a professional juggler—managing a household, balancing work and family life, all while feeling overwhelmed? Same here! That’s why I knew I needed to build my village by bringing in the right support, like a house manager or nanny.

Understanding the difference between these roles, like nanny duties and house manager responsibilities, is one of the most important decisions a family can make. Knowing which one best fits your needs can help lighten the mental load and keep your household running smoothly.

Hi! I’m Kelly, and I know firsthand how critical the right support system is. After the birth of my second child, I found myself drowning in responsibilities. The weight of managing every aspect of our home and caring for our children was unsustainable. That’s when I realized that nanny duties and household management were two different things—and I needed both.

If you're trying to decide between hiring a nanny or a house manager, this guide will break down their roles so you can determine the best fit for your family.

What Are Nanny Duties?

A nanny is responsible for childcare duties, ensuring your children are safe, engaged, and cared for during your core work hours to allow you to perform the duties of your job.Nannies may have different levels of experience and certifications, such as CPR training, early childhood education, or experience working in daycares or schools.

Common Nanny Duties:

• Childcare Supervision: Watching children, ensuring their safety, and keeping them entertained.
• Meal Preparation for Kids: Preparing and serving meals and snacks.
• Bathing and Dressing: Assisting with daily hygiene tasks.
• Transportation: Driving children to and from school, activities, or playdates.
• Homework Help: Assisting with schoolwork and educational activities.
• Light Cleaning (Child-Related): Tidying up play areas, doing children's laundry, and cleaning up after meals.
• Sleep and Nap Routines: Ensuring children follow a structured bedtime or naptime schedule.
• Engagement & Development: Planning activities that support cognitive and social development.

What Nannies Are normally Not Responsible For:

• Deep cleaning or household organization
• Grocery shopping or running errands for the family
• Home maintenance or coordinating household vendors

House Manager vs. Nanny Duties: Understanding the Key Differences

A house manager takes care of the household's day-to-day operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly. Unlike a nanny, a house manager focuses more on household management than direct childcare.? This role is ideal for families who need an extra pair of hands for anything required to manage the household, like running errands, home organization, laundry, family appointments and more.

Common House Manager Responsibilities:

• General Household Management: Unloading dishwashers, wiping counters, restocking paper goods.?
• Overseeing household maintenance: Ensuring daily, weekly and seasonal chores are completed.
• Meal planning and preparation: Handling grocery shopping, meal prep, and maintaining family dietary needs.
• Organizing and decluttering: Keeping the home tidy, functional, and clutter-free.
• Assisting with family logistics: Planning travel, preparing for events, and managing day-to-day operations.
• Supervising household vendors: Coordinating and preparing for cleaners, gardeners, or other service providers, if applicable.

What House Managers Are Not Responsible For:

• Full-time childcare or acting as a nanny
• Teaching or helping with children's schoolwork
• Providing specialized childcare (such as for infants or children with special needs)

Do You Need a Nanny, a House Manager, or Both?

Understanding your family's needs will help determine whether you need a nanny, a house manager, or a combination of both.

Consider a Nanny if:

• Your primary concern is childcare.
• You need someone who is hands-on with your kids throughout the day.
• You require a caregiver with child development experience or certifications.
• You have a baby or young children who need full-time supervision.

Consider a House Manager if:

• You need help managing the home rather than just the children.
• Your children are in school most of the day, and you need more assistance with errands, organization, and home upkeep.
• You want someone to coordinate schedules, maintenance, and vendor management.
• You need help with meal planning, laundry, and other household responsibilities.
• Finding someone in a hybrid nanny-house manager role takes more effort and intentional hiring, but Sage Haus can help streamline the process and match you with the right fit! Learn all about our offerings here.

Consider Both if:

• You have a large household with both young children and extensive home management needs.
• You want full childcare support alongside home operations assistance.
• You and your spouse work full-time and need both childcare and household logistics covered.

Transitioning Your Nanny Into a House Manager

Many families start with a nanny and eventually transition them into a house manager role as their kids grow older and household needs evolve. This transition requires clear communication and role adjustments. If you're considering this shift, I have a FREE resource to guide you through the process.

Get My Free Guide: How to Transition Your Nanny Into a House Manager

Have It All Without Doing It All

It's time to relieve the mental load, stop the "do-it-all" culture, and normalize support in our households. Are you ready to:

• Be More Present - Spend quality time with your children, reconnect with your spouse, and focus on your career.
• Value Your Time - Recognize that your scarcest resource is time, and learn how to delegate household tasks.
• Release Spousal Resentment - Avoid burnout and frustration by balancing responsibilities more effectively.
• Hire Your Village - Outsource the overwhelming tasks to a trusted team of professionals.

How I Can Help You:

• Home Systems - Customizable processes, operations, and checklists for your household.
• Digital Course - A step-by-step hiring playbook to build your dream team.
• Six-Week Cohort - A guided program to support you through hiring and recruiting.
• 1:1 Private Recruiting- Let me handle the entire hiring process for you.
• Freebies & Resources - Access my curated collection of free guides, courses, and tools to help streamline your household!

Ready to Build Your Dream Support System?

You deserve a well-managed household without doing it all yourself. Let me help you create a seamless, stress-free home environment so you can thrive.

Let’s Get Started with a Discovery Call! Schedule Now!

Frequently Asked Questions: Nanny Duties vs. House Manager Duties: Understanding the Key Differences

What are the duties of a nanny?

The duties of a nanny focus primarily on childcare and tangential activities to caring for children such as supervising children, preparing their meals, assisting with hygiene, transporting them to activities, helping with homework, maintaining sleep routines, and engaging them in developmental activities.

What should a nanny not do?

A nanny typical is not responsible for additional household management responsibilities such as deep cleaning, grocery shopping, running family errands, home maintenance, or coordinating household vendors.