Boundaries & job expectations
Clear boundaries protect both you and the family, and they start with defining the role properly. Getting this right early prevents the quiet scope-creep that leaves so many caregivers doing far more than they agreed to.
Define the role from the interview
Use the interview to understand exactly what the family wants filled in their household. Then set it down clearly in your contract, so everyone is working from the same page.
Match your title to your pay and duties
Your job title should reflect what you actually do and what you are paid. A mother's helper, a nanny, a babysitter, and a home manager or family assistant are different roles with different scopes. Naming the role accurately keeps expectations and pay aligned.
Offer value beyond the chores
Think about what you bring beyond household tasks: planning and running activities, sharing observations, telling learning stories at handover, and curating an art or learning journal (with the family providing the materials and time). These are the things that make you a career caregiver rather than just an extra pair of hands.
Set communication expectations too
Agree early how you and the family will communicate, what they want to hear at the end of the day, how you will share plans, and when to contact them during the day versus at handover. Clear communication is itself a boundary, and a kindness to everyone.