Every January, we get flooded with resumes from nannies who’ve been with their families for one, two, three years and have decided the new year means new employment. It’s predictable as clockwork. December ends, the calendar flips, and suddenly our inbox fills with experienced nannies ready to make a change. The Austin families they’re leaving are often shocked. “She seemed happy!” they tell us. “We had no idea she was looking!” But the nanny had been quietly dissatisfied for months, maybe longer, and used the psychological reset of January to finally do something about it. New year, new job, fresh start. It’s the most common New Year’s resolution among household staff, and families who don’t see it coming lose excellent caregivers they could have retained if they’d recognized the pattern and addressed it proactively.
Understanding why January triggers job changes and what signs indicate your nanny might be planning an exit helps you either prevent the departure or at least prepare for it rather than being blindsided. We’ve been placing nannies in Austin and across major markets for over twenty years, and we’ve learned to read the January job-hunting patterns. Let’s talk about why this month specifically drives career changes, how to recognize when your nanny is among the ones planning to leave, and what you can do about it before she’s already accepted another offer and you’re scrambling for replacement childcare.
Why January Triggers Career Changes
There’s something psychologically powerful about the new year as a moment for change. December is chaos for most families and their nannies. Holidays, travel, disrupted routines, family visitors, additional responsibilities. Everyone’s just trying to survive December. But when January arrives and life returns to normal rhythm, people take stock. They reflect on whether they’re happy, whether their job serves them, whether they want another year of the same. For nannies who’ve been tolerating problems, ignoring dissatisfaction, or putting off decisions about their careers, January feels like the natural moment to finally make a change. The fresh calendar creates psychological permission to do what they’ve been considering for months.
Compensation discussions happen in January for many industries, and nannies are aware of that pattern. They know that if they’re going to negotiate raises or ask for better benefits, early in the year is the logical time. But if they’ve already decided the compensation won’t improve enough to make them stay, or if they’ve tried raising compensation issues before and been shut down, January becomes the moment they start looking elsewhere rather than having another unsuccessful conversation with current employers. Many nannies gave themselves through the holidays to see if things improved, if promised changes materialized, if problems resolved. When January arrives and nothing’s different, that’s their signal that change won’t come from within the current position. They need to create change by finding new employment.
Job markets are active in January. Families are hiring because their previous childcare arrangements ended or changed. Nannies looking for work are visible and available. The increased market activity makes job searching feel more productive than it would in slower months. Your nanny sees other positions posted, hears about friends getting new jobs, feels the momentum of the hiring season, and that encourages her own search. Financial pressure increases in January after holiday spending. Credit card bills arrive, savings are depleted, the reality of financial situation becomes clear. If your nanny is underpaid or financially stressed, the January financial reckoning often motivates her to find better-paying work rather than continuing to struggle.
The end of the calendar year allows nannies to mentally close the chapter on a position. “I gave them two years” or “I made it through last year” creates natural stopping point. Starting fresh with a new family in the new year feels cleaner than leaving mid-year. That psychological framing makes January departures feel more appropriate somehow than quitting in March or July. For nannies considering career changes beyond childcare entirely, January aligns with school schedules, training programs, and other opportunities that start at the beginning of the year. If she’s been thinking about going back to school, transitioning to different work, or making major life changes, January timing makes logistical sense.
Signs Your Nanny Is Planning to Leave
The clearest sign is sudden interest in raises or contract renegotiation. If your nanny who never asks for anything suddenly brings up compensation or wants to discuss changing her agreement, she’s either hoping you’ll make staying worthwhile or she’s establishing her salary requirements for negotiating with new families. Either way, it signals she’s evaluating whether this position works for her financially. Another obvious indicator is her asking about references. If she mentions needing references updated, asks if you’d provide a letter of recommendation, or inquires what you’d say if called by another family, she’s planning to use you as a reference for job applications. That means she’s actively preparing to apply elsewhere.
Increased phone activity during work hours suggests something’s changed. You can’t monitor her phone use constantly, but if you notice she’s taking more calls, stepping away for private conversations, or seems distracted by texting, she might be coordinating interviews or communicating with agencies and potential employers. Changes in attitude often precede departure. The nanny who’s mentally checked out, who seems less engaged with the children, who’s no longer bringing the energy and enthusiasm she used to show, might be emotionally withdrawing because she’s already planning to leave. She’s protecting herself from continued investment in a position she won’t stay in.
Requests for time off that seem unusual or suspiciously timed could indicate interview scheduling. If she’s suddenly asking for specific hours off, requesting flexibility she doesn’t normally need, or taking “appointments” that she’s vague about, she might be interviewing. Not every appointment is a job interview, but patterns of mysterious time off requests during business hours are worth noting. Sudden interest in your household employment practices might signal she’s preparing to discuss current employment with potential new employers. Questions about exactly when she’s paid, how taxes are handled, what benefits she officially receives, these details matter for describing current compensation to families she’s interviewing with.
Decreased investment in your household shows up in small ways. She’s not restocking supplies as thoroughly. She’s not planning ahead the way she used to. She’s handling only immediate needs without thought for next week or next month. That short-term focus often means she doesn’t expect to be around long enough for long-term planning to matter. Conversations with other nannies at the playground or activities become more frequent or more private. The nanny network is strong, and job searching often involves talking to other nannies about openings, what families are paying, who’s hiring. If she’s suddenly more engaged with other nannies or having more private conversations with them, she might be networking for her job search.
Why She Didn’t Tell You She Was Unhappy
The biggest question families ask is why their nanny didn’t communicate dissatisfaction before starting to look elsewhere. The answer is usually complicated. Many nannies did try to communicate, but families didn’t hear it as the serious problem it was. She mentioned being tired, you said everyone’s tired. She brought up compensation, you said you’d think about it and never revisited the conversation. She expressed concerns about workload, you said it’s just a busy season. From her perspective, she tried. From yours, she never really said anything serious. That perception gap is real.
Power dynamics make it genuinely difficult for nannies to be direct about unhappiness. You control their income, their schedule, their employment security. Being too honest about dissatisfaction feels risky. What if you get angry? What if you fire them before they have another job lined up? That fear keeps many nannies from expressing the full extent of their unhappiness until they’re already planning to leave. Some nannies have learned from past employment that speaking up doesn’t help. They’ve tried honest conversations with previous families and been met with defensiveness, dismissal, or termination. So they don’t bother trying with you. They just quietly plan their exit while maintaining professional facade.
Cultural expectations about household employment sometimes tell nannies they should be grateful to have the job and shouldn’t complain. That internalized messaging prevents them from advocating for themselves. They feel guilty for wanting more or for being unhappy, so they don’t express it. Instead they suffer in silence until they can’t anymore, and then they leave. For some nannies, the decision to leave came so recently that there hasn’t been time for the conversation yet. They didn’t wake up January 1st certain they wanted new employment. The decision developed over the first few days of the year, and they’re just starting to act on it. You’re not seeing lack of communication as much as you’re seeing the very beginning of a decision that’s just forming.
What to Do If You Suspect She’s Looking
If you’re seeing signs that your nanny might be job hunting, address it directly and immediately. Have a genuine conversation asking if she’s happy in the position and if there’s anything that would make it better. Create safety for honest response. “I’ve noticed you seem less engaged lately, and I wanted to check in about how you’re feeling about the job. If something’s not working, I’d rather know so we can address it.” Approach with curiosity and openness rather than accusation. Don’t say “Are you looking for another job?” which puts her on defensive. Instead say “I want to make sure this position is still working for you. Can we talk about how things are going?”
Listen without getting defensive to whatever she tells you. If she shares concerns, don’t immediately explain why she’s wrong or why things can’t change. Just listen. Ask clarifying questions. Try to understand fully what she’s experiencing. After you’ve listened, ask what would need to change for her to feel the position is sustainable long-term. Be genuinely willing to make changes if her requests are reasonable. If she needs more compensation, can you provide it? If workload is overwhelming, can you reduce scope or bring in additional help? If communication is the problem, can you commit to better practices? Show through action that you’re taking her concerns seriously.
If the conversation reveals she’s already decided to leave or that the issues aren’t resolvable, shift to planning for transition. Ask for as much notice as she can give. Discuss whether she’d be willing to help with the hiring process by overlapping with a new nanny for training. Find out her timeline so you can plan accordingly. Even if you’re upset about losing her, maintaining professionalism and gratitude for the time she gave your family preserves the relationship and ensures she won’t leave immediately or speak poorly about you to potential candidates.
Proactive Retention Strategies
Better than trying to save a nanny who’s already looking is preventing the dissatisfaction that drives job searches in the first place. Use January as your own checkpoint for evaluating the employment relationship. Schedule an early-year conversation with your nanny about how things are going, what worked well last year, what could improve this year. Make it annual practice to discuss the relationship proactively. Ask explicitly whether compensation is fair and sustainable. Don’t wait for her to ask for a raise. Research market rates and adjust compensation proactively if you’re not keeping pace. Regular appropriate increases show you value her and you’re paying attention to her needs.
Check in about workload and scope. Has the job grown beyond original parameters? Are you asking more than you used to? Have children’s needs changed in ways that affect difficulty of care? Acknowledge those changes and discuss whether compensation or support needs to adjust accordingly. Show appreciation regularly and specifically. Thank her genuinely for the ways she contributes to your family. Acknowledge when she handles challenges well, when she goes above baseline expectations, when she makes your life easier. Feeling valued prevents the resentment that drives job searching.
Create opportunity for professional development. Support training, provide learning opportunities, show investment in her growth. Nannies who feel they’re advancing professionally are less likely to seek advancement through new employment. Maintain strong communication throughout the year. Don’t just have one annual conversation and then never check in. Regular brief conversations about how things are going, whether anything needs adjustment, if she has concerns, these prevent problems from building silently until she’s already decided to leave.
If She’s Already Accepted Another Position
Sometimes you’ll discover your nanny is leaving only when she gives notice that she’s accepted another offer. At that point, retention is rarely possible. She’s made her decision, committed to new employers, and is moving forward. Your focus shifts entirely to managing the transition well. Thank her genuinely for her service to your family. Express appreciation for what she brought to your children’s lives. Don’t make her departure about you or punish her for leaving. She has the right to pursue better opportunities.
Ask what you could have done differently to have kept her. This isn’t about guilt or about trying to change her mind. It’s about learning for your next nanny relationship. Understanding what drove her to leave helps you prevent repeating problems. Listen to her feedback without defensiveness. Request adequate notice if possible. Two weeks is standard but many nannies will give more if asked respectfully and if they feel valued. The more notice you have, the better you can manage the transition and search for replacement.
Offer to provide strong references and actually follow through on that. If she was a good nanny, help her succeed in her next position by speaking well of her to potential employers. That generosity often means she’ll speak well of you to candidates you’re considering. Discuss whether she’d be willing to help transition a new nanny if there’s overlap. Having her train her replacement for even a few days makes the handoff much smoother for your children and for the new employee.
Learning for Next Time
If you lose your nanny to January job hunting, use the experience to improve how you manage future employment relationships. Look honestly at what you could have done differently. Were there signs you missed? Concerns she raised that you didn’t take seriously? Compensation that wasn’t keeping pace with market? Communication breakdowns you could have prevented? Take responsibility for your part without beating yourself up, just learn from it. Build better practices into your next nanny relationship from the beginning. Proactive communication, regular compensation reviews, genuine appreciation, sustainable workload, all the things that prevent the dissatisfaction that drives January departures.
Understand that some turnover is normal in childcare. Not every nanny who leaves was unhappy with you. Sometimes people make career changes for reasons unrelated to their current employer. Sometimes they move, go back to school, have family situations that require leaving the field. You can be an excellent employer and still lose nannies to factors beyond your control. That’s okay and not a failure on your part. What you can control is whether nannies leave because they’re unhappy with working conditions you could have addressed.
If you’re in Austin or any market and you’re noticing your nanny seems different this January, pay attention to that. The families who stay ahead of turnover are the ones who address problems proactively, who check in regularly, who treat retention as ongoing work rather than something to think about only when employees give notice. January is when career changes happen. Being aware of that pattern helps you either prevent the departure or at least not be caught completely off guard when your nanny’s New Year’s resolution turns out to be finding new employment.
