No, absolutely not! You cannot break up with your nanny by email or text. It’s never boring at White House Nannies. I’m sharing this story not to shame anyone but to dissuade anyone else from considering this kind of break-up. I know there may be some similarities in dating and finding a nanny. But NO ONE- neither your significant other nor your nanny- wants to be ditched/axed/let go/fired so impersonally. It verges on cowardly, it’s certainly not kind, and it’s not very smart. Even allowing for the fact that you feel your nanny is not doing her job as she once did. She has a relationship with your child. She knows all the neighborhood nannies. She knows your family inside out.

How should you handle this icky break-up?  You take the high road. Seriously. Get on that high road right now. Be resolved. Be kind. But don’t retreat even if there are tears. You’ll just be at this same juncture in the near future.  She was great when she was great and now she’s not. Thank her for what she did do for your family. Tell her your current needs and hers are not aligned. Give her some severance. Wish her well. Allow her to say goodbye if your child is old enough to notice that she will be MIA. Closure is good. Little white lies are ok here.

I repeat. No good will come of breaking up with your nanny by tech. Take heed!