Introduction
Hiring a nanny requires time, patience and knowledge. Although it may seem like a simple thing to do, consider what a nanny will provide to your child. In most cases, they will provide health care, education, rearing, and even teaching your child morals. It requires something more than selecting any person on the street to watch your child. This isn’t a babysitter, but a person to welcome into your family to do one of the most important things for your family: raising your child.
For most people, a nanny can be a true benefit. Finding someone that is trained in providing these attributes to your child will give your child a step up from the rest. If you currently are sending your child to daycare, you may be spending just as much as a nanny would cost you and getting mediocre care for your child. For many reasons, a nanny is an investment into your child’s future as well as your future.
In this ebook, you will learn who a nanny is, what they can provide to you and your child, how to hire one and how to be confident in your decision. Hiring a nanny is a huge responsibility. Yet, it doesn’t have to be one that you don’t do well.
Get Your Child to Sleep
Chapter 1: Who Is A Nanny?
Just who is a nanny anyway? Many people don’t realize what a nanny can provide or what their true job is. In fact, this will be one of the steps you go through when hiring a nanny to care for your child. What you want them to provide must be defined ahead of time. In that, you have to know what should be provided and what a standard nanny’s job is.
The definition of a nanny is someone that is employed to take care of children. This generally happens within the child’s home. Some nannies are live in while others will come and go on a daily basis at various hours. Nannies can be hired on a full time basis or they may even work part time. In most cases, they are responsible for the day to day care of your child including their established routines.
What To Expect From Your Nanny
There are several things that you should expect from your nanny. Don’t assume that they will provide this, though. The fact is that every aspect of hiring a nanny means spelling out what you require. In the next chapters, we’ll help you to do just that.
A nanny should:
• Respect family decisions and provide services around them.
• Promote the development of the child in all aspects including emotional, physical, intellectual and social developments.
• Hold true to high standards of professional conduct with children and families.
• Continue their education to provide the latest resources and skills to the child.
The role of a nanny includes things like being educators, nutritionists, activity coordinators, researchers, friends, and much more. They do more than any babysitter could provide as their job is not to keep the child out of trouble for a few hours, but for their life.
It is up to you to decide who you hire as a nanny for your family. There is no official seal of approval that nannies have. Yet, it is very strongly recommended that you take the time to find out about their experience and their education. Most nannies will have special education under their belt for child care. These skills should be evident in the way that they work with children, in the decisions that they make and on paper from the school itself. A nanny with special child care skills is a person that has dedicated their education to becoming a child care specialist, something you definitely want to have in your home.
It is strongly recommended that you consider the educational background of the nanny before you hire them to care for your child. Even someone that has had their own children may not know all that they should about the educational and social development of a child.
Many colleges offer this type of education and there are also a number of nanny institutes that are a tool to consider as well. As you will see, there are a number of different ways to hire a nanny, but this is one aspect that should never go without detailed research.
You have to ask these questions:
What makes this person qualified to raise your child?
What skills do they possess that make them capable, willing, and educationally developed to handle this huge responsibility?
If you can’t answer that question about a nanny you are considering, consider someone else for the job.
Chapter 2: Who Makes A Great Nanny?
What type of person makes for a good nanny? Not everyone that can be a nanny should be one. As you look at various people for this job, consider who they are based on some basic standards.
Non Profit Support
One thing you should realize is that there are countless agencies and organizations that provide non profit services for those who are hiring nannies as well as nannies themselves. These organizations are a treasure trove of information and details. One of them is the International Nanny Association. Here are their standard qualifications for a nanny.
• The individual must be at least 18 years of age.
• The individual must have at least a high school education or have the equivalent.
• The nanny must be in good health themselves. This including having all necessary immunizations for the area they are serving and have a negative TB test done.
Beyond this, though, there are other things you must consider. For example, does the age of a nanny matter? For most people, the age of a nanny is a consideration. But, it differs from one person to the next.
You may be looking for someone that will be able to provide you with physical interaction with your child. You may want someone that can keep up with the three young children you have.
Or, you may be looking for someone that has a great deal of experience and has a more “set in stone” outlook on rearing children.
Either of these examples, extreme as they are, is a fine qualification. It is up to you to decide what the ideal age or other qualifications that your nanny should have. In fact, a nanny can be anyone you wish, over 18 that you feel has the right qualifications you set forth.
Later, we will touch on the benefits of hiring a mannie, or a male nanny. This too should be something that you take into consideration.
One Rule That Can’t Be Surpassed
Most of the qualifications of a nanny center on your actual preferences for a nanny. There is one rule, though, that should always be considered.
A nanny should always have a genuine interest and love in children. They should respect children and truly enjoy being around them. A nanny that considers this a job is not someone to hire. Rather, hire a nanny that considers this to be their career and even their calling. The difference will come forth in their dedication.
3 Types of Nannies
Nannies can be broken down into three basic types of people. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but you should consider where your preferences are in these basic types.
• Younger: Nannies in this group are often single, young and are looking to work as a nanny for the next couple of years, perhaps to pay for college or their future training. Some are taking a break from work or school, while others want to serve as a nanny part time. They may not be getting the personal rewards from their current employment. The benefit in these nannies are that they are more energetic, eager, active and often open to working with all types of people.
• Older and Experienced. This group of nannies is generally older people that are experienced in raising children of their own. Some are people that have raised their children and wish to help others do the same. In this case, there are countless differences in the education, skills and background of the individuals.
• Experts. In the final group of nannies you will find people that consider themselves professionals, experts and even child care specialists. Here, you have people that are looking to make being a nanny a full time career. They generally have gone through educational programs and may have an early childhood education or even an elementary education degree. They may have a training certificate in nanny specialized fields. Many will have years of experience working as a nanny, while others are just starting out.
How do you select? Determine what it is that appeals to you. Education, experience, long term dedication, energy and more are things that you should consider here. How important are these features to you?
Whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of not considering people from all of these situations as your nanny. Each offers something unique that may fit with what you are looking for better.
Chapter 3: What Help Do You Need?
Finding a great person for the nanny job is great, but do you even realize what you would like them to provide for you? What type of help do you need? When do you need it? All of these things are essential to consider when it comes to hiring a nanny.
You’re Unique
There is no special form to fill out to determine the best type of set up for you and your nanny. Each family will have its own special and specific needs as well as child care requirements. The first consideration to select is that of time.
Do you need a full time nanny? A full time nanny will cost you more. Since most full time nannies live in your home, you’ll have to have the space to accommodate them. In addition, you’ll need to determine a working schedule, as even nannies will need time off.
A full time nanny does offer many perks, though. For example, they may have longer hours and more time off during the middle of the day when the child is at school. Or, they may be able to provide more complete child care since they are living at the location. A full time nanny may have part of their pay come from room and boarding, if this is decided upon.
Do you want a nanny that works at your home but then leaves daily? In this case, the costs are going to be somewhat less because the nanny will not be there for bedtime or other such events. Nevertheless, a full time nanny still provides full time care to your child, servicing their needs as you both define.
A part time nanny is great fit for those that are looking for someone to help after school and until bedtime, or during the day for younger kids. These individuals will come into the home and provide child care as you define and will meet the child’s care needs during the time they are there. Of course, the cost of a part time nanny is lower and they do not usually live in your home.
Cleaning House
One thing that many people assume is that if they have a nanny that the nanny will be providing in home cleaning services as well as child rearing. If you feel that these things go together, you will need to talk about this with the nanny prior to hiring someone. This is not something that comes with the package and may cost you more to find a nanny/housekeeper rolled into one.
Reality and Nannies
When you hire a nanny, have realistic expectations. If you are hiring someone to come into your home and take care of your child’s every need, communicate this. But, realize too that they are not magicians that have magical solutions for all problems that are going to come up. What’s more is that they will provide services to you that are directed by you, not just off the cuff.
Another realistic expectation to have is that of the role that the nanny will play. In most cases, a nanny is not someone that will be filling in for a parent. They don’t handle running a home either. Things like cleaning, cooking, chores and doing your grocery shopping are not things that you are hiring a nanny to do. Rather, their job is to take care of the child.
The job of a nanny is child care. Some nannies will be okay with doing like housekeeping, especially when the child has been the one to make the mess. But, it is rare to find a nanny that will agree to run your household for you. If this is something that you are after in the nanny, finding someone that can accurately and completely handle each of these roles will be hard and must be sought carefully. Often, one or the other roles will falter.
During the interview process, it is essential to take into consideration any and all of the requirements and interests that you have in your nanny. The nanny is there to help you and provide for your child, but even things that you think are givens should be addressed.
Later we will discuss a question and answer session that you should do with your nanny during the interview process to insure that what they can provide is actually what you are looking for.
Nevertheless, from the beginning, you should have clear expectations and needs determined for your own sake. You should know who you are looking for and have well defined criteria set up to provide for this during the interviewing process.
If and when you do this, you will find that the right person is easier to find as well as fills the role more accurately. Since finding a new nanny to replace one that isn’t working out is so much more difficult than getting it right the first time, use communication as your tool to accomplish this.
Chapter 4: Money And Time: What’s A Nanny Cost?
How much should you pay for a nanny? How much will it cost you to hire a nanny? Can you afford to have a nanny care for your children?
One of the largest considerations any family needs to make when it comes to hiring a nanny is if they can afford it and how much it will cost in general.
The fact is that nothing should come in the way of your child receiving the care and understanding that they need. As discussed, a nanny’s responsibility is that of providing the child with education, social skills, and emotional well being. There can’t be a price tag on those features. Nevertheless, most people do have to maintain a budget for their family’s needs.
What Makes a Difference
One thing to realize is that the location you are in and the type of service that you are requiring will determine the actual cost of a nanny. There isn’t a by hour rate that works for everyone of every skill and need.
Geography is the first thing that will determine the cost of a nanny. The more influential the location or the more costly the living expenses, the more costly it will be in those areas to hire a nanny for your child. Places like New York and California, are examples. But, too, in certain areas of any state you will find this playing a role.
The education and experience of the nanny is the next deciding factor. Obviously, you get what you pay for in these features. If you are looking for someone that is well experienced and has a great resume, you can count on paying more for their services. On the other hand, someone new out of school would cost you less. Someone with no training too will cost less.
Pay: Crunch the Numbers
The pay and benefits of a nanny vary, but we have some guidelines for you to consider.
Beginning nannies that live in your home will range from $250 to $400 per week. These are inexperienced individuals that tend to be new to being a nanny.
Those that are trained and do have experience are likely to require a salary that ranges from $350 to well over $1000 per week.
For a nanny that doesn’t live with you, or one that works part time, you can expect rates to be dependant on hours and needs. Part time workers can earn $7 per hour to $20 per hour or more, depending on their qualifications.
Benefits Are Required, Too
Most nannies will require a benefits package as well. Remember, they are an employee of yours and those employment benefits should come with working for you.
For live in nannies, it will be necessary to provide them with a private room to live in. In most cases, their own private bath is another quality to consider providing. Free room and board is a condition of virtually all live in nanny arrangements.
For time off, the nanny should receive at least two weeks per year of vacation time. In addition, major holidays are usually provided without work. Many families will provide health care insurance to their nannies as well.
Sometimes, if the nanny is required to drive the child from place to place, the nanny will also need the use of a car while working.
These benefits are provided to both live in nannies as well as live out nannies. All of these qualifications must be provided for before you hire the nanny. You’ll see later the requirements of a contract and why this is so important.
The Work Schedule
Another consideration of the nanny and the work that he or she does for you is the work schedule. If you have a live in nanny, you may think that the nanny would be working any time that the child is around. The fact is that a nanny is like any other employee, requiring a schedule that is fair and appropriate.
In most cases, a nanny will work from 40 to 60 hours. If the nanny is required to work over these hours, the family should provide extra pay, such as overtime or should provide some additional time off later in the week.
Hourly employees will face the same restrictions on hours as the live in or full time nannies. The difference here is that the nanny will likely earn an hourly rate, which most states require a maximum number of hours per week worked before overtime rates will kick in. You’ll need to check with your state’s Department of Labor website to find this information out.
Again, all of these things need to be taken into consideration during the hiring phase.
Don’t Forget the Taxes
Taxes are yet another consideration of the hiring of a nanny. Because you are employing them, you will be required to pay taxes for them. This includes Social Security taxes, Federal Income Taxes and any state or local earnings that are required to be paid in your state.
This means for you that you will need to pay the employer’s portion of the Social Security tax on the nanny’s salary. In addition, some states require that the employer pay the state unemployment taxes of that employee too.
The fact is that you’ll need to gather this information from your local governmental offices to find out how to register for tax payments and what you will need to actually pay, how much and how often.
The good news is that there are many accounting software products that have built in features that can help you to manage your staff including your nanny services. This can help to simplify the process considerably.
Remember that your nanny is your employee.
Chapter 5: Nanny Training
What difference does it make to you what type of training your nanny has?
Why do you care if your nanny has been educated or if they have any experience dealing with children?
Although you are a good parent, your parenting skills are partially due to your love for the child you are raising. Your intuition really does kick in to tell you what is right or wrong or how to deal with situations as they arise that effect your child.
From a nanny’s standpoint, this is not always there. They need education to provide them with the necessary skills to react the right way.
In addition to this, if you are paying someone to come into your home and to care for the most important possession you have, your child, you want someone that is going to offer them the right type of rearing and give them the best possible head start on life, right? That’s why we need education.
Are Nannies Trained, Specifically?
As discussed early, nannies all come from a wide range of backgrounds.
• You are sure to find those that are fresh out of college with a degree in early childhood education.
• You’ll also find those that have already raised their own child and now are doing that for you.
• Or, you’ll find others that just love children and want to make this work for both of you.
In any case, a nanny is someone that you can consider at different levels. Most non profit organizations that provide information about nannies, including those that help nannies and families to come together, will provide you with the fundamental understanding that education and experience are the right mix.
You will find, though, that there is a real demand for qualified and trained nannies. In the United States, more and more families are looking towards this solution instead of overcrowded and understaffed day cares. With that comes the fact that there are likely to be fewer nannies to fill in those qualified gaps.
Therefore, today, there are more and more nannies being hired without any formal nanny training at all. Of course, the more knowledgeable the nanny is, the more you can expect for them to provide in ways of educations and rearing the child. You also will pay more for those that provide this service as well.
Nanny training comes in all forms. Some nannies will have no training at all. If you hire those that don’t have any training, suggest paying for a few courses at the local community college for them. All it will do is improve the care and skills that they can provide to your child.
What Training Is Provided?
Training that is available for nannies is very varied. In the United States as well as in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, specific nanny training courses are available to be taken.
The student that enrolls and completes these programs, often offered by accredited colleges and universities, will have education in:
• Child development
• Nutrition
• Safety (of all types)
• Some educational courses
• First aid courses that should include becoming certified in CPR.
• Family dynamics
• Effective and beneficial play activities
• Nutrition
The student is also likely to learn a wide range of other courses as they have chosen. In addition to this, find out if the school has provided them with the ability to interact with young children prior to issuing a degree or certificate to them. That is, they should have spent several hours working with children under the supervision of their instructor, to insure that they can handle real life situations that can’t be fabricated otherwise.
The United Kingdom has a very unique approach to educating nannies that hasn’t quite made its way into the United States just yet. There, a nanny student is required to take a total of 2200 classroom hours and practical hours worth of training over the course of two years.
During this time, they will prepare for the national exam that allows them to become certified as a nursery nurse and therefore a nanny. For this reason, many people seek out specifically trained British nannies.
On the flip side, in most other countries mentioned that recognize and provide nanny training, the types of training available are quite different. In most cases, the nanny can take a six week course of study. Also, one year certification degree programs are also available.
Some college and universities are now providing more complex and thorough training through the use of associate and bachelor degree programs.
When considering the qualifications for a nanny, take into consideration these fundamentals and their importance to you. You will find that there are many times when finding a nanny with the right skills and education will require a bit more searching, interviewing and often more pay when you do hire one. There are many benefits to doing just that, though.
To learn more about the courses of study that are offered to nannies, visit a non profit organizations website where you can learn the different levels of training that a nanny may have. A good place to visit is the International Nanny Association, a non profit organization that specializes in educating nannies and families.
There is little doubt that hiring a skilled nanny, one that has the proper training is a must for anyone considering this. But, if you can’t provide this for your child due to the cost, find out if an inexperienced nanny would like to take some courses as part of the payment arrangements of working with you.
Chapter 6: Where You’ll Find The Best Nannies
By now you have a fairly good idea of who the nanny you are looking for is. You should have an idea of:
• What amount of time you will require them to work, full or part time.
• If they will be live in or live out nannies.
• What type of person you are looking for, young, energetic, older and wiser…etc?
• You should know the amount of money you can afford to spend on your nanny and what that will bring you.
• You should know the level of education and experience that your nanny should have, or at least an idea of what you would like.
Now that you have this understood, you can move on into just where you will find the nanny you are interested in. There are several ways for you to do just that.
Who Are You Looking For?
If you are looking for a nanny that is someone that is young and energetic and doesn’t have the nanny training mentioned here, then you’ll want to target that audience for your needs. If you are looking for a nanny that is experienced, well trained and educated then you’ll want to direct your attention in another direction.
The most common thing for most people to do is to rely on a few good old standby methods of educating. The newspaper’s classified ads or other help wanted ads on bulletin boards and in magazines. While these ads will have many people calling you, you are likely to get all sorts of people for the job. That’s really not the best way to go when looking for a well trained nanny.
Instead, consider working with a non profit organization that makes it their job, and pleasure, to help you to find the right nanny for your family. There is still quite a bit of information and details that you have learned yet that the nanny has to provide for you.
When you work with a non profit agency, you will gain benefits that are tremendous including the ability to be placed with a nanny that has the right fit for your family.
Another great place to look for a qualified nanny is right through the nanny training programs and universities offering this program. Many of these programs like to offer students placement and, since they are just graduating, they generally cost less to hire and have a full set of educational skills to use.
When considering the right location to get your nanny from, take into consideration the person you are trying to attract. There is no doubt that a qualified candidate can be found. What’s more is that there are many that can provide you with just what you are looking for well within a budget that you may have.
Nannies From Around the World
Have you been considering hiring a nanny that has been trained in another country?
Many families are looking at this option, especially in regards to those nannies that have been trained and certified in the United Kingdom. If this is you, consider these things first.
First off, the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service very rarely allows for a nanny to be brought into the country to work. There are immigration laws in effect that make it nearly impossible for you to do this. Non American nannies are not normally given work visas to those that are looking to work as nannies within the United States.
In addition, if you find that a nanny has traveled to the United States as a tourist and only has a tourist visa; it is common that they will be unable to accept employment in the United States. If they do, they are working illegally here. As the person who hired them, it will be up to you to pay any fines that are incurred. The nanny that is caught doing this is likely to be deported back to the country that they’ve come from too.
Finally, one mistake that many make when it comes to hiring a nanny from aboard is that of those that are attending cultural exchange programs. Families can have these individuals come into their home and work, but this is done on a one year basis and is not something that is a permanent work program. Often, they are here for nothing more than a cultural experience.
As complicated as it is, it will be necessary to look for a nanny that has the training you wish within the country. If you are very lucky, you may find a nanny that has been educated through UK or other country’s educational programs for nannies, but this is very rare to find.
Now you have a few ideas of where you can go to find nannies, but there are still more things to cover. One thing you’ll want to consider is that of the nanny placement agency. This is not a non profit organization, but another tool that is available to you nonetheless.
Chapter 7: What Are Nanny Placement Agencies?
Have you heard of nanny placement agencies? Before you don’t consider them because they do cost you a decent sum of money, realize that they also offer many benefits to you in the long run. These benefits may be just what you need to find the right nanny.
Nanny placement agencies are yet another option when it comes to hiring a nanny. These services provide you with the skills necessary to actually find the nanny that fits your needs. Most of these programs are not non profit, but they offer services that will meet your needs and serve the nanny looking for a job too.
A nanny placement agency can be a very good thing. Many people use these services because of all that they offer to the family looking to hire a nanny for their children. These companies will provide a service that works to make the skills that a nanny has to the needs of the family looking for the nanny.
The Agency Will Provide…
While a nanny placement agency does cost a fee to use, it is a great way to locate a number of high quality, qualified individuals that are looking for employment with you.
In addition to putting you in contact with them, they are also likely to provide you with the background screening that should be done on a nanny before being hired as well. The placement agency will likely handle most of the screening process for you.
A nanny placement agency will work with you to define your specific needs for a nanny and then work to match them.
The Cost
The cost for using one of these services will depend on the service and your location. In general, they will provide you with a nanny in the cost range of anyplace between $800 well up into $5000 or more.
One thing that is often included in these services is the ability to provide a replacement nanny for you should something happens to the one that they place you with. If a replacement is not something that you would be interested in, make sure you consider an agency that allows for a refund on these services. There are likely to be timeframes established for this, though.
What’s Provided In Their Service?
While many nanny placement services provide a number of different services to each person, there are a number of things that you should consider when using them.
The nanny placement agency should:
• Verify the past employment of the nanny, fully.
• They should check references for the nanny, fully.
• Personal and employment references should be carefully considered.
• They should do a thorough background check on the nanny, including a criminal background check.
• They should check the driving record of the nanny.
• Fingerprints and photos are often taken of the nanny as a precaution, and run through databases if required.
• Health screenings should be completed. This should cover blood tests, TB testing as well as a physical performed by a licensed doctor that insures that the nanny is health and capable of working in these situations.
• Some agencies will require that psychological testing be done on the nanny to determine their state of mind and their mental capacity for this job. An evaluation can be requested.
• Immigration paperwork should always be tested. This includes making sure that the nanny is an American citizen or has the ability to legally work in the United States.
If there are other conditions or qualifications that you are interested in the nanny having, make sure to communicate this with the nanny placement agency, as they will insure that the nanny that they plan to place you with does have these skills if they are applicable.
Testing You Too
One thing that most people don’t realize is that the nanny placement agency is likely to do some research on you, too. That is, they want to make sure that the child is safe with the nanny, no doubt, but that they also want to make sure that the nanny they are placing with you is also safe in their living conditions.
They may require information about you such as a background check as well as personal and employment references. Different agencies may require more or less than this too.
Other Services They’ll Provide To You
There are other benefits to working with a nanny placement agency too. For example, the agency may provide you with these things.
1. They will help you to set up a job description for your nanny. This will allow them to assist you in finding the right person for the job by accurately depicting what qualifications you are interested in having.
2. They will help you to define what it is that the nanny will perform in your home and define the requirements that you can expect the nanny to provide and not to provide.
3. Comprehension package including payments, contracts for service, and benefits is something that can also be helpful that placement agencies provide. This can help you to plan ahead and get the groundwork laid for when the time comes to hire someone.
4. They may or may not provide help in providing you with the help needed to set up your payments to the nanny, in regards to taxes and social security. They can help you to find an appropriate and affordable health insurance provider.
5. Some placement agencies will actual deal with conflicts and help you to resolve problems within your working agreement once the nanny has been hired. They do want this to be a successful work relationship, after all.
There are numerous different nanny placement agencies out there. Not all of them are the highest of quality. In fact there is no rule or set of guidelines to follow for running this type of organization. Therefore, it is up to you to find out what these companies can and do provide.
• Visit the Better Business Bureau’s website and find out what type of service record they have. If they have a lot of problems, avoid them.
• Get references from the company from other nannies and families that have worked for them. Call on them and find out how well the agency actually did.
• Talk about their guarantees of service and what their policies are when things don’t work out.
• Learn from them what makes them a qualified company to work with.
• Finally, find out if they belong to any non profit nanny organizations such as The International Nanny Association.
Doing this will give you the peace of mind and the qualifications to make the right decisions.
Chapter 8: Interviewing A Potential Nanny
No matter how you find your nanny, you’ll have to interview them. Interviewing a nanny is one of the most important jobs that you have. Simply, this is the best way to get your first opinion of the person in front of you.
At this point you should have already done the hard work of finding people that fit your needs and qualifications. You should have been able to establish the needs that you have and the qualifications of the person that you are looking for.
Before you get started interviewing though, you’ll want to take in yet another consideration. The personality of the nanny that you plan to hire is one of the most essential things that you’ll need to consider and one of the hardest to gauge.
During the interview process, you’ll be able to talk to the potential nanny and ask them questions. Remember, they are applying for a job and therefore are very interested in pleasing you at this point. Unfortunately, you’ll find a few bad seeds out there but more often this is rare.
What is the personality of the individual you are looking for? This is probably pretty hard to tell, until the interview.
You’ll answer that question with things like someone that is honest, reliable and responsible. Yet, these things are near impossible to tell just from talking with someone. Instead, you’ll need to do your homework on that person as we’ve discussed. If you decide not to work with an agency to find the right nanny, then do all of what they do to insure the person that you are interviewing is the person that is right for your job.
Who Else is having Problems Getting Their Child to Sleep?
Interviewing: How to Learn More
Remember that the relationship that you will eventually establish with the nanny that you hire is started during the interview process. Not only are you learning about them, but they are learning about you, too. Treat them as you would if they were already working for you. And, remember to keep the conversation positive and upbeat.
What to ask is really dependant on what qualifications you are looking for the nanny to possess. If you want them to have specific skills, they should have demonstrated that on paper already. In other words, at this point you should have a few nannies to consider that meet your current stipulations for such things as education and experience.
Here are some questions to ask a nanny during the interview process:
1. Verify any and all information provided on an application or in their resume. “I see here that you worked for the Nelson’s for the last five years. How did that go?”
2. Ask them about past situations. “When you were working for the Nelson’s, what was the worst situation that happened to you while watching their children?” “Why are you leaving the Nelsons?”
3. Ask them questions in the “what if” format. “What would you do if our son called you a name?” “What would you do if there was a fire in the home?” “How do you handle injuries?”
4. Ask them questions about what you are potentially offering. “We are looking for someone that can provide extra reading help to our son. How can you help us with that?” “We are looking for someone to work part time during the evenings after our son is home from school. Are you flexible during those hours?”
As you can see from these questions, they are open ended questions. Asking yes or no questions is not going to give you the end result you need. Remember, you aren’t just looking at what they are saying, but how they are saying it.
• Do you like the tone of voice that they are using?
• Are they too loud or forceful?
• Are they too quiet and laid back?
• Do they have energy?
• Are they smiling and seem happy?
• Are they answering questions honestly and fully?
• Do they seem genuinely interested in your questions?
During your interview, you’ll need to mention virtually every aspect of the job you are offering. You’ll need to talk about salary, hours, benefits, responsibilities, duties, time off, and much more. You’ll want to talk about any issues or concerns they have in this regard.
Now, you’ve gotten it all out of the way, right? Not yet! You still need to talk to them about the finer points of being a nanny in your home. They need to learn about your personality, your child’s personality as well as the rules of the house. Don’t have rules? Yes, you do.
• How do you want your child handled during discipline?
• What do you want the nanny to do as far as handling day to day tasks?
• Do you want the nanny to contact you in any situation or make decisions for themselves?
• Will you allow them to provide education to your child or just monitor their behavior?
• How will you both resolve conflicts?
All of these things are essential to talk about. You want to get thing started on the same page, without having any surprises down the road.
Child Interaction
One of the most important things for you to monitor while doing the interviewing process is the nanny’s interaction to your child. If you don’t want to do this in a first interview, it makes sense to do it in a second interview.
No matter when you do it, you’ll want to notice certain things. How does the nanny react when the child says, “no” to them? How does the nanny react when the child has a question? Does the nanny talk authoritatively or are they soft spoken letting the child tell them what to do?
Take specific time to watch the nanny interact with kids. Try to give them the opportunity alone while you observe from another room, if possible. Let the child show the nanny his or her room. Since the foundation of the employee’s job is to care for this child, it is imperative that the two of them get to meet and interact before you sign anyone on for the job.
The Second Interview
Why do you need a second interview? You’ve found someone that seems to be pretty good on paper and in person. Why bother doing this?
The second interview is yet another opportunity for you to observe the nanny working with your child. This is the perfect way for you to determine if they are getting alone well as well as how well the nanny fits within your family’s personality. Do they mesh with your family?
A great thing to do for a nanny’s second interview is to go on an outing. Remember, though, that they aren’t working for you just yet so allow them only to interact with the child when they initiate it. Don’t pressure your child into their arms, either. The nanny should be able to interact with the child enough to convince them that she’s not a bad guy at all.
During this trip, notice how well the nanny pays attention to your child. Are they more concerned about impressing you rather than hanging out with your child? Are they listening to the child and encouraging good behavior or are they more interested in what’s happening with their makeup and hair?
Taking notice of all of these things will help you to make the final decision about who the right nanny really is.
Make the Decision
Now it’s time to really come to a conclusion on who is the right nanny for the job.
• Did you double check all personal and employment references? Do this even for the nanny placement agency nannies.
• Did you have a background check run and a driver’s record check run?
• Did you take the time to talk about and work through any problems with salary, hours, duties and such?
• Did you come to an agreement on how discipline will be handled?
• Have you not agreed on anything that you haven’t taken care of at this point?
• Have you done that second interview?
Once you’ve done this and you know who the best nanny is, trust your intuition and hire the person that you feel fits best for your child and for your family. Personality, education, and experience all mesh to the right person, then.
Chapter 9: What about A Manny?
What is a manny? A manny is simply a male nanny. Today, these are becoming more and more popular. Traditionally a nanny has always been a woman. Yet, there is more and more demand for a male role model within the home.
Is a manny the right choice for you? If you are completely uninterested in whether the person that you bring into your home is male or female, the only considerations that you have are that of the previous qualifications that you’ve set forth. Yet, there is no doubt that for many this is something of concern.
A manny is a good choice in a number of situations. Assuming that you can trust anyone that you bring into your home because you’ve done the necessary research on them, you can begin working on determining the right fit for you. A manny may work well in a home that has several boys that may or may not need a male role model. Some women feel that having a man in the home is a good thing for boys as it helps them to have someone to relate to.
This can be especially true as boys begin to get older and need to make decisions that they would feel more comfortable talking to a male about.
Yet, a manny is still a good choice for any home that requires a male role model. If you feel more comfortable having a man take care of your child, then by all means it will work for you.
Men can be just as compassionate, nurturing and considerate as women can be. Often, men are looked at as being more fun and engaging to children over what women are. Nevertheless, they are just as educated, just as experienced and more often are the ideal person to handle those situations that boys don’t want to work with.
If you have a girl, don’t be afraid to bring in a manny. In this case, especially when the child may not have a male role model, she’ll appreciate all of the same things that the boys would.
Whether you select a manny or a nanny is up to you. At least give them the same considerations as you would a nanny as you may find that a male nanny is a better fit for you and your family.
Chapter 10: Bringing A Nanny Home
Now that you’ve selected the best nanny for you, it is time to take it to the next step: bring him or her home. To do this, you’ll need to take into consideration your family members that share the home with you.
Make sure that by this time your children have met the nanny and understand the role that the nanny will play in their home. That means exploring the necessary questions that they may have, such as “Is this person someone I have to listen to?” Have a good heart to heart talk with your child to insure that these things are well understood.
Having a family dinner for the first few nights at least will help to keep the relationship working well. There are several jobs that you have at this point.
1. You need to reassure the nanny that you stand behind them by allowing them to make decisions for your child and to honor the steps and decisions that the nanny makes. If your child approaches you and says that the nanny is being mean, don’t attack the nanny, even if you feel it the right thing to do. Instead, the child should be told that nanny is right.
2. You should also make sure that the nanny knows that you and your child have an open communication with each other. If the child does have complaints or there are problems with the two of them getting along, you’ll want to play the mediator but from a back point. In other words, don’t critic the nanny in front of the child or the other way around.
Establishing the routine for the day will be one of the first things to do. This means that you’ll need to pay close attention to the things that need done and how they will get done. A great way to do this is to write out a schedule that allows for some flexibility. Do this with the nanny, or even allow the nanny to do it.
Communication Is Key
If any one thing will make the largest difference in the success you and your nanny have its communication. You should set up a time to meet with the nanny one on one each week. Here, talk about concerns, questions and progress. This is a great time to sit down with a cup of coffee and talk about the future too. Make it positive and something that you both look forward to.
Chapter 11: Contracts And The Legal Stuff
Since you are officially going to be an employer, you’ll need to get a contract together to work with your nanny. If you are working with a nanny placement agency, they may have a few resources for you to select and use to help you to meet the requirements needed.
A contract should include:
• Nanny’s salary
• Pay dates
• Work schedule
• Disciplinary actions for nanny that fails to meet requirements.
• Responsibilities
• Goals
• A method of tracking progress, for example testing scores
• Discipline defined for the nanny to follow with your child.
• Deductions on paycheck such as social security, federal and local taxes, health insurance and any other requirements.
In addition to this, you should insure that the contract your nanny signs includes anything specific such as these.
If you travel a lot, express details of when you will be traveling so as the nanny knows when he or she is needed. You should often talk about overnight care if it is needed. Determine the rules that will be followed for meals such as foods that are safe, or not safe for the child and/or the nanny. Information should be stated about the use of a vehicle for the nanny as well as funds to pay for any needs that the child may have. Sick days should be discussed.
Your contract is a tool that will help protect you as well as the nanny from problems. If you provide this tool to your nanny, you will be able to clearly handle any problem that arises. You will also be able to dismiss a nanny fairly if and when he or she no longer fills the roles that you need him to.
To make sure that the contract is binding, arrange to sign the document in front of your attorney. Have him read over the contract to insure that all is in place. If you don’t wish to spend the funds to do this, insure that there are several witnesses to the signing of this agreement.
Chapter 12: Can You Afford Not To Have A Nanny?
Today, children are constantly critiqued. Johnny is doing so well in math! He’s scored at the accelerated level! Susie is an all star sports player!
This type of critiquing of a child is something that has never been recommended, but it has lead to several things. More and more people are pushing their children to do better, faster and more. Even if you don’t find this to be beneficial and don’t wish to do this for your child, the fact is that the standards for excellence are higher and if your child is to meet those standards, you must give them every edge they can possibly need.
You will find a number of other reasons to give your child a nanny:
• More time with you. Because the nanny handles the day to day things, you get your things done and can spend more time playing and doing fun things with your child.
• Better attention paid to your child. Let’s face it, even the best of parents are so busy that they don’t give their child all of the attention they would like them to have. With a nanny this is possible.
• Your child can benefit from specialized help in a number of fields that the nanny may be qualified for. If they have an early education degree, they can easily provide additional educational resources to your child.
• You have someone that is dedicated to disciplining and raising your child. That means that your child gets the same routine and discipline, making it much more effective for both of you.
As you can see, there are a number of reasons why a nanny is something that you should consider. Now, think of it this way.
A nanny may cost you $500 dollars per week, but in many areas of the country, this is how much you will pay for full time day care for that child. In day care, they get to do something with a whole group of other kids. They get little to no individuals care and often don’t do the most educational specific things that they need to work on.
In other words, can you afford not to provide your child with a nanny that is responsible, caring, educated and honest?
There are countless resources available that can help you to have all that you need to educate your child and provide them with the skills they need. Take some time to find out from a local non profit organization how to get in touch with qualified nannies. You can find most of them listed throughout the web for additional help.
Your child deserves to come home to someone dedicated to them. By giving your child the support that they need through someone that’s one job is to provide your child will these skills, you are doing an excellent job meeting your child’s needs.