When hiring a Nanny……....originally run by STLFamillyLife
written by: Patti Mueller
Asked by Lisa with STLFamilyLife: 1.)When a parent interviews a nanny, what are the basic questions a parent should ask?
Nannies are a wonderful addition to a family for several reasons so when your family is searching for a new Nanny lots of questions should be asked!
This is just a very small sampling:
- What is your experience working with children? (were you a Nanny, work at a daycare, have a home based daycare? Etc…)
- How old were the children you cared for?
- Do you have any formal early childcare development or childcare training?
- Are you CPR and First Aid certified? Are you willing to become certified?
- Why are you a Nanny and what type of position are you looking for?
- Will you follow our house rules and will you speak up when something is bothering you?
- What is your definition of “open communication?”
- Do you have future plans (school, marriage, children) that would put a limit on how long you expect to be a Nanny?
- What is your salary range?
- What is your availability date?
- And many, many more!
2.) What's the difference between a nanny and a babysitter? What is expected of a nanny that's not of a traditional babysitter?
The difference is really quite simple.
A Nanny is a professional childcare employee. Nannies have years and years of childcare experience on their resume along with impeccable references. All Nannies that work through an Agency have been cleared with clean backgrounds and are required to be CPR certified. They usually have a degree in Childcare or a similar field and more often than not, they have made “Nannying” their career.
Nannies are employees; just like any other employee they receive benefits: paid vacations, paid personal days, un-paid personal days, sometimes help with health insurance, and by state and federal law taxes should be taken out of their weekly salary. (There are GREAT tax breaks/benefits to the family when employing a Nanny!)
Too, Nannies always appreciate finding a family to stay with for a number of years as it can be difficult on both parties to jump from family to family each year. It’s not unheard of for a Nanny to have made the commitment to a family for 5-6 years!
Nanny’s normal duties are not limited to childcare but also include cleaning up of the kitchen, play areas, children’s rooms and their laundry. They are also in charge of play dates, occasional doctor appointments, and child related errands.
A sitter is someone who is usually younger, still in school and looking to make a few extra dollars a week for social expenses. Typically sitters are not dedicated to just one family and will not work many hours a week, the norm is 2-6 times a month with any given family…and only with families that are located within their own neighborhood.--Nannies will drive up to an hour each way to their respective families!--
3.) How does a parent find a nanny to match his/her parenting style?
This could be as simple as outlining exactly what the family desires in a childcare employee and making sure your expected criteria is matched through the first question and answer interview. -The thorough process of a good Agency will begin by matching 90-100% criteria between the family’s application and the Nanny’s application before even sending the portfolios over for family to view.-
What are the questions that should be asked in the interview process to ensure a great match with the children?
- What do children like best about you?
- How do you comfort children? How do you deal with separation anxiety?
- How do you discipline children?
- What are some of the rules you've followed in other households that you think worked well? Which rules haven't worked for you?
- Would you be willing to follow my rules and disciplining/comforting strategies even if they're different from yours?
- What will my child be doing on any given day?
- What are your favorite activities to do with a child the age of mine?
4.) How do you tell if a nanny isn't working out for the family?
There is always a period of adjustment which can last a few short days or a couple of weeks. There will be times when the family may feel a little overwhelmed and same for the Nanny but should you start to see these warning signs, it may be time to find a new Nanny:
- Nanny begins to call off one or more days a week.
- She asks if she can come in later or leave earlier.
- The children act different around her perhaps because she isn’t dedicating as much time with them or has distanced herself from them.
- There is less communication between Nanny and family.
- Chores that are in the normal description of duties aren’t completed.
- Your neighbors have noticed the children aren’t outside as much, and/or play dates have dwindled.
- Where she may have come over for the occasional weekend to keep the children, she’s now stating she’s unavailable.
- You find the browser on your computer has been opened to Nanny Job sites.
- There are many other warning signs but those are the top few. --A true professional Nanny will discuss her concerns with the family before it gets uncomfortable.--
NannyMall, LLC is a local Full Service Nanny Placement Agency and below answers some questions regularly asked by families.
Why should families use a Nanny Agency such as NannyMall, LLC?
The use of an Agency cuts down your time spent looking for qualified childcare. A dedicated Agency such as ours will take the time to discuss your needs, learn your specified criteria desired in your new Nanny, and spend time going over your family application, making sure nothing is overlooked or forgotten.
All Agencies should, and ours will, match criteria between both the family app and the Nanny app, cutting out the Nannies families wouldn't even consider. Agencies also contact Nanny's references, do background checks, and make sure they are CPR Certified within 30 days of hire by a family.
--Also a big question: isn’t hiring a Nanny more expensive than daycare? The short answer is no. For more information about this topic please visit our website, www.nannymall.com
What is NannyMall’s role?
We provide excellent services to families in need of experienced childcare. We are here to walk you through the process of hiring the very best Nanny for your family. The family has unbiased people, our Placement Coordinators, to discuss each Nanny's portfolio should the decision become difficult.
What criteria do you look for when recruiting Nannies?
When searching for a Nanny, the qualifications we look for are:
· experience
· sweet, healthy disposition towards children
· impeccable references from previous families
· willingness to work within family guidelines
· clean background/driving record
· dependable car with enough space to seat children safely
· desire to stay with a family for at least a year or more
How do families benefit when using your Agency?
- We have a knowledgeable staff to help guide them.
- We know the ins and outs of hiring a Nanny.
- We perform the interviews, backgrounds, reference checks.
- We work side by side with Household Tax specialists. (Who can teach the family how to pay Nanny legally and help save on their taxes!)
- We provide a Family-Nanny Agreement form that takes out the guess work of writing an Agreement on your own.
- Most importantly our Nanny Placement Agency is here to help and encourage you through the entire process so that the very best Nanny is found for your children.
You may contact NannyMall, LLC and learn more about our services by going to our website: www.nannymall.com , calling 314 769 MALL (6255) or emailing us: info@nannymall.com .
Thank you and we wish you all the success in finding your “gold star Nanny!”
