What to do when snow happens.
1/20/11 = BIG SNOW
In our city we got 8 inches by 5am and it's still snowing. As an child, we said YAY SNOW! As an adult and most likely an Employee, we say NO SNOW!
So what to do in a case like this.....do you call in to work or do you hope that your Nanny can make it to you in time so that you can leave on time?
Before the dreaded snow day happens, a backup system should have been put in to place and it should've been outlined in detail within your Family-Nanny Agreement.
If you have a permanent Nanny and your Nanny can't make it in, you can most likely rely on the Agency to send an on-call (back-up) Nanny, weather dependent of course. (There are Nannies that refuse to drive in this kind of weather.)
But again, the true responsibility lies on the family having backup plans in place.
If you don't have family/friends/or a neighbor able to care for your children, consider asking your Employer if you could work from home, take a vacation day, or a personal day.
Working from home isn't always feasible so perhaps you can ask your Employer if you could come in later, after roads have been cleared and Nanny (or on-call Nanny) can make it to your home.
Whatever the solution, the most important thing to keep in mind is SAFETY.
Feel free to visit our site for more information on permanent Nannies.
Happy Snow Day!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
On the search for a great St. Louis Nanny?
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!”
Monday, August 16, 2010
NannyMall Raffle! Awesome Gift Certificates!
Would you like to get away but not go very far and not pay more than
a few dollars?
NannyMall, llc is raffling 2 Gift Certificates good for 1 night each
(2 nights total) stay at The IrishInn!
The Irish Inn is located in southern Ozark, IL, just a couple hours drive from St. Louis, MO. These 2 certificates are worth $300 and have no expiration date! A portion of the proceeds is going to the charity: Shepard's Hands of STL They welcome children and your dog
(or leave both w/the Nanny)!
a few dollars?
NannyMall, llc is raffling 2 Gift Certificates good for 1 night each
(2 nights total) stay at The IrishInn!
The Irish Inn is located in southern Ozark, IL, just a couple hours drive from St. Louis, MO. These 2 certificates are worth $300 and have no expiration date! A portion of the proceeds is going to the charity: Shepard's Hands of STL They welcome children and your dog
(or leave both w/the Nanny)!
In the morning sit down with the Innkeepers and have an incredible Irish breakfast. It's simply wonderful; we know because we've been there!
*more information about the Inn on our website*
*more information about the Inn on our website*
- Raffle tickets are just One Dollar ($1.00) each and ALL US residents are welcome to purchase!
- You can buy 1 or 100!
- Raffle begins Aug 16th, 2010 and ends Sept 30, 2010. Winner will be chosen by Random.org
- Raffle tickets can be purchased through PayPal or via postal mail.
- You will receive your virtual ticket(s) by email after payment has been received.
- Winner will be notified via email and phone.
Please go to: NannyMall Raffle Page for more information and to purchase your tickets!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Nature's Simple Blends Organic Baby Food
An in depth talk with Katie Dowd, creator of Nature's Simple Blends
Written by: Glenda Propst of RegardingNannies.com
*After you read the great article, please see information below about the Give Away sponsored by RegardingNannies!
When you think of Organic baby food with no additives or preservatives it sounds simple but if it's so simple, why isn't organic baby food easier to find?
There is a good reason so few companies offer these products. The process of becoming USDA Certified Organic is labor intensive, difficult and often frustrating.
While the certification process is not enjoyable for companies seeking USDA Certified Organic status, it’s great news for consumers. You can be confident that the quality of your food is superior, from the farm all the way to your freezer.
Today I am talking with Katie Johnson Dowd, the creator of Nature's Simple Blends Organic Baby Food. As the mother of 4 Katie knows the importance of offering your children the best and most nutritious foods available. I asked Katie some questions about what set her on this path to opening her own organic baby food company and here are her answers.
Did you make your own baby food with all 4 of your boys?
I made some of the older boys baby food, but I supplemented with the store bought stuff. They weren't real happy when I did that. When the twins were born, I made everything. I started testing different blends that you could not get at the store. I experimented with blends like spinach and broccoli.
When did you decide that it was best to make organic baby food?
I started reading a little bit about organic about 8 yrs ago, but the produce was pretty scarce, so our family went completely organic about 3 yrs ago, when the twins started eating baby food and the produce was more readily available.
What made you decide to make organic baby food for your children?
I started doing research on organic baby food and found that there are not many options out there. There is one brand that you can get at the grocery store, but a lot of things had been recalled for botulism. And with the suggestion of my sister Donna, I knew that I could offer a much safer, tastier and healthier method to feed the little ones for the St. Louis area.
Did you see changes in your children when you starting feeding them organic foods? I didn't see any changes in my kids because of organic per say, but I felt better because I knew that my kids were eating food with out chemicals. I think that the benefits will be seen in the long run.
Why do you think organic is important?
I think that organic is important because we get so many chemicals in our bodies from so many places, like our houses, the air, the water, medicine etc., the last thing that we need is to get it from our food. Why put chemicals, hormones, additives and preservatives in our bodies when we don't fully know what they will do or how they will effect us in the future. I refuse to put my family at risk from the things that I can control.
What else do you want to share with us about your business and why is organic worth it?
With our baby food at Nature's Simple Blends, when the product is Apples and Pears, that is what you get. Nothing else is added!! The ingredients for each product are listed right on our website so that you can see for yourself exactly what goes into them.
Our blends are steamed soft, then pureed, then flash frozen to maintain the highest nutritional content. The store brands are heated to extremely high temperatures for canning and then much of the nutritional content is lost. We have over 35 different blends of fruits and vegetables to introduce the little ones into the world of solid food.
We take every precaution to make sure that our parents receive the best product available. Another perk to Nature's Simple Blends is that we hand deliver to your door.
Today's moms are very busy. We thought that this door to door delivery method would make feeding their little ones safe, healthy,organic baby food more convenient.
Is organic baby food only for babies?
No, it's not just for babies. It's also for people on a soft solid diet like the elderly and people who have had weight loss surgery. I have even had some interest from someone who was a body builder who needed some extra calories to add to his oatmeal at breakfast. I have found that there are times in everyones’ lives when they need to be on a soft food or pureed food diet for one reason or another. Our blends taste so good that even the grown ups enjoy them.
Katie is the mom of 4 little boys: Shannon age 8, Karter age 6, Aiden age 3, Jace, age 3 (twins)
NannyMall will have a Registration Page on their website, NannyMall.com, that families can enter to win one of two great cases of Organic Baby Food. The contest will begin July 15th, watch for additional information on KSDK's Channel 5 show, Mom's Like Me at 7pm July 15th. Ends Aug 15th, 2010 and winners will be chosen by Random.org and is sponsored by RegardingNannies.com!
Glenda says: If you visit RegardingNannies.com, leave a comment on RegardingNannies' blog and if you are a winner of the Give Away, you will win something extra!
Written by: Glenda Propst of RegardingNannies.com
*After you read the great article, please see information below about the Give Away sponsored by RegardingNannies!
When you think of Organic baby food with no additives or preservatives it sounds simple but if it's so simple, why isn't organic baby food easier to find?
There is a good reason so few companies offer these products. The process of becoming USDA Certified Organic is labor intensive, difficult and often frustrating.
- You must find a supplier that follows all of the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) guidelines.
- There is a mountain of paperwork, specialized training, specified production facilities and inspections from multiple government agencies.
While the certification process is not enjoyable for companies seeking USDA Certified Organic status, it’s great news for consumers. You can be confident that the quality of your food is superior, from the farm all the way to your freezer.
Today I am talking with Katie Johnson Dowd, the creator of Nature's Simple Blends Organic Baby Food. As the mother of 4 Katie knows the importance of offering your children the best and most nutritious foods available. I asked Katie some questions about what set her on this path to opening her own organic baby food company and here are her answers.
Did you make your own baby food with all 4 of your boys?
I made some of the older boys baby food, but I supplemented with the store bought stuff. They weren't real happy when I did that. When the twins were born, I made everything. I started testing different blends that you could not get at the store. I experimented with blends like spinach and broccoli.
When did you decide that it was best to make organic baby food?
I started reading a little bit about organic about 8 yrs ago, but the produce was pretty scarce, so our family went completely organic about 3 yrs ago, when the twins started eating baby food and the produce was more readily available.
What made you decide to make organic baby food for your children?
I started doing research on organic baby food and found that there are not many options out there. There is one brand that you can get at the grocery store, but a lot of things had been recalled for botulism. And with the suggestion of my sister Donna, I knew that I could offer a much safer, tastier and healthier method to feed the little ones for the St. Louis area.
Did you see changes in your children when you starting feeding them organic foods? I didn't see any changes in my kids because of organic per say, but I felt better because I knew that my kids were eating food with out chemicals. I think that the benefits will be seen in the long run.
Why do you think organic is important?
I think that organic is important because we get so many chemicals in our bodies from so many places, like our houses, the air, the water, medicine etc., the last thing that we need is to get it from our food. Why put chemicals, hormones, additives and preservatives in our bodies when we don't fully know what they will do or how they will effect us in the future. I refuse to put my family at risk from the things that I can control.
What else do you want to share with us about your business and why is organic worth it?
With our baby food at Nature's Simple Blends, when the product is Apples and Pears, that is what you get. Nothing else is added!! The ingredients for each product are listed right on our website so that you can see for yourself exactly what goes into them.
Our blends are steamed soft, then pureed, then flash frozen to maintain the highest nutritional content. The store brands are heated to extremely high temperatures for canning and then much of the nutritional content is lost. We have over 35 different blends of fruits and vegetables to introduce the little ones into the world of solid food.
We take every precaution to make sure that our parents receive the best product available. Another perk to Nature's Simple Blends is that we hand deliver to your door.
Today's moms are very busy. We thought that this door to door delivery method would make feeding their little ones safe, healthy,organic baby food more convenient.
Is organic baby food only for babies?
No, it's not just for babies. It's also for people on a soft solid diet like the elderly and people who have had weight loss surgery. I have even had some interest from someone who was a body builder who needed some extra calories to add to his oatmeal at breakfast. I have found that there are times in everyones’ lives when they need to be on a soft food or pureed food diet for one reason or another. Our blends taste so good that even the grown ups enjoy them.
Katie is the mom of 4 little boys: Shannon age 8, Karter age 6, Aiden age 3, Jace, age 3 (twins)
NannyMall will have a Registration Page on their website, NannyMall.com, that families can enter to win one of two great cases of Organic Baby Food. The contest will begin July 15th, watch for additional information on KSDK's Channel 5 show, Mom's Like Me at 7pm July 15th. Ends Aug 15th, 2010 and winners will be chosen by Random.org and is sponsored by RegardingNannies.com!
Glenda says: If you visit RegardingNannies.com, leave a comment on RegardingNannies' blog and if you are a winner of the Give Away, you will win something extra!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
10 ways for Nanny to feel welcome in your home.
Nannies are people, not superheros........sounds like a "duh" statement I know, but did you know there are people who think Nannies are impervious to "normal, everyday life" because they are employed to work with children.......you know, the children that may have gotten an early call on their life to throw a tantrum at every "no?"
While "she" may be a "hero" in our eyes from time to time because she got Trevor to eat his broccoli or got Elle to clean up her toys without a promise of a treat, she's just doing her job.......but let me re-phrase, she sees it more than "just a job." Nanny chose to watch your children. She wants to help your children learn & grow. She wants to help you by helping them.
So here are 10 ways you can make your new Nanny feel welcome ---because she chose your family just as much as you chose her.
1. Make or buy a "welcome home" card. Even if she's not a live-in Nanny, she will be employed within your home, so a welcome home card is totally fitting. If children are of age to help, perhaps have them make it.
2. Find out what foods/snacks she likes and stock your pantry/fridge with her favorites.
3. Introduce her to your extended family so when you are talking with her about them, she knows of whom you are referring and will feel attached to the conversation.
4. Share with her your favorite lunch spots and offer to pay for her lunch a couple of times a month, she will feel included in "your life."
5. Encourage her to join a Nanny Support Group. They are essential in Nanny's life as it offers an outlet to speak with other professional Nannies about the daily experiences.
6. Show her you value her by remembering her birthday and anniversaries. Have the children make cards and/or presents.
7. Immediately include her in parenting decisions so she's always on the same page, you will gain her gratitude.
8. Speak to her as you would a good friend. She will always remain the professional and not take advantage of your kind words.
9. When you see your Nanny stepping out and really going above and beyond, reward her for it.
10. Always, always, always, talk with her about your concerns away from the children. She will be very thankful for your decision to do so.
Most of all.......let her know what a huge help she is to you and your family!
While "she" may be a "hero" in our eyes from time to time because she got Trevor to eat his broccoli or got Elle to clean up her toys without a promise of a treat, she's just doing her job.......but let me re-phrase, she sees it more than "just a job." Nanny chose to watch your children. She wants to help your children learn & grow. She wants to help you by helping them.
So here are 10 ways you can make your new Nanny feel welcome ---because she chose your family just as much as you chose her.
1. Make or buy a "welcome home" card. Even if she's not a live-in Nanny, she will be employed within your home, so a welcome home card is totally fitting. If children are of age to help, perhaps have them make it.
2. Find out what foods/snacks she likes and stock your pantry/fridge with her favorites.
3. Introduce her to your extended family so when you are talking with her about them, she knows of whom you are referring and will feel attached to the conversation.
4. Share with her your favorite lunch spots and offer to pay for her lunch a couple of times a month, she will feel included in "your life."
5. Encourage her to join a Nanny Support Group. They are essential in Nanny's life as it offers an outlet to speak with other professional Nannies about the daily experiences.
6. Show her you value her by remembering her birthday and anniversaries. Have the children make cards and/or presents.
7. Immediately include her in parenting decisions so she's always on the same page, you will gain her gratitude.
8. Speak to her as you would a good friend. She will always remain the professional and not take advantage of your kind words.
9. When you see your Nanny stepping out and really going above and beyond, reward her for it.
10. Always, always, always, talk with her about your concerns away from the children. She will be very thankful for your decision to do so.
Most of all.......let her know what a huge help she is to you and your family!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
A brief and insightful talk with Glenda Propst, Nanny extraordinaire!
NannyMall, llc talks with Glenda Propst about changes in the Nanny Industry
Agency: When you did you begin your Nanny profession?
Glenda: In 1984 I was a live in nanny, worked a 12 hour day and 1/2 day on Saturday. I cared for a newborn, 12 and 14 year old. My responsibilities were mostly caring for the baby, the baby’s laundry, activities, grocery shopping , supervising the teenagers and transporting them where they needed to go. I had 2 weeks vacation, one week of my choice and one of theirs, health insurance and grossed $250 a week.
Agency: Flash forward 15 years into your career and please share the duties, wages and benefits.
Glenda: Fifteen years into my career I worked about 40 hours a week, I was provided a car, reimbursed for mileage, and even though my work agreement stated 2 weeks of vacation I usually ended up getting about 6 weeks vacation. I can't really remember how much my salary was at this point but I want to say it was about $12 an hour. At this point I had a 2 year old and she kept me busy and on the run all day long. I picked the older child up after school and supervised homework etc.
I am still with the same family and my job changed dramatically as my kids got older. Now I work about 25 hours a week and about 8 of those I work from home doing things for the mom on the computer. My duties are less child care related and more household manager related. The parents and I have a very good relationship and we ebb and flow with each other. My hours are 7:30-5:30 but on my long days I will often work from home until about 9 or 10, and then run errands on way to work and be there for the kids when they get home from school to transport them to music lessons, playdates, supervise homework or just hang out with them.
Flexible hours are not something that I recommend but if my boss asks me to stay later and get dinner for the kids, I am always willing to do that. My employers have always been so respectful of me and always allowed me to have a life beyond my job.
When you choose to stay with a family long term, you have to be willing to go with the flow of the changes in your work schedule and the changes in what your family needs most. Now beyond laundry my duties are grocery shopping , errands, and organizing family photos. Getting the photos off the camera and getting them uploaded to an online site and burned to disc.
Photos are very important to my employers and in the digital age with 3 cameras in the family in addition a DVD recorder, it takes a lot of time to make sure these important documents are taken care of. I also research camps and classes for my younger charge and try to encourage her creativity by planning lots of fun art projects and activities.
My employers have always made a point of compensating me. In the past I have talked to nannies who say that their salary caps out but my employers are very good to me and make sure that I am compensated the same as I would be if I had left them and started over with a new family.
One thing that I will say is that I think employers realize that nannies are not maids or housekeepers. Nannies care for children, and maids mop floors. If you want someone to take care of and nurture your child, hire a nanny. If you want someone to take care of your house hire a maid. If you hire one person to do 2 jobs they will do one thing well and one thing not so well and you should only want the best for your child.
Agency: Where do you see the Nanny industry headed in the next decade?
Glenda: In the next decade I think we will start to see the impact the generation of children raised by nannies has had. I think that people will finally start to view nannies more as professionals and realize that the women in this profession are educated, articulate and passionate about what they do. There have been so many misconceptions about nannies over the years via books, movies and media and I hope that some of the public education will start to pay off.
Glenda Propst has been a professional nanny for 25 years.
She is a founding board member of INA. She was the 1991 INA Nanny of the Year and was one of the 3 Co Founders of the now defunct National Association of Nannies.After working as a Child Care Center Director for 9 years she attended the St. Louis Child Day Care Associations Nanny Training Program and has worked with 2 local families. The first for 8 years and the second for 17 years. She is a member of The Regarding Nannies Development Team with Alice Shaffer and Kellie Geres.
Thank you Glenda, for your wisdom and constant support! The Nanny Industry wouldn't be where is it without you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)