Archive for September, 2010

Having a second baby and your nanny

Thursday, September 30th, 2010

Dr. Lindsay Heller, The Nanny Doctor

 We are having a second baby.

    Do we need to pay our nanny more?

    Should we hire a new nanny?

 Adding a new child to your family may not be as big a change as that first child, however it is still a transition that a family needs to adapt to, and that includes the nanny! As soon as you feel comfortable sharing your big news of the new baby with family and friends, make sure you sit down and discuss it with your nanny.  Make sure you discuss the following:

  • Ask her how she feels about this new change
  • Ask her what questions she has about what this change will mean for her.
  • Inform her of your plan and again check in with the nanny about her thoughts and feelings.

 Before you sit down and let your nanny know about your new baby on the way. Sit down with your partner and discuss what the plan is going to be. Are you going to hire a new nanny or give your current nanny a raise? There are some factors to consider. What’s the age difference between your children? Will one person be able to help care for a newborn and your other child? Does your older child have activities that they need to be driven to? Will you be home for a bit as well? If you feel as though your nanny will be able to take care of both children and you are even planning to stay home for a bit at the beginning, then you will want to give your nanny a raise. If you feel as though you need additional help, then you will need to begin the search for an additional nanny. Sometimes families only need an additional nanny through the first few months, sometimes the first few years. You will need to decide what is right for your family.

 Most nannies will expect to have their nanny salary increased due to the increased workload and responsibility. Not increasing her nanny pay could create resentment on her part and that’s never good in a nanny/family relationship.

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Should I have my children present at the nanny interview?

Monday, September 27th, 2010

Dr. Lindsay Heller, The Nanny Doctor

This question is a very common question that I get from new moms. There are many layers to the nanny interview process and many layers of screening candidates that needs to take place.  Your children really don’t need to be present until the very end of the process. Exposing your children needlessly to nannies who may or may not be their next nanny can leave them feeling anxious and uneasy. At first, you may choose to screen nanny candidates out via e-mail. Then you may choose to interview potential nannies over the phone where you continue to narrow your search. After that step, you may choose to Skype with them or meet them at a local coffee shop to see how you feel about them in person.  Once you are pretty sure this candidate is “the one” you can invite them to your house for an in-person interview where they can meet the kids. When you have this meeting, take care not to tell the children this may be their next nanny. Children may either attach themselves immediately or push this potential nanny candidate away if they know that this person may be their next nanny. Instead, have the nanny have a try-out day and tell the kids “Susan” is helping us out today. Watch how the children interact with her and see if it’s a good fit!

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How do I pick nannies to interview?

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

Dr. Lindsay Heller, The Nanny Doctor

Selecting nanny candidates to interview can be a tricky task that requires some skill! Fortunately enannysource.com provides you with what you need to know in to focus your nanny search and select only the cream of the crop to interview!  The most important step is making sure that you have a clear idea of what you want and what you need in a nanny.  After you have determined exactly what you are looking for, it is time to see who fits the bill! Here are some tips for determining who is in and who is out.

 1)    Make a list of qualities you can’t live without in a nanny! This is different for every family so it is important that you determine what your list is. Do you want someone with multiples experience? Someone who has been a live-in nanny? Someone who has a degree in child development? Someone that has nanny newborn experience?

2)    Make a list of qualities that are absolute deal breakers! Does your nanny need to know how to swim? Do they need to be comfortable around dogs? Does she need to have cared for newborns?

3)    Start the nanny screening process early. Don’t wait for the in-person interview to ask all of the questions. Start screening candidates via e-mail, then over the phone, or Skype and then in in-person. Only a select few of the potential nanny candidates should make it to the in-person interview.

4)    Select only candidates who put their best foot forward! Individuals with strong portfolios, including their resume, cover letter and letters of reference are usually pretty together people themselves. This also goes for e-mail correspondence. If they are great at communicating via e-mail and professional, that will carry through to their day to day nanny work with your family!

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