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30 Blogs With Tips for Screening Nannies

Monday, November 19th, 2012

Making the decision to hire a nanny versus enrolling your child in center-based care can be a difficult one. When you do finally arrive at a concrete decision to opt for in-home care, you’ll still be charged with the equally challenging task of finding a nanny with the right qualifications and beginning the arduous process of thoroughly vetting her. If you’ve chosen to hire independently rather than working with an agency, you’ll also be forced to start the process from scratch, by yourself. These thirty blog entries discuss the many aspects of thoroughly screening nanny candidates, offering valuable hints and information along the way.

Interviews

After wading through the sea of applicants and settling on the most promising among the bunch, you’ll need to begin the process of setting up one-on-one interviews with the candidates you’ve chosen. These interviews will not only be an opportunity for you and prospective nannies to get to know one another, but also for you to continue thinning the list of applicants. These five blogs are filled with nanny interview hints and advice, helping you to begin the process as confidently as possible.

Reference Checks

Career nannies understand that their references are worth their weight in gold, and must be protected at all costs. In an industry reliant largely upon reputation and word of mouth, a quality nanny will guard that reputation carefully and be proud to supply potential employers with the references that corroborate it. Still, you may have little to no experience handling the process of checking references if you’ve never hired a nanny before, which is where these bloggers can offer some pointers.

Keep it Legal

With the power of the Internet and the help of an unscrupulous character or two, it’s actually quite easy to access significant amounts of background information on a nanny candidate. Despite the simplicity of obtaining that information, some of it cannot legally be used to make a hiring decision. In the interest of helping first-time nanny employers keep their background screening process completely above board, these five bloggers provide a bit of information about Federal hiring laws.

Drug Testing

Determining whether or not a promising nanny candidate is a recreational user of illicit drugs is a very important part of the hiring process for some parents, though the process can be anything but simple. These five blogs tackle the subject of pre-employment drug screenings from a practical point of view, offering quite a bit of valuable advice and information.

Background Checks

Whether you want to know about her driving record, criminal history or simply want to make sure that she’s not on the National Sex Offender Registry, there are a variety of reasons for employers to run a criminal background check on a nanny candidate. These five blogs offer advice on how to properly conduct a background check, what they entail and the best methods of legally obtaining the information.

Certifications and Education

Knowing that you’ll be leaving your children in the hands of a well-trained, competent nanny can offer the greatest peace of mind of any childcare decision you ever make. While there’s no standard legal certification process for nannies across the country, the self-regulating industry does offer a variety of potential classes, certifications and workshops. These five blogs discuss the different types of certification a nanny might have, explaining their value to first-time nanny employers.

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10 Fears Parents Have About Hiring a Nanny

Thursday, September 6th, 2012

Hiring a nanny to care for your children may be one of the most important parenting decisions that you’ll make during your child’s younger years. Your nanny will be spending a huge quantity of time with your children, and for that reason alone you’ll want to be sure to select a caregiver that has been properly screened and vetted.

But even the best background screening can’t always calm the fears of a mother who is faced with leaving her child in the care of someone else.  While your hiring decision shouldn’t be driven by fear, it can be helpful to acknowledge, address, and evaluate any fears that you may have.

As you move through the process of hiring a nanny, here are some of the fears that you may face.

Fear: Fear about the nanny working alone and unsupervised.  What if my nanny falls and becomes unconscious and there is no one there to help her or to care for my child? What if my nanny sits on the couch and watches television all day because no one is watching? Establishing clear expectations, including rules about screen time and daily nanny/parent check-ins, may help alleviate fears that stem from a nanny working alone.

Fear: The children may love their nanny more. Are you worried your child may call your nanny mommy?  Or that your child will come to love his nanny more? The bottom line is that children know the difference between their parents and their nanny.  A child’s love is multiplied, never divided, so encourage your child to have a loving relationship with his nanny. A child’s heart may be small but it’s filled with enough love to go around.

Fear:  The children won’t have a social life. Nannies are notorious for having the most happening playgroups that are filled with children enjoying each other’s company. Encourage your nanny to venture out with your child and to interact with other children at the playground and library. If you give your nanny permission to foster friendships with your child, she gladly will.

Fear: I’m being a bad parent by having a nanny. A bad parent is a bad parent. A parent with a nanny is a parent with a nanny. Don’t confuse the two. If you’re in need of child care and you’ve hired a loving and trusting provider to care for your child, you’ve made a good parenting choice.

Fear:  What are others going to think of me? What are my parents going to think? Or my neighbors? The truth is, it doesn’t matter. You have to make the right care giving choice for your family. If you know that you’ve done that, don’t lend the critics your ear.

Fear: My child will need me and I won’t be there. What if my child falls down and gets hurt? What if my child just wants me? The reality is that there may be times when both of these scenarios are true. Hiring a trusted and qualified nanny can give you peace of mind to know that although you aren’t there, someone you trust will be there until you are.

Fear: My spouse may fall in love with our nanny. The fear of a husband falling in love with his nanny has been made popular by the media. While it has surely happened, it seems less likely or at least no more likely to happen then a man falling in love with his secretary at work. If you have a loving and trusting relationship with your spouse, you’ll need to consider if hiring a nanny is of real concern.

Fear: My nanny is going to replace me. Many parents may wonder if their nanny will come to replace them. Nannies aren’t hired to replace the parents, but to support them. As you search for a nanny, look for one that considers supporting the parent and child relationship as part of her role.

Fear: There is no nanny for our family. There are as many unique nannies as there are families. Whether you are a single parent, gay parent, or attachment parent, chances are if you are up front about whom your family is and what your family is about, you are likely to find the right match. 

Fear: I can’t afford having a nanny. Hiring a nanny is definitely an investment, but for families who need flexibility or families who have more than one child in need of care, it may be the most cost effective option. And for families who pay their nanny legally there are tax breaks that can help reduce the cost.

Hiring a nanny can bring up fears and anxieties in even the most laid back and secure parents. Identifying them, addressing them, and evaluating them can help you decide if they are worthy of influencing your hiring decision or not.

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London Olympics provides moments of nanny inspiration

Thursday, August 2nd, 2012

Nannies make a high-profile cameo at the 2012 London Olympics.

So how many of NBC’s planned 5,535 hours of Olympic coverage do YOU plan to watch?

Let’s face it: As busy parents or nannies, few of you have the time to endlessly lounge around on the couch and marvel at how other human beings can bend their bodies in ways you thought possible only with action figures. But hopefully, you caught the Mary Poppins extravaganza at the glorious “Isles of Wonder” opening ceremonies.

The stagecraft included a magical scene of more than two dozen flying nannies using their umbrellas to save the stadium from the evil Lord Voldemort, better known as the Harry Potter villain. The whimsical duel certainly put Poppins and all nannies in a positive light, and it must have been a wonderful surprise to one of the character’s most devoted fans — 2002 “Nanny of the Year” Marni Kent, who was recently featured in this blog’s ongoing look at International Nanny Association Nanny of the Year award recipients.

Kent has collected Poppins memorabilia for the past 20 years, sometimes dresses like her on special occasions and even has a Poppins-themed tattoo!

It turns out that there are numerous aspects of the Olympics that summon the everyday challenges of nannying and/or parenting. Consider the words of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the French historian who founded the International Olympic Committee and is credited for reviving the ancient Greek competition.

The Baron’s full quote was: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”

Of course, nannies and parents never want to see fighting of any kind. But it’s clear what he meant. Encouraging children to brave new experiences is often more important than who wins or loses. It’s a tough lesson for kids to willingly accept, as any youth sports coach can attest.

Many of you probably experience young children’s own Olympic moments when they go down a steep slide without holding your hand for the first time or proudly show off their biking skills without training wheels. There are no screaming fans or pictures of your charges on a Wheaties cereal box, but the experiences are no less special.

Here are a few other Olympic tidbits that will surely make nannies and parents smile:

1. This is What Happens When You Let Kids Cheat at Monopoly — Ouch. Did you ever think you would see the words “Badminton” and “Scandal” in the same sentence?  The Olympic athletes who deliberately lost their matches — to get easier opponents in the next round — are not going to win any role model awards.

2. Biting Your Nails is a Universal Parent Trait — The parents of Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman were understandably nervous as a billion television viewers watched their daughter gracefully master the high bar. Watch the video of them in the stands: Do you act like this as you’re watching your children in a school play, youth sports event or Spelling Bee?

3. Surprise, Toddlers Aren’t The Only Ones Who Need Swim Diapers! — Former USA Swimming national team member Carly Geehr was  recently featured in Slate Magazine for her reply to this very irreverent but childlike question: “Do Olympic Swimmers Ever Pee in the Pool?” The answer is not that shocking: They are no different than the rest of us.  Thank God for chlorine.

4. Check Out The Toy Box Olympics — This is a gem for any adult tripping over Legos on the playroom rug. Take a look at how London’s Guardian newspaper recreated Olympic gymnastics, basketball and fencing in their hilarious and creative Brick-By-Brick video series.  Great fuel for the imagination.

Have you seen any Olympic moments that remind you of the nannying experience or overall child development? In case you missed it, nannies already have been directly credited for the ongoing success of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team!

 

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Cardboard Creativity: Nannies can be their children’s inspirational muse

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012
Caine Monroy, 9, built a dream arcade out of cardboard boxes that inspired tens of thousands of strangers!

Every once in a while there’s a story on the Internet that makes every parent, teacher or caregiver cry.  The happy kind of cry.

In case you missed it, Caine Monroy is a gregarious 9-year-old boy who spends much of his time after school hanging out at his dad’s used auto parts store in East Los Angeles. Caine, a budding entrepreneur, designed and built an elaborate collection of arcade games and machines using only cardboard boxes and packing tape.

Most of the amusements are classics you’d find at any carnival midway, including one of those crank claw/crane machines that challenge you to scoop up stuffed animals. He selflessly used his own toys as prizes. Customers could play the games four times for $1 or get a “Fun Pass” good for 500 plays at a bargain price of $2.

Just one problem… Caine’s father’s auto shop is a virtual ghost town with barely any random foot traffic. Most customers are generally in a rush and don’t have the time to humor the boy.

Waiting for customers who may never arrive.... or will they?

Filmmaker Nirvan Mullick is the exception. He not only buys a Fun Pass, but takes the time to play each cardboard game and get to know Caine.

He’s so impressed with the kid’s spirit, that he does a bit of impromptu marketing and turns Caine’s Arcade into a busy, standing-room-only attraction.

How did one kid's fantasy project capture the imagination of an entire city? (Click to enlarge image)

I’m not going to tell you how that happens — let’s save the surprise ending for when you get a chance to watch Mullick’s short film below — but it’s a heartwarming  example of how adults can make a tremendous difference in a child’s life just by making a tiny effort.

Contrary to popular belief, a nanny isn’t an hourly babysitter or someone to just make sure the kids don’t run out in the middle of the street. A professional nanny sees herself as a substitute parent, just as concerned with a child’s emotional, social and intellectual development as she is about bedtimes and making sure all the vegetables get eaten.

Not every kid’s idea will be as cute or as clever as Caine’s Arcade — and certainly very few will have these kind of miraculous results (again, you MUST watch the video). But encouraging children to dream, work hard and enjoy the limitless boundaries of their imaginations should be part of any full-time nanny’s job description. Most of the challenge simply comes down to patiently listening, and making the effort to engage with a child’s interests instead of trying to squeeze in one more text or an extra TV show.

At eNannySource, we urge every parent to run a Nanny Background Check on prospective candidates, but the screening shouldn’t end there. You’re not hiring a bodyguard or Secret Service Agent. Personality matters — a lot!

Searching for a nanny should include a personality screening, a set of interview questions that make it clear if she will be an ideal match for your family and parenting style. Only you know what’s most important for your needs, but here are “9 Questions for the Nanny Interview That Make the Difference” to get you started.

Feel free to mix it up a bit and see how she feels about this video!

Perhaps the most inspiring part of the whole story is how the filmmaker’s kindness will keep on giving. Mullick has set up a Caine’s Arcade Scholarship Fund to help Caine and other kids from disadvantaged backgrounds go to college.

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5 Steps to Hiring a Nanny Legally

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

The formality of hiring and paying a nanny legally seems overwhelming to many parents, but it doesn’t have to be.  Whether it is ignorance, time or perceived cost that prevents nanny employers from hiring and paying their nannies legally, the reality remains that doing so is not an option.

If you are considering or in the process of hiring a nanny, be sure to follow these five steps to hire and pay your nanny legally. Doing so may be easier than you think.

1. File for your employer identification numbers. As a nanny employer, you’ll need to have a state and federal employer identification number. To obtain a state number, contact your state office that handles employment. To obtain a federal employer identification number, use form SS-4 from the International Revenue Service.

2. Verify that your potential employee is legally able to accept work in the United States.  To verify your potential nanny is eligible to work legally in the United States, you will need to obtain and complete form I-9, the Employment Eligibility Verification form. You can obtain this form from the Department of Homeland Security from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office.

3. Report your new hire (or rehire) to the state government. While the reporting procedures may vary from state to state, all new hires must be reported to the appropriate state agency within a specified amount of time from the employee’s hire date.

4. Set up a payroll system and pay your employee according to current, Federal and State labor laws. Live-out nannies must be paid at least minimum wage for each hour worked and overtime rates for hours worked over 40 in a 7-day-period. Live-in nannies must be paid at least minimum wage for each hour work and in some states (like Massachusetts), may also be entitled to overtime. Nanny employers are also required to pay the “Nanny Tax” which includes Social Security, Medicare, and the Federal Unemployment Tax. In some states, nanny employers may also have to pay state unemployment insurance tax, disability and workman’s compensation. The “Nanny Tax” is estimated to be about 10% of the nanny’s pay and you are responsible for these taxes if you have paid a nanny more than $1800 per year (2012 threshold). While not required, at the request of the nanny many nanny employers opt to withhold their nanny’s portion of taxes so that she doesn’t have to make quarterly payments. If you decide to do this, be sure to have your employee complete Form W-4 the Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate.  If the payroll process seems to daunting, there are payroll service providers that specialize in household employment that can do it for you.

5. File proper end of the year forms. As a nanny employer, it is your responsibility to be sure that your nanny gets her W-2 form by January 31st of each year. You’ll also need to file this form, along with a W-3 form to the Social Security Administration by February 28th of each year.

Nannies who work in the private homes of their employers are their employees. While it’s popular belief that nannies can be classified as independent contracts, this is not the case. The International Revenue Service takes the misclassification of household employees seriously and you can incur penalties should you misclassify your nanny as an independent contractor.

While it may take a little extra time and energy to hire and pay your nanny legally, avoiding the penalties that can come with hiring those ineligible to legally accept employment in the United States and paying “off the books” should you get caught, are well worth it.

Hiring and paying your nanny properly is not only the right thing to do, it is the legal thing to do.

Michelle LaRowe is the 2004 International Nanny Association Nanny of the Year and the author of Nanny to the Rescue!, Working Mom’s 411 and A Mom’s Ultimate Book of Lists.

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Beyond Politics in the Playroom: Nannies get to re-experience the joys of childhood toys

Friday, March 23rd, 2012

Republican presidential candidates recently brought out unusual props on the campaign trail -- the classic Etch A Sketch.

A strange but wondrous thing recently happened in the presidential race. The spokesperson for Mitt Romney recently playfully compared the 2012 Election to an Etch A Sketch toy, predicting that the slate of primary issues would be wiped clean once his candidate faced President Obama in the fall. Rivals Rick Santorum (left) and Newt Gingrich (right) used the metaphor to mock Romney, alleging that HE was the embodiment of the toy and that you could shake him up and erase his positions if the polls aren’t going his way.

For a brief moment, I don’t see a political fight in the photo montage above. I see two grown men playing with toys.

There are millions of parents like me who grew up fiddling with an Etch A Sketch.  Trying to coordinate the right and left knobs perfectly so the vertical and horizontal controls produce diagonals…. It’s not as easy as it looks (You can try the tablet online here by using the arrows on your keyboard).

One of the great job benefits of being a nanny or au pair is the high percentage of time devoted to play.  This element might sometimes be forgotten when you are managing three screaming toddlers in a minivan on the way to the supermarket, but there is a higher percentage of fun associated with this job than many other careers.

Yes, nannies are there to make sure kids are safe, and eat right, and do their homework — virtually the same set of responsibilities as parenting — but the ideal nanny should show her entertainer side more often than her drill sergeant side. (As an aside, eNanny Source membership includes interview guidelines and hiring tips for when you are screening candidates for personality traits).

Not Just a Game: Playing is essential for child development!

Hiring a nanny who truly enjoys playing is essential for finding the right match with your kids. Numerous studies have shown that playtime isn’t simply a way to pass time and keep the little ones busy, but that it plays a key role in emotional, social and intellectual growth and development.

Consider:

  • According to this NPR report, imaginative play is “a powerful tool for building self-discipline is because during make-believe, children engage in what’s called private speech: They talk to themselves about what they are going to do and how they are going to do it.”
  • The Chronicle for Higher Education found that trying to completely replace unstructured free playtime with “educational activities” is ultimately counterproductive. Play reduces stress, improves children’s social skills and behavior as well as sharpens their memory recall.
  • Researcher Stuart Brown, of the National Institute of Play, has discovered a strong correlation between happiness and self-fulfillment in adults and their continued pursuit of play.

On that last note, maybe it’s a blessing that our politicians are pulling out the Etch A Sketch!

Which toys from your playroom do you think might show up on the nightly news next?  My bet is the board game “Operation” when the debate over national health care inevitably resurfaces.

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Avoiding Chicken Nugget Syndrome: How to hire a nanny who matches your parenting philosophy

Wednesday, February 15th, 2012

British teenager Stacey Irvine has become a global tabloid sensation for her unusual eating habits. (Source: The Daily Mail)

This story really shouldn’t be that surprising to any parent or nanny who’s ever battled with a fussy toddler at the dinner table: a 17-year-old British girl has grown up eating a daily diet consisting primarily of fried chicken nuggets and French fries, or as the Brits call them, “chips.”

According to The Daily Mail, young Stacey Irvine was recently hospitalized as a result of breathing problems and anemia related to her extremely unbalanced nutritional intake. The girl, who is now being treated with injections of vitamins, told the media that she has never eaten or even tasted a single vegetable in her entire life.

How that contrasts with my own upbringing of not being able to leave the dinner table before finishing my broccoli!

In a rather ridiculous subtext to the malnutrition story, the Daily Mail asserts that the teenager “struggles” to find space for the Happy Meal toys she has accumulated over the years.

The byproduct of a chicken nugget habit is an avalanche of fast food toys! (Source: The Daily Mail)

Sensationalism aside, the chicken nugget story raises some basic questions about the role of parenting and nannying in general.  This girl would not have had experienced these kind of nutritional deficiencies if she had been guided by responsible caretakers.  Someone enabled this kind of behavior and allowed it to continue for years before it spun out of control.

Someone was being a horrible role model.

No one wants their child to grow up with avoidable health problems. Let’s say you are a responsible parent who fully realizes that parenting is a 24/7 commitment that never takes a break. And let’s say that you are searching for the perfect nanny or au pair who will support your values and enforce your wishes.

How do you find suitable candidates and know who you should hire?

Luckily, you’re not alone.  If you’re reading this, you’ve already found the most affordable alternative to a pricey nanny agency and one that doesn’t sacrifice the quality of your candidate pool.

Our Safe Nanny Hiring Kit, included in all our memberships, is the best way to ensure that you hire another you!

In addition to providing you with a nanny application, a thorough background check and a contract form approved by the International Nanny Association, we guide you through the initial phone interview screening process, the in-person interviews, and the hiring process.

It’s probably safe to say that you wouldn’t want to hire the Chicken Nugget Girl, although she probably would be fantastic in getting your kids to put their toys away!

 

 

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China’s “Octomom” spurs nanny hiring boom

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

These Chinese octuplets, born with the help of in vitro fertilization and three different mothers, have raised ethical questions in a country known for its strict One Child policy for population control.

So you already know the challenges of hiring a nanny for your busy family.  Imagine all the background checks and job interviews you’d need to hire 11 perfect candidates!

In Guangzhou, China, an unidentified wealthy couple has just sent shockwaves throughout the country for engineering the birth of octuplets in a blatant defiance of the Chinese “One Child” policy. According to the Associated Press, the couple was discovered by the media after bringing their children to a local photo studio for a series of cutesy costumed poses.

From the AP report:

“… many Chinese were amazed to learn that a couple had spent nearly 1 million yuan ($160,000) and illegally enlisted two surrogate mothers to help have the four boys and four girls.

The incident has highlighted both the use of birth surrogates, a violation of Chinese law, and how wealthy Chinese do as they please, with scant regard for the rules that constrain others. The most-common reaction, though, has been simple disbelief.

… Chinese media are calling the mother babaotai muqin, or Octomom, a reference to the American woman who gave birth to octuplets using in vitro fertilization.”

The biological mother is believed to have given birth to two of her children, while two surrogate mothers gave birth to three children each.

The babies were born last October. The Guangzhou Daily, a government-run newspaper, reported that the mystery couple hired 11 nannies to handle the stress of being first-time parents with 8 newborns.  The paper also said that the couple and the babies are now “in hiding” to shield themselves from public resentment.

Hopefully, these babies won't be negatively impacted by the legal circumstances they obviously had nothing to do with.

The Chinese media’s “Octomom” reference, of course, is to tabloid darling Nadya Suleman, the single mom who notoriously had herself implanted with 12 embryos despite already having six children. It’s estimated that raising 14 kids at once costs $78,336, a figure that’s easy to understand once you’ve purchased your first case of diapers and baby formula.

Perhaps fueled by anger that her personal costs need to be subsidized by government assistance, Ms. Suleman recently had the dubious distinction of being voted near the top of America’s Most Hated List.  She recently told the TODAY Show that she feels like she is being scapegoated because she is an unemployed single mother.

“If I had a mate, that would have defused a lot of the animosity,” she told the NBC show.

Meanwhile, a recent survey of 1,200 mothers for TheBump.com and Forbes Woman concluded that 92 percent of working moms and 89 percent of stay-at-home moms feel overwhelmed by the stresses of everyday child care.

Sound like someone needs to search for a nanny ASAP.

And whether you need “only” one nanny or au pair to meet your family needs or 11 (!), check out our Safe Nanny Hiring Kit and our cost-effective monthly membership plans, which offer unlimited candidate searches and screenings!

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Searching for a nanny like Mary Poppins?

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

Disney's Broadway tribute to "Mary Poppins" is fantastic PR for the nanny and au pair profession.

No matter how many applicants you screen with our Safe Nanny Hiring Kit — included with all levels of membership — chances are that you will not be hiring a magical nanny with a flying umbrella.

Not to say that a real-life Mary Poppins couldn’t exist, it’s just that in our experiences matching 450,000 nannies and families, we haven’t found one yet.

I’m much more familiar with Disney’s Academy Award-winning film with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, in which Mary dances with chimney sweeps and makes her children’s toys come alive. The 1964 classic was named the #6 Greatest Movie Musical of All Time by the American Film Institute in the same tier as “Singing in the Rain” and “The Wizard of Oz.”

However, the new Broadway incarnation is bringing the world’s first supernanny to whole new audiences. Disney’s Mary Poppins is playing to sellout audiences as star Steffanie Leigh, who prepared for the role by first working as a real Manhattan nanny, flies above the crowd on a wire!

How important is a nanny's personality in your hiring decision? In this scene from Disney's "Mary Poppins" on Broadway, authoritarian nanny Miss Andrew tries to force feed medicine.

Mary’s nemesis, Miss Andrew, provides the perfect personality contrast to showcase the extremes of child discipline. In a new interview with Broadway.com, actress Ruth Gottschall muses how her character especially riles up the kiddies in the audience:

“I don’t think of Miss Andrew as being mean. She may be strict, but in her mind she’s doing what she thinks is right, and knows exactly how things should be run in the Banks household. If the audience falls in love with you, that’s terrific, but if they hate you that’s even better. Sometimes I even get booed! If I had a dollar for every time a child starts to scream or cry when I’m onstage…

At last Saturday’s matinee I finished my song and a little boy behind our conductor screamed, “Geez, someone should stab her through the chest with a pitchfork!” It helps me think, “OK, I earned my paycheck this week!”

In the Mary Poppins story, the father (Mr. Banks) and his children (Jane and Michael) have philosophical differences about how to write the job description when hiring a new nanny. Banks wants a strict disciplinarian, while the kids naturally prefer a fun, whimsical woman. Poppins, of course, manages to be a blend of the two, teaching character values and life lessons while still being the most entertaining lady on earth.

When it comes to searching for a nanny to meet your family’s unique needs, you’ll probably be grappling with similar questions. Yes, nanny background checks are extremely important. But that is only one piece of the puzzle. Finding the right personality cannot be rushed, unfortunately.

The good news is that you’re not alone. Our Nanny Success Kit has proven itself thousands of times over, taking you through each step of the search and hiring process. Determine what personality traits and qualifications are most important to you as a parent — and don’t settle for anything less.

Here are some essential Nanny Interview Questions to get you started.

Have you already found your Mary Poppins?  Tell us how you found your favorite nanny — and the impact she is having on your family life. Please drop us a line at eNannyTips@gmail.com and you might be featured in a future blog!

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What to Do When Your Nanny is Ill

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

This news item may surprise a few of you, but it has come to our attention that nannies, even SuperNannies, are human. Yes, that’s right, your very own Mary Poppins is actually flesh-and-bone just like you. As such, she is prone to many of the vicissitudes of life that other humanoids are subject to. Your nanny may even, heaven forbid, fall victim to a disease or injury that may sideline him or her for a longer period of time. In addition, nannies have families too, and there may be times when her family will need her even more than you do (as impossible as that may seem). What, then, do parents do for interim childcare? Below you will find a few of the options that will help you fill the gap. One of these may work for you or you may even end up utilizing more than one of these resources, especially if your nanny will be out for a lengthy period of time.

  1. Get a Screened Temp – Sometimes the same agency that parents used to hire their nanny (like eNannySource) will be able to provide a temp for the duration of the original nanny’s absence.  This can be quick and offer you the same level of vetting that you used to get your permanent nanny.  It’s really important to be clear that this is a temporary position when you list this job to properly set the caregiver’s expectations.
  2. Friend of Nanny – Your nanny is likely to know other nannies, and she herself may be the one to steer you to temporary help. She may know someone that is between jobs or may even have a friend or relative that can stand in for her for a short period of time.  You should consider running a nanny background check on them as well just to be safe.
  3. Neighbor – If it’s only for a few hours and not for an extended number of days your neighbors may be a source of help in an emergency. If they also have children you may be able to work out a deal where you back each other up when/if the need arises.
  4. Yourself or Spouse – Depending on the duration of the absence, one or both parents may simply have to take some time off from work.  This is by far the most likely choice but it is not open to everyone.  Some people work jobs that make it virtually impossible to take time off without serious repercussions.  If you are lucky though… your boss is very supportive and as long as it isn’t a chronic problem you can take time off as needed to properly care for your kids.
  5. Family – If your nanny isn’t available and the other options have failed, then if you have family near by it’s time to start calling them to see who may be able to lend a hand.  Of course, grandpa and grandma are a top choice for the kiddos.  We would strongly encourage you to not abuse the generosity of your family though and respect their time by compensating them in some way for their assistance.
  6. College Students – If you live near a college you may find bulletin boards where students post availability for a variety of jobs. In a pinch, they could be the answer.  If you see a name up on one of these boards or even at the local grocery store you may want to pull one, interview them, and establish them as a backup plan for childcare at the very least.  This is another scenario where it’s important to run a background check to give you the confidence you need to trust them with your children.
  7. Babysitter – If you have a “go to” babysitter that you use for nights out on the town and/or other special occasions, you might want to contact them and see if they are available on an ad hoc basis in the event that you need them.  They may or may not have all of the skills and abilities of a professional caregiver, but if you know them that could be a big enough advantage when you are in a jam.
  8. Substitute – You may not have hired your nanny through an agency, in which case you might want to investigate the local temp agencies.  In general they can be quite expensive so your best bet may is to stick with an online service like eNannySource to get you out of these types of situations.
  9. Baby to Work Day – Workplaces differ, but sometimes parents can occasionally take their children to work with them. Some companies even have a childcare facility.  If this option is available, you should take advantage of it when possible because they are becoming exceedingly rare.
  10. The “Y” – Most communities have a “Y” (formerly YMCA), and most of them offer daycare and after-school care, which could be a viable option for families in-a-bind.  You should definitely check ahead to see if they take drop-ins or not.  If they do, then this is a very viable and safe option in most cases.  You can also check with local, quality daycare centers to see if they take drop-ins and have references you can quickly check out.

We hope that you don’t have too many needs to replace your nanny on a temporary or even permanent basis.  We do believe that consistency with caregivers is important for early childhood development.  With that said, life happens and you need to be prepared to handle just about any situation always making sure that the safety of your children comes first.  Apply great scrutiny and don’t be afraid to just take time off from work yourself if you have to in order to temporarily fill in for your nanny.

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