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.

When considering qualifications you should require of your nanny, CPR training should be one of them. CPR training for infants and children, in particular, would be preferred. Hopefully, your nanny will never have a need to make use of that training, but in the event that it is needed, you will be glad you required that certification.

1. Cardiac conditions – Children may have cardiac conditions that have not yet been  discovered by their pediatrician. CPR certification would mean that your nanny would have the means to deal with an unexpected cardiac arrest.
2. Near-drowning – Parents deal with this frightening accident on a much too frequent basis. If it can happen when the children are in the care of their parents, it can certainly happen when they are in the care of a nanny. CPR training will teach a nanny how to deal with these types of water related accidents.
3. Choking – If a child chokes on a small object or a piece of food, they may need resuscitation after their airway has been cleared from the obstruction. In addition to CPR certification, a nanny should also know how to dislodge an item from the airway of an infant or child.
4. Suffocation – At times, the creative minds of children can put their safety in danger. Plastic bags placed over heads and crawling into air tight spaces have caused suffocation in children, which required CPR to resuscitate them.
5. Electrical shock – We would hope that all your unused outlets have childproof covers, but even with these safety precautions, electrical shock can still occur. Electrical shock can cause cardiac arrest. CPR certification will prepare your nanny for dealing with such a tragic event.
6. Other accidents – Any type of accident which causes a child to stop breathing and/or their heart to stop pumping will require CPR to be administered to your child immediately. Anyone who is caring for children should be trained in how to properly administer CPR in these situations.
7. Allergic reactions – Extreme allergic reactions can sometimes require resuscitation with CPR. Allergic reactions can be caused by bee stings, insect bites or food allergies.
8. Stroke – Although, strokes are primarily associated with the elderly, children have been known to suffer strokes as well. This is certainly a rarity, but it just one more reason why a nanny should have her CPR certification.
9. Time factor – Whenever a person stops breathing or has a cardiac arrest, quick action is important. The sooner CPR is begun, the better the child’s chances of recovery. Emergency services may take several minutes to respond, and every one of those minutes should be filled with CPR application to the child.
10. Certification is proof – Simply asking your nanny if she knows CPR is not sufficient. Ask for a copy of her certification and make sure that her certification is current. Training in CPR needs to be refreshed every few years to keep a person truly prepared in the case of an emergency.

Just as your nanny should be certified in CPR, parents should be also. Any situation that your nanny might encounter, you could encounter as well. Require it of your nanny, and make sure you require it of yourself as well.