Nanny care is quite different from babysitting, since your child will spend more quality time with the nanny. You will have to approach it similar to how you do anything for your little one – a lot of research, a lot of legwork and a little bit of gut instinct. In the end, finding a good caregiver is very important to your child’s development – someone you can trust to not only spend the time to watch your child but help him or her develop. I’ve talked to a number of experts in the country to offer you some helpful tips on hiring a good nanny.
Benefits of Hiring a Nanny
While families differ in their needs and abilities to hire a childcare provider, there are excellent benefits in hiring a nanny. Candi Wingate, President of Nannies4Hire sees tremendous benefits in hiring a nanny:
- If you have 2 or more children; it may be cost effective for you to hire a nanny; as many daycares could cost you more.
- If your children are sick; you can still go to work as the nanny can stay home with the children. You may also have healthier children keeping them in their small home environment.
- A nanny can simplify your life. For example; a nanny can be an extra pair of hands helping with household duties, laundry, errands, transporting children and starting the evening meal. This allows for more family time when the parents arrive home.
- Many families are using nanny share. This is when 2 families share 1 nanny. This cuts down on cost but you still feel the benefit of having a nanny.
- No need to rush in the morning to get the kids out the door for daycare or school. A nanny is an extra pair of hands in the morning.
Where do you start?
Where do you start when searching for a nanny? One way is to use an agency that specializes in nanny services. “I think having an agency do all of the leg work for you is the easiest way to go, especially the first time you hire someone”, says Annie Davis of Annie’s Nannies Household Staffing in Seattle. “A good agency will talk to you and get an idea of who you are and the type of nanny your family needs”, she says.
“They will tell you how to pay and how much, the hours needed and the duties of the nanny. Based on my experience, this makes it much more comfortable for everyone involved. It is much, much harder for a family to do it on their own the first time.”
Another option is going on the web. Many nannies list their services online. Craigslist, which is free, and Sittercity.com, which charges only around $10/month, are great examples. You will need to be extra careful with the screening process since you won’t have that extra pair of eyes that an agency would provide to do that. Since anyone can post on these websites, parents will need to spend a while screening candidates and determining the right fit. “It is not that sitters are dishonest with families – it is that they are often nervous and trying to say the right thing, rather than explaining their situations fully”, says Dara Epstein of New York-based sitting network Smartsitting. “When we have our first phone meeting with parents”, says Dara, “we take extra care to learn about the specific interests, specialties, and hardships for the family’s children. We then match the children with a sitter whose background compliments the kids’. In this way, the children tend to quickly form a bond, as they have something in common with the sitter. For example, we set up a dyslexic child with a sitter who struggled through the hardships of dyslexia when she was a kid. We had a family looking for a male role model to spend time with their son once per week and play guitar with him, so we found a Music major at Columbia with a background in guitar. We set up Art majors with kids who love art, Science majors with kids who love science. Starting a new sitter-child relationship with a preexisting connection in place has a way of forming the strongest relationships.”
There is difference between an online nanny database or listing service and an agency, so determine if there is human interaction before a nanny is suggested. In addition, “while the fee for nanny agencies includes the background check, many online databases have an a la carte menu that allows the parent to skimp on certain background checks,” says Jill Starishevsky, founder of HowsMyNanny.com. “Obviously it is advised that full background checks are performed on anyone with whom you intend to leave your child(ren).” A national organization like the Association of Premiere Nanny Agencies (www.theapna.org) is another great resource for nanny services, advice and tools.
Whether you choose an agency or look on your own, follow through the list of checks below to make sure you choose the best possible person to provide care for your child.
A List of Checks
References
Before you have the nanny meet your child, make sure you review his or her references from prior families. It goes without saying that you can’t hire someone without references but how can you sort through the existing references? “Hire someone who has glowing references caring for children of similar age to your own”, says Pat Cascio of Morningside Nannies.
“Know that not all nannies relate to children of various ages equally well. A nanny that is used to caring for infants may not do well with a pre-school age child who has a mind of their own. Someone who has never cared for an infant, should not learn how by caring for your baby.”
Another important consideration is similar philosophy when it comes to raising your child. “Hire someone who has verifiable, professional childcare references  from an employer that is similar to yourself. If you are someone that likes to be in control and plan each day’s activities than you do not want an independent, take charge personality that is used to having 100% control. If you are away from home for long hours and want a nanny that can take charge than find someone that has been in that type of position previously”, suggests Pat.
Resume
A clear resume which includes the nanny’s education, job experience, interests and list of references is a great first step. Many agencies offer their own templates for nannies to fill out and the ability to fill out the form correctly and in a timely manner is another sign of reliability. Dara Epstein of New York-based sitting network Smartsitting suggests paying special attention to the start and ends dates for previous jobs. Looking at the geographic mobility may be another sign of stability. However, there is a separate discussion on au pairs, which is a subject for another article.
Background Checks
Years of experience and stellar references are a sure sign of a good nanny. Before you proceed with the interview, however, run a few background checks to ensure the safety of your child. An agency will run the checks for you but you can also pick them individually. Nannies4hire (find background checks here) and 4EverythingNanny are great resources. You can check criminal records, education and work history, credit reports if necessary and drug testing. In most areas you will likely need your nanny to drive, so then your nanny should have a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record.
Health Training
If you are hiring a nanny for an infant or small baby, or a child with allergies or other medical needs, hiring someone familiar with first aid and CPR is very important. This is actually helpful for all kids, I just think especially crucial for those with more acute needs. Other great skills include the knowledge of kids’ nutrition and cooking (a great question to ask during the interview). Some nannies have childhood education degrees and this will certainly come handy in this job.
Questions to Ask
You may start with an email interview and then talk on the phone before you decide there is a good match, and then meet in person. Often times it’s a good idea to have your child (if he or she is old enough) to ask nanny some questions, to determine how they would get along and how the child would get along with this person. Here are a few suggested questions from Jill Starishevsky of HowsMyNanny.com. Don’t worry if you already know some answers based on previous checks, it’s good to hear the answers since they will tell you more about the person you are about to hire for your child.
- Why are you interested in this job?
- What is your nanny background/childcare philosophy?
- How long have you been a nanny?
- Why do you wish to be a nanny or why did you choose to become a nanny?
- What qualities do you think are important in a good nanny?
- What appeals to you about taking care of children?
- What kind of training in childcare do you have?
- What do you enjoy doing most with children?
- Are you a member of any nanny associations?
- Do you have CPR certification, First Aid training? If so, when will it expire? How many times have you been certified?
- Do you drive? How is your driving record? Have you had any accidents/tickets? If so, please describe.
- Are there any allergies (food, pets, etc). Mention if you have pets.
- Do you smoke?
- What are you looking for in an employer?
Once you have determined you like this person as a nanny, discuss the following:
- When are you available to start? Is there flexibility on days and hours of employment? If you have any travel plans (nanny traveling with you) or overnight care, bring it up now too.
- What are the salary expectations?
- Make sure you discuss the vacation and holiday time, job responsibilities (if anything extra like cleaning is expected), and talk through the family daily schedule.
Employment Agreement
If you are not working with a nanny agency (which would likely take care of the employment agreement), you should have one drawn up yourself working with a lawyer. “The most important element to an employment agreement is that all the terms and benefits of employment (job duties, hours, compensation, vacation, etc.) are listed in straightforward language”, says Bob King, Esq., Founder of Legally Nanny. “A well written contract puts everything down in black and white so that there are no ambiguities; if it’s not in the agreement, it’s not part of the deal. The employment agreement also should have a confidentiality provision to make sure that your personal and business affairs stay private. Other important provisions include guidelines for releasing the children and what to do in case of emergencies.” Legally Nanny is one of the leading law firms specializing in assisting families in hiring nannies and other household employees. You can find some helpful information on employment agreements at legallynanny.com/Agreements.
Before you draw up the employment agreement, make sure that your expectations align with your nanny’s. “If you are seeking a live-in nanny, a prospective nanny that seeks a live-out arrangement may not be a good fit for your family”, says Candi Wingate, President of Nannies4Hire. “If you wish to hire a nanny in a smoking home, a non-smoking prospective nanny may not be a good fit for your family.” It goes without saying that you should discuss the salary upfront, but be willing to be flexible for the right kind of childcare provider for your child. Finding a good nanny that your tot will spend a lot of time with is priceless. You will need to also align your expectations on the length of stay. While things may change, and you should offer some flexibility, committing to an extended period of time is good for your child. “When nannies leave, children often experience grief associated with that separation. Therefore, it is advantageous to hire a nanny who will be able to stay with your children for an extended amount of time”, says Candi.
“Be reasonable when designing a job description”, warns Pat Cascio of Morningside Nannies. “If you include housekeeping duties, know that you are probably sacrificing the attention your child may get. An employee will know that if some of the household tasks are not done you will be able to judge that and then you may be upset. The nanny may chose to ignore some of the child’s needs in order to get the housekeeping done.  There is also a safety issue, if baby wakes crying and the nanny is running the vacuum, she will not hear the baby. If a toddler is able to open a door or get into a cabinet or climb up on a counter and the nanny is busy changing bed linens or cleaning a bathroom your child may be hurt.”
Signs of a Good Nanny
Parents’ expectations are always high and they should be when you are entrusting your child’s care to somebody else. This is why it is important to do your homework and get all the references, background checks and a good talk to see how the nanny gets along with you and your child/ren. Once all the checks are done and interviews complete, you may still have a few candidates. A few things to help you decide on the best one:
- She enjoys being around children and occasionally playing with them vs. always supervising their play. “Children like being with people who obviously like them and want to play with them. That is why playing on the job is a nanny requirement”, says Annie Davis.
- The bond that forms between your child and his or her nanny is very important. Yet, a good nanny should know the difference between being friends with the children and being comfortable with the disciplining them and redirecting bad behaviors. “Parents and nannies must have a shared understanding of how to navigate both roles successfully and strike a balance between peer-level interaction and parent-level interaction with the children”, says Candi Wingate.
- This is someone you are comfortable with. “If the parents are comfortable and really like the sitter, chances are the child will feel comfortable too”, suggests Dara Epstein. “A good nanny is someone a parent genuinely respects, likes, and trusts. The nanny should be a person who is so incredible that the parent hopes he or she will stay in the children’s lives long after the kids have grown up.”
- She is reliable and punctual. Returning your calls, being on time for the interview, and later following through on your schedule is a sign that things go just as smoothly with the kids.
- Discipline is a big one with kids. Whether this is Supernanny or not, she should be able to “relate with your family and administer discipline to your children in a manner that is appropriate and consistent with your family’s boundaries. You and your nanny should discuss, prior to hiring, the discipline style that your family would like the nanny to use”, says Candi Wingate.
- Resume will tell you a lot about your future nanny’s educational background but nowadays there is so much creative information for kids on the internet – crafts, printables, memory cards and more – anyone can find fun activities for kids. The ability to find interesting and educational activities for your child is a great nanny trait.
- Parents are used to handling small crises and so should your prospective nanny. “The nanny should be capable of handling small crises on his/her own. You and your nanny should come to an agreement about what issues may warrant a call to you and what issues the nanny is authorized to handle on his/her own. Your nanny should be able to act comfortably within the boundaries you have provided”, insists Candi Wingate.
- Finally, everyone I talked to mentioned positive attitude and loving children as the most important trait of a good nanny.
