Monday, 2 July 2012

How to find a nanny and Keep your Nanny Happy

While searching through a group of nannies to find someone who will take care of your children no matter if it is for only some hours or for a week, it is important that you do a detailed process of screening. Though the employers will do a background checks for nannies initially, but they may skip some information and hurry through another important step before making the decision to hire her and that is asking references.

You will always find a person who can take care of checking references if you are hiring a nanny with the help of nanny agency. This person will be qualified and experienced in finding out false references that nannies may add in their profiles in order to get the job. These nanny agencies may be very expensive, you can instead find a nanny with the help of online service. But when you go for online service, you will have to do lot of legwork on your own. In this situation, it is necessary that you have the right tools and mindset with the help of which you can check the references of nannies that you may be thinking of considering.

What to expect while checking references

You can learn lot of things from checking references by not only seeing what the references say but also by observing the things that are not said. References that come for nannies may be more approaching with information unlike other jobs where the references are restricted legally to what they might say about another person. It can be anything, good or bad.

You should always trust your gut feeling while making the first call and listen carefully to everything that the nanny reference says. While checking references you are more likely will be speaking with some other parent who is also interested to tell you about the nanny. You can ask anything you want to them, not only the behavior and credentials of the nanny but also other details of the family for which the nanny worked. It is very important that you pay attention to the behavior of the references while talking to them. It is very important that the person doesn’t sound distracted or rushed while talking about the nanny.

Finding a good nanny is not an easy task but it is not difficult as well if your references are good.

There must be some reason why some families stick with a nanny for years and years and some families keep changing nannies without finding someone that suits well for their family. The one reason that comes to mind frequently is that they did not do enough for the nanny to satisfy her needs and did not treat her properly. There are various things that can be cone to keep a nanny happy by a family to make sure that she stays in their family for long time.

Develop sensible expectations from nannies

If the nannies feel that they are being asked for more than what they were actually told at the time of hiring are more likely to quit the job soon. You should set some sensible expectations from them from the beginning of the work to avoid this difficulty. The best way to do this is to make a contract with nanny that both nanny and family will sign. This way, if there is any issue about something, the contract can be observed to clarify the situation. If a nanny agrees to do the housekeeping work along with taking care of the children, you should specify what her responsibilities are and later don’t add any additional work to that until you discuss that with your nanny and add that to the contract and sign.

Additionally, if you need some extra help with something, may be an extra night of babysitting, you should ask the nanny about it in advance. This way she can see whether she can do it or not. You shouldn’t just think that just because she lives in your family she will do any job that you need. She will definitely expect you to stay with schedule that you have made and that you will let her know in advance if you need anything extra from her. If both parents are working and an occasional late night work may not harm your relationship with your nanny. But if this becomes regular then your nanny may not be happy with you. So make sure that you tell her in advance if you are expecting her to do something more than what is told.

If you want to keep you nanny happy, you should plan for giving her yearly raises and a surprise vacation for her in a year. Try to reward her occasionally with money or some gifts.

Types of nanny services and where to find them

If you need nanny services, the first thing you need to determine is what type of nanny you require. There are various types of nanny services to accommodate the needs of different families. Do you need a nanny who will just take care of your child or someone who will also help with household duties like cleaning or cooking?

In addition, you need to determine whether you need part-time nanny services or full-time nanny services. The second option is of course more expensive and usually requires that the nanny stays at the family’s home. If you require live-in nanny services then of course you need to make sure you have proper accommodation. You can negotiate with a potential nanny to include room and board in their pay.

Of course, a full time nanny does not have to live with the family but she would need to be at your home for the entire day, usually for 8 to 10 hours a day, depending on the work schedule you agreed upon. Whatever type of nanny you choose, make sure to arrange a clear work schedule because all types of nannies need a time off.

Part-time nanny services are ideal for those who need someone to look after their child after school until the parent comes home from work in the evening. A part-time nanny will care for your child at home and the services she will provide will depend on the specific duties you defined. Do not readily assume that the nanny will also clean your home in addition to caring for your child. Some nannies can also be housekeepers but traditionally, nanny services are strictly child care services.

If you need a nanny and a housekeeper, make sure you make this very clear at the start so there are no misunderstandings. As the parent, you also need to realize that the nanny is not your replacement. Do not expect her to manage your household for you entirely because that is your responsibility. Their basic role is to take care of your child or children while you are away.

If you are a busy parent and you do not have much time to spend looking for a nanny, there are many credible online companies that offer help in finding nanny services. For a minimal fee, all you need to do is to set up a profile and answer questions regarding your nanny services requirements. The placement agency will match you with potential nannies that meet your needs.

Should you decide to use an online nanny services placement agency, make sure to work with a reputable company. Check out their privacy policies. Make sure your contact information is not published on the site and that all private information stays confidential.

Find Canberra nannies and hire your nanny today.

1 comment:

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