ML Interest Tag: salary

How to Find the Best Nanny for Your Baby

by Sarah Blight

Finding the best nanny for your baby is a delicate and often time-consuming task. Here are the tools you need to be confident, to save you time, and to be aware of all the ins and outs of selecting the right nanny. Read on for things to consider, how to start the process, and the most important questions to ask.

Also considering daycare? Read: How to Find the Best Daycare for Your Baby

photo: Jordan Rowland via Unsplash

Things to consider:

  1. What is most important to you? What are the non-negotiables for you as you begin your search? Is it cost? Is it having a live-in nanny? Is it experience? Write a list with your partner that you can refer to during your search.
  2. Location is one of the reasons parents choose nannies as opposed to daycare. Parents report that they like the flexibility and convenience of having someone come to them and watch their baby in their home. This is particularly valuable when you need someone at varying times of day or night or when your baby is sick and you still need to get to work.
  3. Timing. The nanny search process can take up to 8 or more weeks. So start early! You’ll need to decide if you want to pursue a nanny through friends and relative referrals or through an agency. There is also a third option, a nanny from another country, known as an au pair. Typically, these are live-in nannies who require their own living space within your home.
  4. Cost. Nanny agency charges can range from $1,800 for a placement to $10,000 to use their services. If you get referrals from friends and family, you’ll just be responsible for paying your nanny her salary.
  5. What’s included.  Each nanny agency (domestic and international) is set up a bit differently with its fees, so do your research and find out what the fees include for the specific agency you are considering. An agency should be screening the candidates by phone, conducting a face-to-face interview and checking references. They should also conduct a social media and online screening as well as verify CPR/first aid certification, do a background check including a 7-year driving history, county and federal criminal report, social security verification and a sex offender registry check. If you are searching for a nanny via your friends and family and word of mouth, you will save a lot of money on fees but will have to do your own vetting (i.e. background check and doing all of the above mentioned items) to make sure you know who you are hiring.

How to start the process:

  • Talk to parents who are using nannies. Find out what route they went and why and how it’s working for them. If you don’t know many working parents, check out local parent groups on Facebook. The more people you can talk to, the better.
  • Decide if you want to use an agency or do it yourself. If you go the agency route, you need to decide if you want a local or international nanny (au pair).
  • Now comes the interviewing. You will either be interviewing an agency or a potential nanny depending on the route you’ve chosen. We’ve included questions to ask the agency and the nanny below. This is where your non-negotiables list comes in handy. Remember during your interviews that there are some questions that are prohibited by law. These include asking about age, race/ethnic background, religious views, sexual orientation, marital status/plans on becoming pregnant, disability, and if the nanny has been arrested.
  • Have the nanny meet the kids and interact with them.
  • Check references: Ask for three references. When you speak to them, ask specific questions, such as “what was this nanny’s biggest strength and weakness.”
photo: Nik MacMillan via Unsplash

Questions to ask:

The more information and insight you can glean during your interview process with either an agency and/or a nanny, the better idea you’ll have if they will be a good fit for your family.

Background Questions

  1. How long have you been a nanny?
  2. How many different families have you nannied for? What were the kids’ ages?
  3. What makes you a great nanny?
  4. What other experiences with children have you had?
  5. Have you had other jobs beside nannying?
  6. Do you plan on having another job or going to school while nannying?

Past Work Experience

  1. How did you find the last family you worked for?
  2. How long were you employed there and what ages were the kids while you worked there?
  3. Why did you stop working for that family?
  4. What was that family’s daily routine like?
  5. What were your daily responsibilities?
  6. Did you ever travel with that family?
  7. Were you required to do housework, errands, cooking, work overnight?
  8. How did you handle sick kids or medical emergencies?
  9. What did you like most about that job?
  10. What did you like least about that job?

Compatibility Questions

  1. How much notice do you need for schedule changes?
  2. Are you willing to stay alone with the kids overnight?
  3. Are you willing and able to travel with the family?
  4. What hours and days are you looking for? Evenings? Days? After-school?
  5. Are there any house or kid responsibilities that you won’t do?
  6. Are you willing to do laundry, housework or cooking?
  7. How many kids are you comfortable being responsible for, and what ages do you prefer?

Personality Questions

  1. What do you like best about nannying? Least?
  2. How have you worked with the parents as a caretaker of their kids?
  3. How do you discipline kids? Give examples from previous placements.
  4. How do you handle stress? For example, a baby crying non-stop. Or a toddler not listening to your instructions.
  5. What kind of personality do you have? Do you consider yourself more easygoing and laid back or more likely to have a schedule and enjoy structure?
  6. Do you have any hobbies or things you enjoy doing on your days off?
  7. Give three words that you think your previous families would say to describe you.

Nanny Ninja Skills Questions
Listening to the nanny communicate how they would handle different scenarios they may face with your child is incredibly insightful, so come up with a few good situations unique to your baby and/or family. Additional questions may include:

  1. How do you connect with the kids you watch?
  2. How do you comfort a crying child?
  3. What are some rules in other households that you felt were effective?
  4. What are your views on childrearing?
  5. What happens when a parent’s perspective on discipline is different from yours?
  6. How do you prefer to communicate with parents throughout the day? How often will they hear from you?

Logistical Questions

  1. Do you have a reliable, safe car that can fit my kids and has seatbelts and room for carseats?
  2. Are you looking for a live-in nanny position or set hours?
  3. For non-live-in nannies: Where do you live and how would you get to work each day?
  4. Would you bring your own food or want meals/food provided?
  5. Do you smoke?
  6. Are you willing to do other jobs around the house during naptime?
  7. When are you available to start work?
  8. Do you have other commitments that could interfere with this job?

Salary

  1. What is your salary requirement?
  2. How often would you like/need to be paid?
  3. If you work additional house, such as on a weekend or overnight, what is your overtime rate? Do you charge additional fees for this time?

photo: Dakota Corbin via Unsplash

Nanny & Child Meet and Greet
If a nanny has checked all your boxes so far, it’s time for her to meet your kiddos. Some things you will want to look out for:

  • How does she interact with your child?
  • Does she take charge when she’s with them? Or does she hang back and need some direction?
  • Is she confident in her approach to kids?
  • Is she comfortable playing with kids and getting on their level?
  • Does she look your child in the eye and have clear communication with them?
  • Does your baby seem to like this person?

Red Flags
It may be possible that the wonderful Mary Poppins you’ve been peppering with questions isn’t quite so wonderful after all! Some things to look out for:

  • Nanny doesn’t have references or is not making them available to you.
  • Lots of gaps in work history and the story doesn’t add up. Or they have a lot of short-term jobs.
  • No valid driver’s license or ID.
  • No social security card.
  • The way the nanny interacts with your child makes you uncomfortable. She doesn’t seem attentive, isn’t looking your baby in the eye and doesn’t seem confident around your child.
  • The nanny is willing to take less than her former position or just very low pay.
  • Driving record is poor (if it’s a requirement for the job you are hiring for).

photo: Alex Pasarelu via Unsplash

Final Question

After you’ve asked all the questions, done all the background searches, verified references and watched the nanny interact with your child, ask her one final time why she wants this position.

Now that she has had the opportunity to get to know you better and understand the responsibilities and expectations of the job, make sure she still wants it! It also gives her an opportunity to sell herself to you as a good fit so you can see how eager she is to take care of your child.

—Sarah Blight

RELATED STORIES:

New Mom’s Survival Guide for Going Back to Work

How to Find the Best Daycare for Your Baby

How to Interview a Babysitter: Must-Ask Questions & Interview Tips

 

 

 

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

This Is What Happened When I Brought My Baby to a Job Interview

By Judy O'Connor

First, let me clarify: bringing my baby to a job interview was not my idea. I didn’t wake up that morning and think, “This interview won’t be stressful enough. I should up the ante by bringing my highly unpredictable six-month-old with me.”

Here’s how this unusual situation unfolded: I’d had a great first interview with my potential supervisor, Kevin, and was asked to return for a second interview the following day. When I explained to the recruiter that my husband wasn’t available to stay home again with our son, she said, “Just bring the baby!”

Doing my best to contain my horror, I again requested another date. “Kevin really wants you to come back tomorrow,” replied the recruiter. “Don’t worry. He has four kids and won’t mind at all.”

And so, I arrived for interview number two with extra copies of my resume and a baby in a stroller. I’m pleased to report that said baby sat quietly while the adults talked, and I received the job offer later that day. I was thrilled that the office was just minutes from home, and I was able to negotiate half-day Fridays. Looking back, I realize that the invitation to bring my son to the interview was really an invitation to craft a professional life that would allow me to prioritize family.

During my six years with the company, my son had his share of health issues. There were a couple of surgeries, one unexpected sleepover at the hospital, the onset of asthma, the discovery of multiple food allergies, and a few trips to the ER. Kevin never once made me feel guilty about putting my son first. I was never expected to choose work over my child. And when my second son joined the family, I was able to create a flexible work schedule around his feeding times. In return, I worked incredibly hard at my job to show my appreciation for the tremendous support I received.

Having a family-friendly employer so early in my working-mom journey helped me establish expectations and boundaries that guided me as I furthered my career with other companies and eventually launched a business of my own. Integrating career and family is challenging even under the best circumstances, and it can be impossible with the wrong employer. As a seasoned working mom of two teens, I would like to share some insights:

Don’t hide your family or pregnancy from a current or potential employer.

It’s best to know up front if family will be an issue. If you think you need to hide your status as a parent to get a job offer or a promotion, chances are it’s not the right opportunity.

Apply to family-friendly organizations.

Many job search websites identify telework, freelance and part-time opportunities. Also, start sending resumes to companies that have received awards for their family-friendly policies and programs. It’s amazing to see just how far some companies go to embrace and support working parents!

Negotiate flexibility up front.

Once you accept a job offer, it’s very difficult to go back and request an additional perk like a condensed work week. Decide what you need and ask for it during your salary and benefit negotiations, prior to accepting a position.

Don’t fear change.

Perhaps your job takes you away from your family more than you’d like, or your nightmare boss has you so stressed out that you’re screaming at your kids. There are better situations out there. Do yourself and your family a favor by finding one.

Be worth it.

If you’re fortunate enough to enjoy family-friendly benefits, show your appreciation by being a productive, professional, responsive team player, whether you’re in the office or sitting at your kitchen table.

Recognize opportunity.

If you’re ever asked to bring your baby to a job interview, go for it. It’s not a crazy request. It’s simply a sign that the job will enable you to be your very best working-mom self.

As a California native (and boy mom) living in Maryland, I know it’s hard to be far from loved ones during challenging times. I created Like Neighbors to make it easy to organize, give or receive meaningful help, regardless of distance. Your neighborhood meal train now has national tracks!

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

These Kids Are Making 6-Figure Salaries in Their Own Backyards (Literally)

by Erica Loop

photo: Pexels

A teenager having an after-school job? Umm, that’s not exactly breaking news. But a teenager having an after-school job that lands them a six-figure (yes, six-figure) salary kind of is. High school students RJ Duarte and Owen Johnson are making the type of money that many adults never see — and they’re having fun while doing it.

Duarte, who is now 17-years-old, started his career years ago. At age six or seven, the now-high school senior started mowing lawns with his big brother. Little did he know that a decade later he’d be running his own super-successful landscaping company. Green Worx, Duarte and Johnson’s brainchild, does what just about every other landscape company does. They cut grass, plant flowers, clean-up yards and remove snow (in the winter, of course).

The two boys started working together in middle school, when Duarte’s burgeoning lawn care company really started taking off. After realizing that he had more clients than he could handle by himself, the then-middle schooler started working with his friend and classmate Owen Johnson.

Green Worx has gone well beyond two kids, a mower and a few kindly neighbors who pay them in quarters to clean up their yards. The company is set to rake in over $100,000 this year. Not only are they bringing in the big bucks, but these high schoolers are now giving other kids a chance to make money. They’ve hired fellow students, paying them $10 an hour. This is more than the $9.30 minimum wage in Duarte and Johnson’s home state of Colorado.

With clients such as a golf course and a water park, the boys sometimes need to wake up at 2:30 a.m., just to work and go to school. It looks like the hard work is paying off. Along with the profits-a-plenty that they’re seeing, Duarte also won $1,000, for being a young entrepreneur, from Young Americans Bank.

Does your child have his or her own business plan? Tell us in the comments below.

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

Working Moms Work 98 Hours per Week, Study Says

by Melissa Heckscher

photo: Pixabay

Do you sometimes feel like you don’t have any time to relax? Well, you’re probably right, especially if you’re a working mom.

A recently released study done by Welch’s looked at 2,000 American mothers with children ages 5 to 12 and found that the average working mom logs an astounding 98 hours a week “on the job” (which comes close to a Salary.com study in 2011 that found stay-at-home moms worked an average 97 hours a week).

When factoring in mothering the Littles and working at the office, the average mom’s day starts at 6:23 a.m., the study found, and ends at 8:31 p.m. (and only some of that is paid time!).

Think that’s a lot? The study didn’t even take into account weekends, during which most moms “work” an all-day shift. That brings the weekly grand total close to 100 hours worked when you consider all the playing, cuddling, peacemaking, lecturing, dressing, feeding and loving that mamas do all day long.

“The results of the survey highlight just how demanding the role of mom can be and the non-stop barrage of tasks it consists of,” Casey Lewis, MS, RD and Health & Nutrition Lead at Welch’s told Yahoo News.

The study was done by Welch’s as part of its mission to provide nutrition to busy families.

Do you feel like you work too much? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below. 

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

Why I’m no longer teaching my kids to share

By Ari Adams

Originally appeared on Love, Peace, and Tiny Feet

For as long as I’ve been a parent, I’ve tried to instill what I thought were important life lessons for my children: be kind to others, respect yourself, and of course…I’ve taught my kids to share. What occurred the other day had me rethinking that last lesson. Here’s what happened:

I picked my girls up from school and “Sam” (my 4 year old) still had some leftover cookies from her snack. “L” (my 7 year old), who had already finished her favorite snack, said she was still hungry and asked Sam to share with her.  Not surprisingly, Sam said, “Nope.” 

L continued to beg, whine, and tattle. “Mommy, Sam’s not sharing!!!”

Initially, I recalled a pizza incident from a few years back where Sam threw her leftover pizza into the toilet to avoid sharing with L.  As much as I hoped something like that would never occur again, I opted to stay out of this argument this time. 

Then, L took a different course of action to try to get those cookies…

L: Ok Sam, how about if you give me a cookie, I will give you this {leftover} granola bar.

Sam: Nope. I’d rather have my cookies.

L: I’ll give you this granola bar and then a lollipop when we get home.

Sam: I want the lollipop and I want to hold your doll.

L: Then you have to give me 2 cookies instead of just 1…

So what was happening was my kids were actually learning and practicing a life lesson even more important and valuable than “sharing.”

They were learning how to place a fair value on their goods and services.

They were learning how to leverage those goods as a way to get something they want or need.

They were learning how to negotiate for an optimal win-win situation…

That’s not selfish, that’s business!

The art of negotiation, if you will. As a business woman, I cannot help but to support that! In my business, I don’t “share” my goods or services. I place a fair value on them and I sell them!  If a potential buyer disagrees with my price, we negotiate.  That’s how business works.  That’s how the world works!

I realized that I have been teaching my kids to be “nice” and share with others, when in actually, that is far more of a disservice to them than good.  So many of us are raised to be “nice” and giving, and selfless and what not, but as I learned fairly early on once I started my own business, those are not characteristics that make for a great business person.  

Even outside of business, I have had to learn to negotiate for my job salary, the price I would pay to have my yard serviced, hell…I negotiate with my husband nearly every day for who’s gonna wash the dishes!  The truth is that in life, people don’t always share and I should not feel so entitled to think that they should.  In actuality, me expecting someone to do or give something to me for nothing is selfish and entitled on my part. That’s not what I want my kids to learn.    

So while I’m not saying that I am going to necessarily teach them not to share, I’m definitely not going condemn them for opting to use their smarts to find fair and reasonable ways to get what they want, rather than to just expect it because it’s the “nice” thing to do.  

So, chime in guys…what are your thoughts on teaching your kids to share?

Ari Adams is a lifest‌yle and parenting blogger, author, and cyber hippie.  She’s the lady behind Love, Peace,and Tiny Feet, where she shares the memorable and crazy experiences of balancing parenthood, maintaining a healthy lifest‌yle, and finding love and peace in imperfection.  You can keep in touch with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement

Jessica Alba Debuts The Honest Company

by Erin Lem

When she’s not kicking butt in flicks like Sin City and Fantastic Four, Jessica Alba is a full-time mom just like us. While the actress may have the bod (and an income) we would all kill for, when it comes down to being a mom to four-year old Honor and newborn Haven, she is dealing with the same parenting issues as us — mainly, what are the best and healthiest kids products out there?

After a fruitless search that rendered mediocre results, Alba and business partner Christopher Gavigan decided to take matters into their own hands and create The Honest Company to provide parents with family essentials that are eco-friendly, safe, beautiful, convenient and affordable. As parents, we all know that those are quite lofty goals to aim for, but it seems that Alba and Gavigan nailed it.

Products range from family essentials such as shampoo, conditioner, laundry detergent, and dish washer. While these family essentials are great, what really sets The Honest Company apart from the rest is their diaper bundle, which the website touts as premium, plant-based, ultra-absorbant and yes, downright cute diapers. We love that you can even customize the pattern on these 100% non-toxic, chlorine-free diapers. And just because they’re made from an A-lister, doesn’t mean you need an A-list salary. The Honest Company’s ultra affordable diapers and wipes will run you about $20 per week (much more cost effective than leading brands) and if you don’t believe us, check out their price comparison chart here.

The Honest Company not only makes safe, stylish, and sustainable products, but it also makes getting these kids goods super easy for the multi-tasking, overly busy parent. Simply, answer a few questions about your family and The Honest Company will customize an Honest nursery tailored to your needs. You can choose family essential products and/or diapers to be delivered directly to your doorstep every month (hello, convenience!).

So before you go writing off Jessica Alba as just another pretty Hollywood face, be sure to check out The Honest Company for some great goods, honestly.

The Honest Company
www.honest.com

photo courtesy of The Honest Company

Advertisement

Related reads

Advertisement