So you've done a search for a nanny and you're getting ready to conduct interviews.  What should you look for when you're screening a nanny?  These three things are helpful in the hiring process:

Be Prepared - The process of screening a nanny can be a flurry of events.  You've scheduled times to speak with several different candidates.  But before you get to the interview stage of the hiring process, be prepared with a list of what your expectations are and what you're looking for in a nanny.

Ask Investigative Questions - Don't forget to dig deeper and address any concerns when you're screening a nanny.  Ask questions such as how a nanny would deal with emergency situations, how he/she views her role as a nanny, and what some of the most difficult situations are that he/she has faced working as a childcare provider.

Paying Attention To The Details - When you're going through the interview process, listen to not only what the applicant is saying, but how he/she is saying it.  Is she giving you canned answers that you want to hear?  Is he/she enthusiastic about working with children?  How well does he/she interact with your child?

Run Your Background Checks - Make sure you run background checks such as criminal histories, driving records or any others you feel necessary.

Hiring a nanny online can be a good experience if you use the reliable Web site Nannies4Hire.com to look for potential candidates. You can use it to find nannies in your area, as well as to get more information on the process itself. Searching this way can also help you narrow the field before you are actually ready to begin screening candidates. This can be a great time saver, as well as a nice convenience.

There are many things to consider when looking for this type of caregiver such as contracts, background checks and salary, among other details. You will also want to make sure the nanny's childcare philosophy closely matches your own. It is also a good idea to think about your budget and what you would like to pay a nanny so that you are prepared to discuss salary requirements if you find someone you like. If you take some time to decide what qualities and experience you would like in advance, it will make the search much easier in the long run.

Trying to find a reliable, experienced babysitter can seem like an overwhelming task sometimes. Rather than waste time searching job boards at the grocery store for a possible candidate, why not consider hiring a sitter through the Internet?

Although it may seem like an unusual idea at first, hiring a babysitter online can actually be a smart way to go. Babysitters4Hire.com is a well-known site with a wide range of sitters available. Search by zip code to see how many are in your area and consider signing up for the service, which gives you access to a pool of babysitters in your town and nearby. Evaluate potential candidates by criteria such as their experience level and requested pay rate, all of which can be found in their profile on-line. This can help you narrow the search to those sitters that meet the criteria you are looking for, which will save you some time. Also take advantage of text messaging the babysitters.

No matter what route you go to find a sitter, you will want to make sure you find out about their background and check some references. Babysitters4Hire.com offers resources that can help you interview potential candidates and see if they are a good match for your family situation. Ultimately the decision on who to hire is yours, but having a group of sitters to choose from can be the best tactic when looking for the one who will be a perfect fit.

When you begin the search for a babysitter there are many things to consider, and one of them is payment. How can you decide on a fair amount? What things should you expect to pay more for? Knowing where to search and what to look for can help you get some answers.

Ask other parents in your area what they are paying for babysitting services, and what their sitter's level of experience is. This can help you get a base rate. You can also search on Babysitters4Hire.com to find local pay scales. Just put in your zip code and you can sift through the list of sitters in your area, along with their payment ranges and experience level. Both of these things will help you determine a range. Take the time to think about your budget as well, so that you know what you can afford.

Other things to take into consideration when hiring a sitter include how many children you have and how old they are, how long you will be away, the sitter's experience level and the amount of extra work you expect them to do, if any. Once you have all of this information together, it will be much easier to plan for the cost of babysitting services.

What is the difference between a nanny and a babysitter? Although it seems like the distinction should be clear-cut, there is a good deal of variation in how people define these job descriptions, and they tend to vary from family to family. Even so, there are some general items one can look at that can help you tell the difference between the two.

Babysitters tend to be hired on an as-needed basis and provide basic care most often on weekends or during evening hours. Nannies often live in the household and typically have additional duties besides caring for the children in the home, although that is their primary function. Many nannies clean and prepare meals along with their childcare responsibilities.

A nanny usually receives a set salary or hourly rate, along with overtime and paid holidays and vacation. They are considered an employee of the household. Babysitters pay their own taxes. For a more complete picture of the various duties and responsibilities that are typical of a babysitter, visit Babysitters4Hire.com. For more information on nannies, take a look at Nannies4Hire.com.

Since I run an Internet business, I’m interested in the whole online world. And since I’m a mom, I’m very interested in keeping kids safe. So I thought I’d share some information I’ve gathered about how parents and nannies can help kids stay out of trouble when they’re online. Parents need to get involved and set parameters. Nannies need to know what the rules are and enforce them.

First, a few general recommendations-  

• Learn about the Internet.  Let’s face it, our kids know more about computers and the Internet than we do. So if you’re not online-savvy, try to get up to speed. Maybe your local library, school or community center offers a course you can take.

• Get involved.  Spend time with your kids when they’re online. Let them get used to the idea that you’re going to be looking over their shoulder - a lot. Your kids’ best insurance is your involvement.  

• Find out what you can do.  Educate yourself about parental control tools that can keep your kids safe. Check with your Internet Service Provider to see what they offer. Ask about “blocking and filtering” software at a computer store or consumer electronics store.

Now, let’s talk about email. It’s great that our kids can communicate instantly with friends, relatives and teachers. It’s not so  great that they can communicate with creeps and predators.  

So…

• Make sure you know how to access your kid’s email account and their password. They’ll howl, but you’ve got to protect them.

• Talk with your kids about who they’re meeting online. It’s another way you need to stay involved.

• Set a rule that your kids never arrange an in-person meeting without you present. And enforce it.

And how about surfing the web? The web is an unprecedented galaxy of information. And an unprecedented source of danger.  

So…

• Keep the computer in a family area, so you can better monitor your kids’ web browsing.

• Spend time online with your kids. Find out which sites they spend time on.

• Teach your kids to immediately end any online experience that makes them feel uncomfortable and to tell you about it.

• Establish an atmosphere of trust with your kids by not blaming them for uncomfortable online experiences. Keep the lines of communication open.

Finally, chatting. Chat rooms have their own risks.  

So…

• Accompany your kid in chat rooms until she learns your rules.

• Teach your kids never to give out personal information - name, address or anything else that could identify them.

• Explain that people are not always who they say they are.

• Limit your kids to certain chat rooms, or block out chat entirely.

In a way, it’s sad that we have to take such precautions. But on the other hand, that’s our job – whether we’re parents or nannies – to keep our kids safe.  

Until next time (hopefully with a more upbeat topic)…

Candi

 

Work with nannies4hire.com.

Surprise! That’s not the end of this blog. Of course, I’d be happy if each and every one of you did work through our site, but I know some of you will simply ask the neighbors for recommendations.  No matter how you find a nanny, there are some general principles it pays to remember. And today, I want to share some of them.  

First of all, give yourself enough time. Enough time to make a really good choice. You don’t want to have to settle for someone you’re not really sure of.

And then, do your homework. Whether you need a nanny for part-time or full-time, you need peace of mind. So interview your nanny candidate, ask her for references, do background checks and give her a trial run to see how she and your kids get along.

Finally, sign a contract.  A contract serves as an excellent communication tool to thoroughly outline the position and compensation involved.

Until next time…

Candi

I don’t know about you, but I spend a lot of my day thinking about kids and talking about kids, with other moms and with nannies. And one thing’s been on my mind lately – praise. I’ve decided you can never praise a kid too much.  Think about this: you and I are adults. We know how the world works (more or less); we know the rules. Kids don’t. They’re making their way in a strange and mystifying place that operates by principles they don’t yet understand. So they make mistakes. And when they do, they feel it deeply. Much more deeply than you or I would. Kids can be very hard on themselves. Furthermore, they know how much they’ve got to learn. That’s why they look up so much to us cool, confident adults who can handle anything (If they only knew…).

Add all this up, and it starts to explain why you can never praise a kid too much. They focus so much on what they can’t do that they need lots of praise for what they can do. Buttoning a shirt for the first time, helping put away dishes, getting dirty clothes into the laundry basket – no victory is too small to praise. And even when they fail, praise them for trying. “You kept trying; you didn’t give up. That’s what counts.”  

Self-confidence is an amazing thing. If you think you can do something, sooner or later you will do it. So, whether you’re a parent or a nanny, praise those kids! There’s nothing else that’s so easy to do and will pay such big dividends.

Until next time…

Candi

 

Hi, everyone. I’m Candi Wingate, President of Nannies4hire.com.

When your business is connecting families and nannies, you learn a lot about parents, kids and nannies. So I thought I’d use this space from time to time to share some of what I’ve learned. Of course, I’m also a mom, and I’ve learned a lot raising them, too. In fact, I’ve learned a lot from them. But don’t tell them I said so; it might go to their heads.  Juggling a career and a family, raising kids in a complicated – sometimes scary – world, we all cope with these issues every day. And we all know plenty that’s worth sharing. Together, we’re all smarter and stronger. So I’ll do my best to pass on what- ever I think would be helpful. And if you’ve got something you want me to share in this blog, please write to me at mail@nannies4hire.com.  

I think this space will be a useful source for all kinds of information. And the occasional opinion, of course – hey, it’s my blog; I’m entitled.  And I’ll do my best to make it fun to read.

Until next time…

Candi