You are expecting your second child.  There has been a lot of hubbub in your household related to the impending miracle of birth:  painting and decorating a new baby’s room; shopping for furniture, clothing, and supplies; and a variety of baby showers and excited visitors.  It’s easy to see how your first-born child may feel like s/he is losing significance in your world.  How do you prepare your first child for the arrival of the new baby and reinforce to your first-born that s/he is just as loved as always?

1. Tell your first-born about your pregnancy as soon as you think your child is capable of absorbing the information and in a manner that is consistent with your first-born’s level of comprehension and interest.  For example, you might say to your two-year-old, “You are going to have a baby brother or sister next summer.” Or you might say to an older child, “We are pregnant.  The baby is due in August.”  Discuss the special relationship between siblings.  Does your first-born have friends with siblings?  Can s/he tell you stories about those sibling relationships?  Tell your first-born positive stories about the relationships you and your partner have with siblings. 
2. As your pregnancy ensues, ask your first-born how s/he is feeling about getting a new sibling, what his/her hopes and fears are about life and/or the baby, etc.  In an age-appropriate manner, share information as proactively as possible and respond to all inquiries from your first-born.  Most of your first-born’s fears will be fears of the unknown (”Will Mommy still love me?”), so by providing as much information as is age-appropriate, you limit the number of unknowns.  In large part, let your first-born decide what is age-appropriate.  If s/he asks where babies come from, assume that the question is literal (i.e., “The baby is in my tummy.”).  If your first-born seeks supplemental information, provide the level of information that the child seeks.  Let your first-born know that you are open to his/her questions, and answer his/her questions honestly, age-appropriately, and as positively as is realistic.
3. Include your first-born in planning for the arrival of baby.  If your first-born feels that s/he has voice in his/her outcomes, s/he will be less likely to feel like s/he is being marginalized by you, the new baby, or circumstances.
4. Frame and hang a picture of your first-born in the baby’s room to reflect the significance of the connection between siblings.
5. In private, ask people who express excitement about your pregnancy to share positive comments about your first-born as well.  For example, your best friend may say, “I am so excited about the birth of your new baby!  And Chris, you are going to be an awesome older sibling!  You are so kind and loving: I know you’ll be great!” 
6. Ensure that not all conversation around your first-born is about the baby.  Your first-born needs to know that some conversation can be just about him/her.  For example, how was his/her day at school?
7. Spend time reinforcing your connection with your first-born.  Look through his/her baby pictures together.  Tell him/her stories about all the excitement when you were pregnant with him/her.
8. If your first-born is old enough, read an age-appropriate pregnancy-related book together, visit a friend with a newborn and let your first-born hold and relate to that newborn, let your first-born learn to attend to a newborn by practicing on a dolly, take your first-born with you to a doctor’s appointment so that s/he can hear the baby’s heartbeat, etc.  As noted in #1 above, you should be as proactive as is age-appropriate on these activities.  So, it’s best to expose your first-born to another newborn or a dolly as early as possible in (and frequently throughout) your pregnancy.
9. Keep schedules as routine as possible.  If you alter your first-born’s wake and sleep cycle, you will increase the likelihood of emotional upheaval.
10. Minimize the number of not-pregnancy-related changes happening around your first-born.  If you are moving to a new home or going through other major changes while pregnant with your second child, your first-born can become overwhelmed.  For changes that are pregnancy-related, the earlier they occur in the pregnancy, the better for your first-born’s adaptation.  If your first-born will be moving to a different bedroom in anticipation of the birth, have your first-born relocate as early in your pregnancy as possible.  If you will be hiring a nanny for additional help when the baby arrives, introduce the nanny prior to the arrival of the baby, so your first-born is familiar with them.

By following these 10 steps, you can prepare your first child for the arrival of the new baby and reinforce to your first-born that s/he is just as loved as always.  For more useful tips, visit Nannies4hire.com.

The first article in this series dealt with the emotions that a mother typically experiences when sending her children back to school each autumn. 

This article will address how parents can best respond to their emotions and how those emotions affect the emotions of their children at this pivotal juncture each year.

Your goal, in terms of back-to-school emotions, is to recognize the negative but to embrace the positive.  Any negative emotions that you project will be observed and potentially absorbed by your children; however, to fail to acknowledge your negative emotions, or those of your children, is to deny that basic human experience and leave your children frustrated for their experiencing emotions that they perceive that they should not have. 

Some of the primary back-to-school emotions are listed below, along with tips on how to address them.

Relief.  Acknowledge that you will experience some relief when your children go back to school.  This does not need to be a hurtful statement.  Many mothers acknowledge this emotion with humor (i.e., how nice it is to have the front door open and close during the school year rather than be a revolving door as it appears to be each summer).

Grief.  Tell your children how much you will miss spending extra time with them.  Review your favorite parts of the summer you just spent with your children (i.e., the lemonade stand, the trip to Disneyland, etc.).  Ask your children about their favorite parts of the summer.  Ensure that your children know they are precious to you. 

Disbelief.  Acknowledge your disbelief.  Ask your children if they experience disbelief too.

Anxiety.  Acknowledge your anxiety.  Ask your children if they experience anxiety as well.  Focus on their anxiety rather than your own.  What is making your children feel anxious?  Can you resolve or minimize any of these stressors for your children?  (For example, if you promptly read all the notices from their schools, purchase their school supplies proactively, label all the items your children will be taking to school, develop a plan for packing their lunches daily, develop a rapport with their new teachers before the start of school, offer to host a back-to-school party for your children and their classmates, etc.)

Excitement or pride.  Express regularly your excitement for and pride in your children.  Focus on the anticipated positives in the lives of your children, rather than the anticipated positives in your own life. 

Guilt.  Acknowledge your feelings of guilt, emphasize your love for your children (i.e., “I love you and feel guilty when I walk away from you at your school.”), and then focus on your love rather than your feelings of guilt.

Happiness and sadness.  Acknowledge both your happiness and sadness, but focus on your happiness.  Speak about it often to (and in front of) your children.  Ask your children what makes them feel happy or sad about going back to school.  Celebrate their happiness and try to help them find solutions to address their sadness.  (Note:  sometimes, the best “solution” to sadness is to allow yourself and your children to experience it.  By experiencing it, you and they can move past it.)

When it’s finally “go-time” and you drop your children off at school on their first day of the new semester, you will have laid a solid foundation for the occasion.  At that eleventh hour, it remains important to stay the course on recognizing the negative but embracing the positive.  Your final statement before you and your children part for that big day should be a statement of encouragement, excitement, happiness, pride and confidence in your children, and  love for your children.

For more useful tips, continue to visit Nannies4hire.com.

According to The New York Times “Parents cite different reasons for hiring baby sitters and nannies to speak a second language with their children. Some struggled to pick up foreign languages and want to make life easier for their children. Some believe it makes them smarter. And naturally, this being the melting pot that is New York, many parents have a connection to another language and want to reinforce it.”

There are many reasons to hire a nanny with foreign language skills. 

• Perhaps you have struggled or are struggling to learn a foreign language, and you want your child to learn at a time when it is believed that his/her brain is most able to absorb new language skills.
• Perhaps you are living in an area in which your native language is not spoken, and you want your child to be exposed to your native language as much as possible. Or, you want your child to learn the local language as quickly as possible to minimize his/her integration time.
• Perhaps you are living in an area characterized as a cultural melting pot, and you want your child to be able to communicate well with his/her peers of various language backgrounds.

Whether you are seeking to hire a nanny who speaks your language in a locale that does not, a nanny who speaks the language of your current locale (which is not your native language), or a nanny who speaks a language that is not native to you or your current locale, you will likely seek a bilingual nanny (a nanny who speaks your language and also the language of your current locale or some other locale).  Following are some tips for recruiting bilingual nannies:

• Contact the local Embassies and other organizations that are affiliated with your culture and the culture of the language that you seek to instill in your child. Ask about referrals or publications in which you can advertise.
• Register online at a site such as Nannies4hire.com; where you can sort for nannies by a preferred language.
• Network with others in your locale who have the desired language skills. Ask about referrals.
• Run a help-wanted advertisement in the local newspaper and specify the language skills sought. Or, you might place your advertisement written entirely in your desired language.

Once you have resumes in hand, you can review each candidate’s credentials.  Interviewees may then be chosen.  You may benefit from having a trusted advisor (who is bilingual in the language you seek) participate in interviews with you:  the advisor can observe each candidate’s language skills and can advise you on fluency.  Background checks and other screening and selection methods will not vary from hiring a nanny without foreign language skills.  When you are ready to make a job offer, make sure to include your language expectations in your nanny contract.

By following these simple steps, you can be well on your way to hiring a nanny who can teach your child a foreign language or who can reinforce your own culture and language when you are living abroad.

You’re hot and sticky.  The house is a mess.  The kids are wildly running around the house and yard.  Disorganization and chaos reign.  But wait!  It’s . . . back to school time!  Normalcy in your world is about to be restored.  Are you relieved?  If you’re like most mothers, you’re feeling a host of emotions.  

Relief.  Your household will return to the comparative structure and organization that you are accustomed to eight out of every 12 months.  Your house can be clean (or at least cleaner) again.  You’ll have reduced stress associated with work-life balance (if the children are in school, you can experience less of a “guilty” feeling for being at work rather than at home).  You might even have time to read on some evenings while the children are doing their homework.

Grief.  You will miss spending the extra time with your children.  Sure, it was hectic at times, but it was wonderful at times too.  Your children are precious to you, and summer (for all it’s pros and cons) brings plenty of opportunities for bonding and fun that you and your children can share.

Disbelief.  Where did the summer go?  Did three months really pass that quickly?

Anxiety.  What will change this coming school year?  How will your children like their new teachers?  Will they have a ton of homework?  Will they feel stressed?  How will all their classmates get along?  Will you remember to pack their lunches, sign all their permission slips, etc. while you are getting back into the routine of school and all that comes with it?

Excitement or pride.  What great things will happen this coming year?  Will your children have wonderful new learning opportunities, great successes, and new friends?  Will your children have fun reuniting with friends that they haven’t seen since school got out last spring?  With your increased focus on your job, will you be assigned a stand-out project?  Will you experience a great success?  Will you be promoted?

Guilt.  What if your children don’t want to go to school?  You have to take them to school anyway . . . harder still, you have to leave them there.

Happiness and sadness.  You’re happy that your children’s lives are unfolding as they should.  Going to school each autumn is a normal part of a child’s life.  You’re happy that your children are healthy enough to go to school, learn and grown, and develop friendships with their classmates.  You’re sad that, with each passing year, your children are getting closer to being on their own, no longer needing you as they do now . . . but you’re happy that they will always need and love you because you are their mother.

These are but a few of the emotions that mothers typically experience as they prepare to send their children back to school each autumn. 

Stay tuned.  Our next post at Nannies4hire.com will discuss how to address these emotions optimally.

You, the nanny; are at the grocery store with your two charges, Johnny and Janie.  Johnny sees a snack that he feels that he just has to have.  You disagree.  He wails for all the store to hear.  Later, at the mall, Janie repeats the scenario over a brightly colored necklace. 

What could be done to minimize the likelihood of circumstances such as these?

• Try to plan shopping trips to occur when you and your children are well rested, have recently eaten, and are not experiencing distress.  Also, the shopping trip will ideally occur when the stores will not be overcrowded, which can create impatience and distractions. Make plans to do holiday shopping on a weeknight or as soon as the store opens on the weekend.
• Ensure that your children have the opportunity to use the restroom right before you go shopping.
• Establish and communicate your expectations for your children’s shopping behaviors. What behaviors are your children allowed to exhibit?  What behaviors do you not want your children to exhibit?  Model as many of the constructive behaviors as possible . . . your children are watching what you do.  For example, if being calm is one of your expectations, then you yourself must remain calm, even if you are surrounded by chaos.
• Bring things to occupy your children.  Does your daughter need her teddy bear to occupy and comfort her during a long shopping trip?  Can you put your son in the shopping cart with a good book so he can read or look at pictures while you shop?
• Promise rewards for good behavior.  For example, “If you behave constructively throughout the shopping trip we are about to have, I will let you each have a pudding cup when we get back home.”  (Note: if your children do not behave constructively throughout the shopping trip, then you must deny your children the pudding cups upon your return home.)
• If your children are small, place them in your shopping cart or stroller.  If your children are older and more responsible, ask them to help you shop for gifts. This will help teach them the spirit of the holidays and keep them entertained. Talk about the person you are shopping for, their likes/dislikes, and what’s appropriate for their age.
• Turn the shopping experience into a game and a fun educational field trip.  For example, you might have them to take turns listing things they are grateful for, ask specific ‘trivia’ questions about the holidays or an upcoming/previous family vacation, or grab two items from the store and ask them to name differences and similarities. Be sure to praise their efforts in responding and provide the correct answers if needed. Interaction will help keep the children engaged while you do productive shopping.

By following these seven tips, you can minimize the likelihood that your charges will have difficulties on shopping trips.  You will still have difficult shopping trips on occasion, as there is no way to eliminate all difficult shopping trips, but you can minimize their frequency and severity.

Let’s break down some popular myths about nannies. In January of 2010, we asked the families who use nannies through Nannies4hire.com to complete a survey about how the economic downturn was affecting their

families. We are using the data gathered to answer some of the myths about nannies.

Myth #1. Nannies are for the wealthy - false

The federal government has identified income of $250,000 a year as the threshold for the wealthy. When asked how much the family income was; 34% earned less than $100,000 per year, 22% earned between $100,000 and $150,000, 17.5% earned between $150,000 and $200,000, and 31% earned over $200,000. Working families are the ones most using nannies. (33% did not answer the question).

Myth #2. A nanny must work full-time - false

The nanny’s schedule works around the schedule of the family. Of the families who responded to our surveys, 46.9% of the nannies worked part-time, with a range of hours per week varying from under 10 to 30. You will be able to find a high quality nanny who can work with your schedule.

Myth #3. A nanny is not safe - false

In a study of Healthy Steps for Young Children2, the leading cause of injury to children was related to the family, not the nanny. Children of unmarried parents were the most likely to be injured. The conclusion of the study was, “Household composition seems to play a key role in placing children at risk for medically attended injuries.” In a study that compared children who received home care, center-based care, and other forms of out-of-home child care, the rate of minor injuries was highest in center-based care, but there was not a significant difference among the 3.

Myth #4. I will not know what is going on in my home with a nanny - false

Working with a nanny is not a mystery. By setting up your communication systems at the start of your relationship, you will know everything that your child did that day. We recommend keeping a nanny journal, a daily reporting book where your nanny records important milestones, successes and challenges of the day. Seeing that your house is neat and clean, and that your child is happy, those are the best measures of your nanny’s progress.

Myth #5. Hiring a nanny is too complicated - false

Hiring a qualified nanny is easier than you think. With an online database service like Nannies4hire.com, you can preview available nannies in your zip code in the comfort of your own home. You will see their picture, experience, health status, education, and more. After you have narrowed your selection to two or three prospects, take advantage of the tools (such as the sample nanny contract found in the Appendix) that will give you peace of mind when hiring a nanny to care for your child.

Myth #6. A nanny will only take care of the children (no housework, cooking, etc.) - false

A nanny is an asset to a family and, in most cases, will help your house run smoothly. The most important criterion is not to burden a nanny with non-child related activities and detract from their primary responsibility: the care of your child. Seventy-seven percent of the nannies who responded to our first survey in 2009 are doing child-related activities (homework, errands, birthday parties, housework, laundry, and meal preparation), while 19% are involved in family duties. In 2010, 79% are doing more than just watching children. When you get ready to hire your nanny, see how your nanny can help your family as a whole.

Although it can be tempting to immediately hire the first nanny you come across who meets all the qualifications you’re looking for, it is definitely a smart decision to do a background check.  Though in many cases, you won’t find anything that should deter you from hiring a nanny candidate, it’s always better to err on the side of caution.  Below is a list of the background checks that you may do and what information you can find from these checks.

Character and Professional References: Reference check your top candidates by contacting people who know your top candidates’ character and people who have employed your candidates in their prior positions.  You can learn if your candidates are responsible, ethical, nurturing, how the candidates handled themselves in their prior jobs, and so much more information about how these candidates would likely conduct themselves in your employ.    

Education and Licensure Verification:  If your top candidates claim to have higher education or licensure, it is wise to verify that those claims are accurate.  For example, if a candidate claims to have obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from XYZ University, you can contact the university to verify that the degree was, in fact, conferred.  The same is true of verifying licensure. Verification indicates candidate honesty and knowledge.  For example, if your child is disabled and you need a babysitter that has medical training, it is essential that you verify that your prospective babysitter really has the CNA licensure that she says she has. 

Criminal and Sex Offender Registry Checking:  These checks will tell you if your nanny candidate has a record of any criminal offenses or are registered on the sex offender registry.  Each state lists its residents who are registered sex offenders.  The lists are accessible via Internet.  Criminal searches can be obtained on sites such as Nannies4hire.com using their online investigation service.

Credit History: The credit history determines how responsible a nanny has been in handling her finances.  It’s more common these days than it used to be to check a nanny’s credit history.

Department of Health and Human Services (Child & Vulnerable Adult Protective Services):  By contacting your state’s Department of Health and Human Services, you can determine if your top candidates are on the Child Protective Services / Vulnerable Adult Protective Services list, which means that they have potentially or allegedly abused or neglected a child or vulnerable adult.

Department of Motor Vehicles:  If your babysitter will be responsible for transporting your child(ren), you are well advised to contact your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to determine whether your top candidates have safe driving histories.

Social Security Records Checking:  By checking these records, you will be able to confirm that your babysitter candidate’s name and Social Security number are (or are not) valid according to the records of the federal Social Security Administration.

Drug Testing:  Some families want the security of knowing that their babysitters are drug-free.  Sending their top candidates to a doctor for drug testing can be that security.

In sum, by choosing to perform all job-relevant background checks, you can ensure that you are hiring the best possible babysitter for your family.  Most background checks listed above may be obtained at Nannies4hire.com using their online investigation service.

* Background checks must be job-relevant, so if any background check is not job-relevant in your situation (i.e., DMV checks if your babysitter will not be driving while on the clock for you), then you should not perform that background check.  Additionally, some background checks are covered by federal and/or state law.  This article is not intended as legal advice in any fact-specific situation: if you need such legal advice, you are encouraged to seek legal counsel.

Many families with school-aged children have full-time summer nannies and part-time school-year nannies.  Summer nannies, typically college students, usually work from May or June through August or September.  When children return to school each autumn, the part-time school-year nannies return to work.  For many families, the same two nannies return to their homes each season, year after year.  This provides a stable set of caregivers for children, summer nannies have wonderful summer jobs that they can depend on from year to year, and school-year nannies have opportunities for summer vacations.  It’s a win for everyone involved . . . but every plan needs solid preparation in order for it to function properly. 

What do you do to prepare for the departure of your beloved summer nanny?    You have three considerations:  your children, the outgoing nanny, and the incoming nanny.    You need to prepare your children for the departure of their beloved summer nanny while simultaneously preparing them to receive their new nanny with an open mind and heart.  You will want to send off your departing nanny in a way that will foster continued relationships between her and your children and ensure that she knows that your family cares for and values her.  You will also need to recruit, interview, screen, and hire a new nanny, and prepare for her arrival.

Are departing gifts appropriate?  Yes.  Common gifts include gift cards to her favorite retailers, a cash bonus, gifts hand made by your children, a framed photograph of your children, and paid transportation to her destination community (i.e., airfare to her college town).  Another gift that you can give your departing nanny is a glowing letter of recommendation: it may not have cash value, but it may be priceless nonetheless.

How do you help your children prepare for and then cope with the absence of their beloved summer nanny?   Let your children know that their beloved nanny will be leaving, as well as when and why she will be leaving.  If she will return again next summer, tell them that as well.  Encourage open conversation between you and your children, and between the nanny and your children, so that the children can come to terms with what is happening.  Once the departure has happened, comfort your children.  Spend extra time with them.  Listen to them talk about what they’re thinking/feeling.  If possible, keep the lines of communication open between your children and the nanny.  For example, you may help your children write letters to your nanny.  Or you may help them place periodic calls to her.  Minimize the number and size of any other changes that may be happening to or around your children during this time. 

How do you prepare for a new nanny?   Assuming you have already hired a new nanny, the steps you need to take to prepare for her arrival include: preparing a room for her (if she is to be a live-in nanny), preparing an employment contract and job description, assembling the necessary employment documents (W-4, Form I-9, etc.), making sure that all necessary information (contact telephone numbers, etc.) are all in easy-to-find locations, and preparing an orientation/training checklist (which includes your expectations regarding a nanny log and periodic meetings between you and nanny to ensure good communication).

How do you help your children prepare for a new nanny?  Letting your children have voice in selecting their new nanny is the first step toward helping your children prepare to receive her well.  This can be accomplished by including your children in final interviews of the nanny candidates.  After the job offer has been made and accepted, but before the new nanny begins work, speak with your children often about their new nanny and all the good times they may have with her.  On the nanny’s first day of employment, stay with your children and their new nanny:  this helps to smooth the transition.  Plan some fun activities on nanny’s first day: go to the park, pack a picnic lunch, etc.  For the first few weeks, pop in unannounced to check on your children and their nanny.  Minimize the number and size of any other changes that may be happening to or around your children during this time.

By following these simple steps, you can smooth the transition from full-time summer nanny to part-time school year nanny for everyone.

The kids spent their summer staying up late and then sleeping late the next morning.  After all, why not?  They don’t have school to go to, so sleeping late/staying up late is no problem, right?  Oh, but doesn’t that make transitioning back to the school-year rhythm so much fun?  This and other adaptations are necessary as kids, parents, and nannies return to school-year structure.  Here’s what you can do, as a parent or nanny, to help make that transition as easy as possible for your kids (and you).

• 1. Gradually transition your kids back into their school-year wake and sleep cycles. A few weeks before school starts, set your kids’ bedtime at an hour that is earlier than they go to bed during the summer but later than they go to bed during the school year. In subsequent weeks, shift their bedtime earlier and earlier until you’ve reached their traditional school-year bedtime.
• 2. Limit access to refined sugar and processed foods before bedtime. Instead, have lots of fresh fruits and veggies in your home as strawberries, watermelon, baby carrots, etc. are excellent substitutes for candy.
• 3. If you increased your kids’ household responsibilities when school was not in session, then reduce their chore load when they return to school. If you increased their weekly allowance for their increased summertime household responsibility, then their allowance will need to be proportionately reduced when they no longer carry those responsibilities. Your kids should have chores year-round, but the amount of time that they can dedicate to chores should be restricted during the school year as your kids already have a full-time job during the school year: they are full-time learners.
• 4. Don’t go cold-turkey on all the fun, active, creative, or educational activities that you planned for your kids during the summer. The frequency of these activities can change due to your kids having less free time, but there should still be periodic trips to your local art museum, days painting pottery at a greenware pottery retailer, hiking a nearby nature trail, learning about local vegetation and wildlife, or attending events at your local public library.
• 5. Host a back-to-school party to reacquaint your kids with the classmates that they may not have seen since the spring semester ended.
• 6. Dedicate a day to fun back-to-school shopping for your kids. New clothes, pencils, notebooks, and other school necessities can be fun to shop for: include your kids and make a fun day of it.
• 7. If your kids are transitioning to a new school building, visit the school building with your kids. Take a tour of the building. Introduce your kids to the administration, teachers, and staff.
• 8. Address any emotions your kids may be having about returning to school. For example, if you spend a little time tucking the kids into bed each night, visiting and bonding at that time, then, in those moments, ask your kids how they’re feeling about returning to school. If they are excited, tell them that you are excited too, and then ask them what specifically excites them about returning to school. If they are nervous, ask them what specifically makes them nervous about returning to school and then discuss their concerns and try to help them see that their anxiety is normal but likely constitutes worry over something that won’t happen.
• 9. If your schedule permits, volunteer to help out in your kids’ classrooms. (Before you volunteer, ask your kids how they’d feel if you did this. Many kids find this to be reassuring, but some find it embarrassing or space-invading.)

By following these steps, you can help transition your kids from summer fun to school-year structure.  For more great tips; visit Nannies4hire.com.

First, let’s define the terms.

A nanny is a committed childcare provider, employed by a family to provide supervision and a nurturing environment for the family’s children, without direct parental supervision. A nanny may live in or out of a family’s primary residence.  The well-being, education, and development of the children on a day-to-day basis is the nanny’s primary responsibility. Duties that are required for the care of a child (such as bathing, meal preparation, laundry, housekeeping, homework supervision, errands, exercise, and transportation) are part of a nanny’s responsibility. Formal education is not required if the nanny has suitable experience with children. It is recommended that all nannies be certified in infant and child CPR.

An au pair is a foreign young person, between the ages of 18-26, who comes to the United States to live with a family. Unlike a nanny, an au pair requires a commitment of 12 months. There are many requirements for the J-1 visa, which is required for an au pair coming into the US.  There are also fees that run between $5,000-$7,000 that must be paid in addition to a $500 educational stipend and weekly ‘pocket money’ expense of approximately $175.00. Au pairs are limited to attending to no more than four children from the ages of three months to 12 years. Families must go through one of 11 designated au pair agencies to obtain an au pair visa. Please check with the US Department of State for additional information.

Which caregiver is right for your family, nanny or au pair?  The answer is: it depends.  If you want a caregiver that will be a consistent influence in the lives of your children year after year, then you will probably prefer a nanny.  If you want a caregiver who can orient your children to foreign cultures and perspectives that are different from your own, then you may prefer an au pair.  For some parents who want to avoid raising ethnocentric children, the costs and governmental hurdles associated with hiring an au pair can be daunting: many will seek instead to hire a nanny who may be foreign born and raised but currently living in the employer-family’s country. 

Whether you hire a nanny or an au pair, ensure that you are hiring a caregiver that is a good match for the needs and lifestyle of your family (i.e., experienced with raising children, as active or sedate as your family seeks, comfortable with your method of instructing and disciplining your children, etc.).  When you hire a caregiver who is a good fit for your family, whether that caregiver is a nanny or an au pair, both your family and the caregiver will benefit tremendously by the relationship.

Nannies4hire.com has been affiliated with the nanny industry since 1987 and has grown into the largest and most successful company in the business.  Our database is designed to assist families in finding a quality nanny for their specific needs and requirements and offer nannies an enjoyable employment experience.

A free preview of available nannies is available to families. Whether you are looking for full-time, part-time, temporary, summer, live-in or live-out nannies or elderly/companion care there are a variety of experience levels available. Once you are a registered member, you will have access to contact information and advanced search features. Helpful tools are available to registered families and nannies, including sample interview questions, a sample reference form and a sample contract.

Besides relationships with Dr. Phil, Supernanny and the Discovery Channel/TLC to name a few we have also teamed up with corporations to help find childcare for their employees. Thousands of families and nannies throughout the United States and Canada have joined Nannies4hire.com and our list continues to grow daily.