100 Tips for Nannies and Families

Busy moms have a lot in common with circus performers.  We have to juggle many balls in the air - and we worry that it’s all going to come crashing down at any moment!  Additionally, we strive to perfect our balancing act, some days feeling more surefooted than others.  Add some crying babies, toddlers melting down and kids needing help with homework, rides to soccer practice, a Band Aid or a snack, and your life often feels like a three-ring circus!

Many moms are looking for that “perfect” balance between family, chores, work, “me time” and time with their partner and friends.  But since there are only 24 hours in a day, how are we supposed to fit it all in?

• Rely on a nanny for help with childcare, shuttling kids to school and other activities, as well as errands and housework.  Delegate some responsibilities so you can spend your limited time on things you want to do - like playing with your kids.
• Don’t forget to take care of yourself.  Our inclination as mothers is to care for our children, husband, friends and colleagues…which leaves no time to take care of ourselves!  Eat right, exercise, get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water.  When you feel good, you’ll be better equipped to deal with your hectic schedule.  And when you’re not feeling your best, you’re much more likely to feel overwhelmed.
• Say “no” to the less important things.  Sure, it would be nice to have a spotless house, be the president of the PTA, bake homemade bread, volunteer at the local hospital, get a raise and promotion at work, and spend time helping in your child’s classroom.  But, of course, it’s not realistic to accomplish all of these things.  Decide what’s most important and do that.  Delegate what you can to a nanny or a spouse.  And don’t worry about the rest.

We’re all looking for balance in our lives, which is often challenging to achieve…  What are your tips to make it all work?

Quality child care is at the top of every parent’s list. Whether you’re a WAHM (work-at-home-mom), a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) or you work full- or part-time out of the house - you need help ma’am!

THE FAMILY GROOVE asked nanny expert Candi Wingate for her advice on finding the right kind of care for little bears.  Here, she gives you a how-to of what to do—and what not to do —when you’re on the great sitter search!

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal spotlights a growing problem among working families across the country:  many after-school programs are closing due to budget cutbacks.

Now that back-to-school season is in full swing, parents nationwide are scrambling to secure last-minute childcare, as they had been counting on these after-school programs to meet their needs. 

According to the article, some parents are depending on friends or neighbors to watch their children; others are relying on their older siblings to watch the younger kids.  And, frighteningly enough, some are leaving their children home alone because they believe they have no other feasible options.

 Nannies4Hire is well-equipped to meet the needs of these families, offering:

•  Reliable, experienced child care providers.
• Affordable rates that are less expensive than other childcare options, including many daycares.
• Convenience and flexibility - our wonderful nannies will come to your home and are available whenever you need them, including full-time and part-time options.
• Additional help with housework, errands, dinner preparation and transporting your children to/from school and extracurricular activities.
• Consistent care so you won’t have to worry about the day-to-day childcare logistics.
• Experienced, caring nannies throughout the United States and Canada.

As you contemplate your childcare needs for the upcoming school year and beyond, consider the benefits of Nannies4Hire.  And please share this valuable resource with your friends, neighbors and colleagues who are looking for reliable, affordable childcare, as well.

We’re all looking for new ways to get our children to eat healthier - preferably ideas that are quick, easy and inexpensive to prepare.  Break away from the chicken nuggets routine with these ideas:

Cut your children’s sandwiches in creative shapes using large cookie cutters.  Try a fish-shaped tuna sandwich with goldfish crackers on the side for an under-the-sea themed meal.

• Experiment with fun dips like hummus, fat-free ranch dressing and even sweet potato spread.  Give your kids pita triangles, carrots, celery and snow peas to dip.
• Get creative with fruits and veggies.  Build a broccoli forest for your outdoor adventurer.  Create a friendly spider using a round slice of cucumber and eight pepper strips for legs.  Stick a bunch of grapes or cherry tomatoes together with dabs of cream cheese for a silly caterpillar.
• Rely on your kids’ favorite characters.  Some marketing genius packaged edamame (soy beans) in Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants packaging, which makes the snack seem much more appealing to a picky child.
• Create a rainbow plate.  Arrange red peppers, orange carrots, yellow peppers, green cucumbers, blueberries and purple grapes to resemble a rainbow and watch how quickly your kids gobble it all up!
• Make a healthy banana split - put a sliced banana in a bowl, cover with yogurt and top with healthy cereal, berries and raisins.
• Have a “mixed up meal” day, where you serve “breakfast” for dinner - kids think it’s hilarious to have scrambled eggs and toast at night.  Try serving healthy veggie pizza for breakfast and your kids will be shocked - and thrilled!

 Use a little creativity and your kids will be more willing to experiment with new foods.  And you’ll feel great seeing them eat something other than mac and cheese for a change!

Inc. Magazine has named Nannies4Hire to their annual Inc. 500 list, which takes a comprehensive look at America’s fastest growing companies and recognizes promising entrepreneurs.

Nannies4hire.com is a rapidly growing company offering a booming online database registry that matches families with nannies.  Nannies4Hire, which started in 2003, currently serves more than 500,000 families, nannies and babysitters across the U.S. and Canada.

It is a tremendous honor for us to have been included as part of this prestigious list. We pride ourselves on offering a much-needed service helping families find experienced, responsible nannies to care for their children.

If your children have food allergies, you spend considerable time and energy worrying about their safety and taking special steps to protect them every day.   You’re not alone.  The CDC estimates that more than three million children have food allergies, with the most common offenders being nuts, dairy, wheat, eggs, soy, fish and shellfish.

Sending kids with allergies to school, summer camp, a playdate or birthday party can be nerve-wracking as you worry that your child will eat something that will trigger a reaction.  You’ll feel more comfortable if you take the following precautions:

• Communicate your child’s allergies clearly.  Teachers, camp counselors, nannies and other parents need to know exactly what your child can and can’t eat.   Explain safe substitutions - such as soy cheese instead of dairy cheese for a dairy-allergic child.
• Advocate the importance of reading ingredient labels.  If your child is allergic to nuts, people will immediately understand that he can’t have peanut butter.  But promote the necessity of reading ingredients labels for less obvious culprits, such as baked goods, which are sometimes made with nuts or nut oils.
• Provide safe snacks for your child.  If your dairy-allergic child is attending a birthday party, send her with a non-dairy cupcake to enjoy while the other guests are eating birthday cake.
• Explain what to do if the child eats an offending food.  Does he need a shot of epinephrine?  Explain where the device is and how to use it.  Will the child have intestinal symptoms, like diarrhea or vomiting?  Break out in hives? Will their allergic reaction be severe enough that it will warrant a trip to the emergency room?  If your child has severe allergies, write an action plan in case of emergency, and be sure your nanny has immediate access to this information.

With some careful planning and clear communication, you can keep your food-allergic child safe at school, camp and other social activities.

Do you have tips that worked for your family?

“He’s looking at me!”

“She started it!”

“He stole my Polly Pockets!”

“She stepped on my Lego house!”

 Sound familiar? If you have more than one child in your house, it certainly does!  Sibling squabbles are a regular occurrence in households across the country. 

And most of the fighting is about seemingly “minor” issues, such as who gets into the car first, who gets the first slice of pizza or who gets to select the next book. 

While this behavior is certainly annoying for the parents, it’s also perfectly normal.  As children learn to resolve their battles with their siblings, they’re actually gaining important skills - such as cooperation and compromise - that will serve them well throughout their lifetimes.

 Next time your kids bicker, try the following:

• Teach your children to talk it out -nicely.  This means no name calling, accusations or whining. 
• Tell your kids to listen to each other.  This is also an important life skill - learning to listen and respond to other people’s opinions.
• Let them work it out.  It’s important for children to learn how to resolve their differences - you shouldn’t swoop in to mediate every dispute.
• Separate them, as necessary.  Sometimes your kids are going to be so upset with each other that they’ll need time apart to calm down.  Put them in separate rooms and encourage them to play by themselves for a little while.
• Praise positive behavior.  If you recognize your kids for being kind to each other, you’ll encourage them to demonstrate this behavior more often.
• Spend quality time alone with each child.  Let them pick a special activity and enjoy your one-on-one time with them.   Listen to what they’re saying and reinforce how important they are to you. 

With these tips, you’ll soon be hearing the melodic sounds of your children sharing, taking turns and enjoying each other’s company…  Until the next squabble, of course.

How do you stop the sibling squabbles at your house?

If you’re planning a trip with your kids this summer, a bit of advanced planning will make your life much easier.  Whether you’re road tripping or flying to your destination, consider these tips to keep your kids happily entertained.

• Bring snacks and drinks.  A hungry kid is a cranky kid, so make sure you have quick access to healthy snacks.
• Consider “surprise treats” for the trip.  Collect inexpensive (and quiet!) toys and crafts to dole out when your kids start to get bored.  Try crayons and new coloring books, new Matchbox cars, dolls, stuffed animals, Etch-a-Sketches and card games.
• Get some moldable Wikki Sticks and your kids will be enthralled, creating various shapes, letters, flowers, etc.  These are lightweight and portable - perfect for travel.
• Sewing cards with colorful yarn are inexpensive, portable and fun.
• Play “I Spy” or look for license plates from all 50 states.
• Give your kids a list for a scavenger hunt, and have them find specific things along the route - a sign for a fast food restaurant, a fellow airline passenger with a purple suitcase, etc.
• Give your kids a map and have them follow your route with a crayon or marker.
• Ask your kids to create a journal of the trip, where they write stories or draw pictures of things they see along the way.
• Give each child an inexpensive digital camera - or disposable camera - to record their adventures.  They’ll be so busy looking for the next thing to photograph that they’ll forget about asking “are we there yet?”
• Remember to take frequent breaks so your children can stretch their legs and run off extra energy.  If you’re driving, research kid-friendly parks along the way.  If you’re flying, let them walk around the airport as much as possible before boarding the plane.  No one - especially children - likes to be cooped up for long.
• Consider bringing along your nanny to help entertain your children and assist with travel logistics.

What tips and strategies have worked best to keep your children entertained while traveling?

Recently we had an article featured on MothersRaisingBoys.com about “Finding the Right Childcare for Active Boys“.

As a mother raising two very active boys, I considered my childcare options and decided to hire a nanny.  In addition to making my life easier, I recognized that a nanny can help in the development of my busy, curious boys.  I wanted someone who would focus solely on my kids - as opposed to daycare where caretakers are responsible for multiple children each day. I wanted daily activities to revolve around my boys’ favorite things like swimming, basketball and going to the park, and found a nanny would accommodate their preferred activities.

To read the complete article, please click here…

School’s out for summer and your kids are thrilled about the prospect of long, lazy days playing the newest video games.  You want them to have fun, but would prefer that they read vs. play another video game. 

When you and your kids have vastly different ideas of how they should spend their time this summer, it can be tough to find common ground.  The key is to make your ideas - reading books! - exciting for your kids.

• Figure out what topics appeal to them.  If they’re into the latest Nintendo race car games, suggest car racing books.  If Wii Sports is more their speed, look for stories about famous athletes.
• Make getting new books an adventure.  Go on a special trip to the bookstore or library and let them pick out whatever books they’d like.  Buy them refreshments in the bookstore’s café or go out for lunch after a library visit.  Read together when you get home.
• Develop your own Book Club.   Invite siblings, friends and neighbors to join, and ask each child to select a book for the group to read.  Have a Book Club party and serve snacks related to the book’s theme- such as a tea party for a Fancy Nancy book or noodles and gummy worms for a book about snakes.
• Use the rewards system.  For every 10 books that your kids read, allow a half-hour of uninterrupted video game time.
• Attend story hours.  Many bookstores and libraries hold regular story times, and they’re usually free. Some of these events also include crafts, puppets or snack time.
• Set up a regular “reading time.”  Some parents enjoy reading books with their children each evening before bed.  Others build reading into their morning routines.  Be consistent so your children can eagerly anticipate this cozy time with you.

If you make reading time special for your kids, you will instill a love of reading that will last throughout their lives. How do you get your kids to enjoy reading?