Thinking of Hiring a Nanny? Get Tips from a Pro

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By Carolin Soldo

These days, many mothers are finding the help they need by hiring a nanny. As a working mom, you need to keep your job, your status as a good mother, wife or partner, and you need to stay healthy to maintain your sanity -- so that you can be available for everyone else. A nanny can make your life easier by assisting with childcare as well as household chores.

Benefits a nanny can offer a working mom

• Entertaining children: TV be gone! Nannies can take the children outside to play, go to play dates, the park, and the library. Nannies can play creative and educational games with the children and ensure that the children get naps and home-cooked meals. 
• Household chores: This can include laundry, picking up after the kids, and standard housekeeping/tidiness.
• Allowing your kids to stay home with a nanny provides a lot of one-on-one attention and opens up a bit of freedom for you as a parent. Instead of rushing to pick your child up from daycare and get dinner on the table, you can return home to a child that has already been fed and bathed. Also, having a child in daycare can sometimes expose him/her to more colds and/or other sicknesses that come with being around a lot of children.
• Errands: many working mothers utilize the nanny's time spent with the kids to free up their own time to get errands done without the kids in tow. This way, many things can get done more quickly
• Yet another benefit of a nanny is that she already has a relationship with your children. If you need her and she happens to be available, asking her to work an extra day of the week is usually much easier than finding a baby sitter whom the children may not know.

Before you begin your nanny search

Before you begin your search for a nanny you need to have a good idea of what you are looking for in the perfect candidate. You will want to include these details in your nanny or babysitter work agreement later on.

• Are you looking for full time or part time care? Do you prefer a nanny that lives with you or outside the home?
• What duties will you require of your nanny? Will she provide just childcare or will she also provide housekeeping assistance?
• How much can you afford to pay your nanny? Are you willing to provide vacation time and other benefits?
• What experience and qualities are you looking for in a nanny? Think about whether you would be willing to sacrifice schooling for somebody that seems very warm and nurturing for example.
• What type of skills and experience do you require? Should your nanny be CPR certified and have an early childhood education background?
• Additionally, you may want to consider the perfect candidate's life circumstances. Does the nanny or babysitter have children, how old are they, is he/she single or married and settled down in the area, etc.
• You may also want to consider the nanny's or babysitter's gender, age, and cultural background.

Being aware of these details in advance will help you narrow down your nanny or babysitter search to find the best candidate a lot faster.

Where to look for a nanny

If you’re not lucky enough to have a family member to call on, how do you find someone you trust enough to care for your most precious possession?  Finding the right person to care for your children can be a daunting job because you’re looking for someone who will become an integral part of your family.

You should start by speaking with friends, family, neighbors, and acquaintances, particularly older parents, who may have recommendations on a nanny who is worthy of watching your children. These are people you trust, right? So start with them. You can also check bulletin boards at your local community center or grocery, or look for listings in your school newsletters and the local paper.

If your local search doesn’t yield any results, the internet is a great resource with online nanny services like NannyPro.com. NannyPro.com offers families a hassle-free way to find a caregiver that matches their needs by posting profiles of local caregivers for parents to review. All profiles are pre-screened and usually display photos of the caregivers and list their ages, location, education, and more. And they tell parents about the caregiver’s childcare experience and salary requirements. Interested parents can follow up with the caregivers by phone or e-mail, check references, and even run background checks right through NannyPro.com.

How do I know the nanny is qualified?

Nannies do not have to undergo any licensing procedures. However, there are many things you can and should do to properly screen your nanny and test her childcare skills and knowledge.

• NannyPro.com offers each nanny and babysitter the International Nanny Association Basic Skills Assessment to test the caregiver's childcare skills and knowledge.
• Additionally, First aid and CPR training is something highly qualified nannies should be capable of.
• Coursework in childhood development are also pluses.
• Lastly, you should always review the candidate’s background check and check on live references before making your hiring decision. 

Carolin Soldo is a working mom of two young boys. She is passionate about business and family and creating a balance between both. After struggling to find a quality nanny for her own family, Carolin decided to launch www.NannyPro.com, a premier online matchmaker for families seeking nannies and babysitters. Carolin is an expert in the childcare field and helping families find the care they need. Carolin has a background in Market Research and Business Management and holds an MBA from the University at Buffalo.