By Amy Blakeslee
Apr 9, 2010
If you know that you will need at least some help with the children, there will be many questions that will need to be answered before you start the hiring process. Will you have a part-time, drop-in nanny who comes in for only certain days or hours? Would you prefer to have a full-time nanny? If so, will the nanny be living in the home? Will you be providing benefits in addition to the salary in this case?
Why a nanny?
In the old days, the family would join together for the birth of a child taking care of the new mother and little child. However, the old days are gone and most families are spread out in every direction in the country. While there are friends that could pitch in, it is not the same thing as family. Hiring someone could seriously help with the stress and worry. A nanny is a perfect solution especially when the new mother is ready to head back to work.
Part-time nanny
Decide up-front how many hours a week you will need a nanny and exactly what tasks you want performed. Investigate what the going rate for a part time nanny is in your area and how many services there are. If you live in an area that does not have services that refer nannies, you will have to advertise.
Make your ad as clear and concise as possible so that you do not have to slog through mountains of resumes. Choose a short list of people to call and have your interview questions prepared before hand. Make sure that you are prepared with a few answers of your own including the rate of pay, benefits and other information.
Full-time nanny
A full-time nanny will be convenient; however, it will be more expensive and may entail a few more details to figure out. For instance, will the full-time nanny be a live-in employee? If you do opt for a live-in nanny, you will have to provide a room and some private time as well as work something out for meals and other considerations. Before hiring a full-time, live-in nanny, decide what you will do for holidays and other special events, like vacations, and so on.
What to look for in a nanny
A nanny is a very serious consideration and hiring one may be very difficult for many people. Before you choose one, make sure that you know what you are looking for: dependability, experience, honesty, a clean record and a love of children are just a few of the qualities that you should look for when interviewing. Make sure that your children are present and watch them interact with the potential nanny. You may think they sound great on paper, but they may not work with your child which is the most important thing of all.
Alternatives to hiring a nanny
If you would prefer not to hire a nanny, but still need a little help, consider hiring a part time housekeeper/babysitter instead. If you live near a college town you could hire a student to watch the children for a few hours- if you give them extra they may wash the dishes or fold the laundry. Some students will agree to keep an eye on the kid for a chance to do their laundry as well, so you won’t even have to pay them.
No matter what you choose to do, if you feel uncomfortable around the nanny or the children are complaining, do not hesitate to intervene and investigate. It might be that they are just pushing their limits or there might be a valid concern. Make sure that you closely monitor what is going on in your home at all times.
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