Are you an exhausted parent that just needs a little break? Here are 5 expert tips on hiring a nanny that will put your mind at ease while you take a breather.
As you may know, hiring a nanny can be an anxiety-inducing process.
There’s no denying it — this is a big decision. Ideally, you’d want to hire someone who shares your ideas about child-rearing. This involves everything from naps and feeding times to play dates and discipline.
Not sure which part of the screening process you should focus on? Here are 5 useful tips on hiring a nanny that you may want to consider.
1. Define Your Expectations
First of all, you’ll need to determine the nanny’s role in your household. Would they cook meals and do the child’s laundry? Do you want someone who stays at home or someone who takes your children to different activities?
Also, do you think your nanny will end up sleeping over a lot? If so, you may want to go the extra mile by employing a live-in caregiver. Here’s how you can hire a live-in nanny from A Nanny on the Net.
2. Ask Open-Ended Questions
While you’re interviewing the prospective nannies, try to get them to open up a bit. For starters, you can ask them why they wanted to become a nanny. While you’re at it, ask for their favorite activities to do with children.
You’ll also want to know about their disciplinary methods. For example, how do they deal with temper tantrums? Try coming up with a hypothetical crisis situation and see how they would react.
3. Contact Past Employers
Most nanny agencies do thorough reference checks, but it doesn’t hurt to conduct your own. Ask the prospective candidates for a list of their past employers. Then, prepare a list of questions and call them.
Pay particular attention to potential problem areas. For instance, how did the nanny handle the disagreement situations with the employer? Were they always dependable, or were there emergency cases when they had to leave?
4. Run a Background Check
On a similar note, you should outsource background check information. These days, verifying someone’s education and criminal background should be a no-brainer. If they’re expected to drive, check their motor vehicle record as well.
There are many online services that let you conduct these checks at a low price. Of course, make sure your candidates know you’ll be running a background check. That way, you can have them sign a statement authorizing you to do that.
5. Organize the First Meeting
Before you hire a nanny, you should confirm they’re a good match for your child. The good news is that this is quite simple. Once you narrow your selection to a couple of people, have them meet your family.
During the meeting, take note of how your child interacts with the nanny. If they’re old enough, go ahead and ask them for their opinion. If you’re still not sure, consider scheduling a paid trial run for 2-3 days.
More on Hiring a Nanny
As you can see, the most important thing about hiring a nanny is that you do your research. If you’re not sure that a candidate is a good fit for your situation, keep looking. Remember, there are a lot of fantastic nannies out there.
Of course, the nanny won’t be with your child all the time. If you’ve just had a baby, this can seem like a scary proposition. To make it easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of tips for taking care of your newborn.
