You can start your nanny quest by asking for suggestions from friends and family; by going online to websites for caregiver listings, local message boards and college job boards; or by registering with a placement agency for nannies.
Finding someone you love will take a while. Plus, heated rivalry with other families is not unusual for there to be, so the right one might get away, lengthening your quest. Here are some tips you need to consider given by nanny services in Columbus, Ohio.
Long term, consider
Parents prefer to concentrate on their newborn's immediate needs, essentially the need for a caregiver who is warm and caring. Parents need to think past the age of three months. Consider your child walking, running, jumping, and leaping from sitting to crawling. Think on who you want to deal with and control tantrums with discipline. A great nanny is someone who can learn along the way with your child and challenge him or her.
Ask friends who have older kids what they think a nanny's most significant characteristics are. This feedback can be used by you and your partner to help make a list of which strengths and skills in child care are a priority for you. Use this list as a guide for the questions you are going to ask potential applicants about the interview and for a job description you might write to post.
Interview strategically
The interview process will begin once you've decided on three to five nannies as the best candidates.
Parents ask questions that they do not think the nanny intends. This will decrease the amount of canned answers which will lead to some truths. Have the applicant play with your child as part of the interview process. See how she deals with him. She seems to be enjoying it? Looks like she's engaged? Trustworthy? See what the answer from your child is. Ideally, he'll love the interaction, but if he's exhausted or shy, you can still have a favorite candidate return with your kid to see how they get along for a second visit (paid!).
Context and References Search
It is important to do some official fact-checking when you've found a nanny you love. You'll want to ask difficult and precise questions when you search a nanny's references. Request a guide, for example, to discover one negative thing about their nanny experience. Find out how the nanny was unable to come to work sometimes. If they have ever checked up on the nanny, ask the guide. Ask her guide what outings she planned for the child and whether she arranged playdates in order to get a sense of a nanny's commitment level for the child she cared for.
Make a Smart Bid
It's time to make a bid after you've reached an official decision. How much should you pay, though? Check out the other agency or website and find out in your ZIP code the average cost of a nanny per hour. In order to see what other parents you meet pay their nannies, you'll also want to inquire around.
And you'll need to set rules for vacation time, sick days and overtime, just like most employers. Speak to your partner about this and consider incorporating it all into a nanny contract so that you can make sure everyone's on the same page.