There are many things to consider before hiring a nanny. It is imperative to know what type of nanny is best suited for your household and gear your search toward that type.
Get Organized
Take out an ad, contact an agency, or rely on friends and family to suggest a reputable nanny. After several possible matches have been found, contact each one and conduct a "preliminary interview" over the phone. If both parties have internet access, ask for an e-mailed copy of her resume. Try to get a feel for the potential nanny and require at least three child care references. If comfortable, arrange to set up an interview at home with the children present in order to see how the potential candidate interacts with the children. Have questions prepared before the interview so that the process goes smoothly.
Make a Detailed List of Wants and Needs
Before the interviews, make a detailed list of your ideal wants and needs. Include things like what hours the nanny should be available, rate of pay, education level, and whether she needs her own transportation. Determine if it's important she be willing to cook, transport the children to and from activities, perform light housekeeping and laundry, or run errands.
If those things are deemed important, make sure there are specific instructions laid out. Also think about more personalized characteristics such as age, race, gender, smoking preferance and personality type. For example, mothers of newborns may feel safer with an older, more experienced nanny, whereas mothers of pre-teens and teenagers might want a younger, "hipper" nanny for their children.
Set Up the Interviews
Introduce yourself and your family and ask exactly when the prospective nanny is available to start and how long she expects to commit. Hiring for a permanent position often entails at least a one year committment. Begin by asking the interviewee to describe her own childhood and family life, so that you can start to discern her values and get a sense of who she is. Now is also the time to ask questions about her health, criminal, employment and driving backgrounds. Find out if the nanny is willing to do the things you've deemed a necessity and explain the "house rules", if applicable.
Ask the nanny what her ideal salary range is.Give the nanny a series of hypothetical questions to answer such as:
- What kinds of activities would you do with my four-year old on a typical day?
- How would you handle an emergency?
- What is your discipline tactic if my child refuses to obey you?
Encourage questions from the interviewee as well so that both parties understand exactly what is expected from one another. If the children are present, observe the nanny interacting with them to see how well they get along. Once the interview is completed, thank the prospective nanny for her time and assure her you'll be in touch either way with a decision.
Trust Your Instincts
After conducting the interviews and assessing each potential nanny, sit back and relax for a few days. Think about each nanny's strengths and weaknesses and gain an overall impression for each. Trust your instincts about which one will fit best in your family. One nanny may have everything you are looking for on paper, but may lack a connection with the children, whereas another may be less qualified but instantly bond with the kids.
Have Realistic Expectations
Even the best possible matches have times where they don't fit perfectly together. Accept that your nanny is not you and don't expect her to handle every situation just as you would. Realize that you have hired this person and trust that she will handle things responsibly.
Never undermind your nanny in front of the children. Also keep in mind that a nanny is no mind-reader so if there is a problem, tell her right away to ensure that it doesn't escalate into bitterness and resentfulness. Make sure not to become expectant of things that are actually favors.
Selecting a nanny is a time-consuming and important process. By following these simple steps it is more likely that a family will select a nanny who will compliment and enhance the child-rearing experience.
Nichole Richardson - Nichole Richardson is a St.Louis based freelance writer with a B.A. in Mass Communications and a Writing Certificate from the University ...
