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Babysitting Tips for Teens
New to babysitting? Start by being a babysitter to just one child. Meet the parents and the child ahead of time so you can all get to know each other and decide if the arrangement will be a good fit. Its also not a bad idea to consider spending the day with the kids and their mom or dad before you spend a night alone with the child. You can learn about the child's daily schedule, favorite activities and food preferences. Before the parents leave, make sure you know all of the emergency numbers and a number that you can reach the parents at if need be. Some basic safety tips for sitters include never opening the doors to strangers. Also, never tell anyone on the phone or at the door that you are "just the sitter". Approach your job professionally and respect the parents' home and valuables. Before the parents are expected home clean up any messes you and the child have created and tidy up the main living area. Make sure to leave the house in the same or better condition than when you arrived. The parents will appreciate your respect for their space.
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Nanny Tip: Temporary Nanny Jobs You Never Knew You Had
Sometimes creating a resume with a list of “previous childcare experience” requires a bit of creativity, especially if you’re young or haven’t worked in many places. You may have actually worked in a variety of settings that could be loosely classified as "temporary nanny jobs" and not even known it.
Your job as a lifeguard last summer might seem like the farthest thing from a temporary nanny job, but was it really? How many times did you help kids who cut their skin or cried because their sister or brother stole their sand shovel? Okay, maybe you just observed what happened, taking mental notes of how the kids’ parents or caregivers handled the situation. The very fact that you were responsible for the public’s safety says a lot about how you handle stress and responsibility. Make sure to add it to your resume!
Even if all you’ve ever done is babysit your relatives’ kids, add it to the resume. Ask the parents to use their names as references and list all of the different situations that arose and explain how you handled them.
Any situation where you were responsible for the health and well-being of a child could be construed as a temporary nanny job that you can use to your benefit when applying for full time or part time nanny jobs.
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Documenting a Nanny Contract
In many cases, families and nannies seek the extra protection that documentation of a nanny contract could provide. While the nanny contract may not be that legally binding if taken to court, there are some instances in which the contract should protect the interest of both the employing family and the nanny. Immediate termination or resignation, abuse, withholding payment, lapsed insurance policies, and other issues may need to be resolved within a court of law. Because of this, it is important to document the nanny contract. This can be done in a number of ways, including the following:
If the parties involved are using a nanny agency, the agency should keep a record of all nanny contracts and agreements.
If the parties used a lawyer, the lawyer should have the nanny contract signed and notarized before filing the contract and issuing a copy to each party involved.
If the parties have drawn up the nanny contract without any legal aid, they should sign the contract before a notary public, and each party should be given a copy of the nanny contract.
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Nanny Tip: No Free Nanny Background Checks
In most cases, you really do get what you pay for. When you’re looking for help completing nanny background checks, don’t expect to buy a discount package from anyone. In a world full of shortcuts, this is the one place where you want to go the distance. After all, this is someone you’ll be trusting with your children. Relying on a nanny cam to monitor what goes on in your home really isn’t the answer. Ultimately, nobody can give you a 100% guarantee that the new nanny you’ve hired is going to be perfect in every way. But you can at least ensure that there’s no criminal past.
Nanny screening services are available at various costs. Paying anywhere between $50 and $200 isn’t unusual. It usually depends on who is doing the nanny screening and how deeply they’re going to delve into the past. There really are no free nanny background checks. If you’re hiring a nanny through a placement agency, the fee you paid for the membership might include the cost of background checks, making it appear to be a “free” service.
You might be able to shop around for the best prices in nanny screening services, but pay attention to what you’re actually getting for your money. Ideally, you should be paying for a service that will do a complete criminal and background check.
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FICA Nanny Tax Rules
The FICA nanny tax rule involves 15.3% of a nanny's wages. This percentage should be divided up between the nanny and the employer, with each one paying half or 7.65% of the total amount. The half which the nanny is responsible for paying can be paid one of two ways.
An employer can withhold the nanny's 7.65% tax from her paycheck. This is the same method an employer uses for his or her employees.
In most cases involving domestic help, however, the employer may pay the nanny in cash without withholding any of the nanny tax. If this is the case, you are responsible for paying the entire 15.3%.
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Nanny Tip: Nanny Finders and Background Checks
Conducting a nanny search can create a lot of anxiety for the parents. This is someone who will be working (and sometimes living) in your home. This person will be responsible for the safety, care, and emotional well being of your children. Naturally, you’re going to have some concerns.
There are many online nanny finder agencies that can help you find a nanny, but it’s important to understand that nanny finder agencies may not do much initial screening. Non paying members can browse names, photographs, and sometimes view a limited profile. However, they can’t contact a potential nanny. At that point, you can choose between different membership packages, some of which may offer screen services for a higher price than a basic membership package.
The extra money paid for an online nanny finder agency might get you a background check that includes a child abuse registry check and a criminal records check. Nanny finder agencies are great, but if you decide to go it alone, take the time to enlist the services of a lawyer and have background checks completed. The nanny understands it’s nothing personal. Doing your due diligence up front could save you unnecessary surprises down the road.
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Finding the Right Nanny for Your Family
You can find the best nanny in the world in terms of qualifications, experience, and even education, but if she doesn't have a good relationship with you and your children, she won't be the right nanny for you. So, how do you go about finding a nanny that will fit into your family? Consider the following points:
Your nanny should be willing to answer any questions that you might have pertaining to her experiences, her education, her training, and her philosophy on childcare.
Your nanny should meet and even exceed your expectations pertaining to the job duties you've determined to be beneficial for your family.
Your nanny should follow the specific guidelines you've set concerning your child's daily schedule and any behavior issues that might arise.
Your nanny should understand that any and all misunderstandings or problems within your household should be brought to your immediate attention.
Finding a nanny doesn't have to be difficult if you are clear about your expectations and willing to open your home to someone who will become like a member of your family.
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Nanny Tip: Creating a Winning Nanny Resume
A good college education will give you the skills you need to understand child development, child behavior and child psychology. You’ve got all of the skills and qualifications to become a top notch professional nanny, you just don’t know how to find that nanny job.
Unfortunately, the curriculum might not have supported mock nanny interviews or nanny resume workshops.It’s not anybody’s fault.The reality is there is a limited amount of time to work on the important curriculum stuff, and usually not a lot of time to work on the nitty gritty of actually finding a nanny job.In fact, it’s often the students’ responsibility to work on those skills.
There are plenty of websites, templates, and resources available online or at local career resource centers, but the main headings to get you started on your nanny resume include the following:
Job Experience – this is where you should list your most relevant work experience starting from the most recent and working your way back.
Education – list all diplomas, degrees, certificates, and even short workshops you may have taken in the past.
References – anyone offering nanny employment is going to want to see references.
Hobbies/Interests – don’t underestimate this category.Sometimes people skim over it when they could be adding all of their hobbies that show off their strengths.
Building a good nanny resume is the first step to landing a nanny job.The style of the resume template you use isn’t important, it’s the content of the nanny resume that will help you land a nanny job.
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Advantages of Hiring a Live In Nanny
While families are often hesitant to hire a live in nanny, there are some distinct advantages of doing so. These include the following:
A live in nanny can provide flexibility with working hours. If something unexpected occurs, a live in nanny can be there to pick up the slack.
Live in nannies can provide a nurturing relationship that is based on the day to day interaction and care-giving that the child receives from the live in nanny.
A live in nanny can help parents manage their home life more efficiently, providing support and assistance when needed.
A live in nanny can provide round the clock care when a parent has to be away from the home for a day or more.
Live in nannies will ease the exhaustion that midnight feedings can bring to new moms and dads.
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5 Steps to Quality Childcare
Five good steps to choosing quality homelike childcare are as follows: Start looking as far in advance as you can. Finding high quality childcare options can take some time. Search by calling your nanny referral agency or speak with friends and family who have children in childcare. If you visit a daycare center, make sure to take a list of questions to ask the staff about the facility. Think about what you saw and make the best choice for your child/children based on your personal priorities. Finally, stay involved - call, visit and do what needs to be done to be sure you are receiving quality childcare.
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Part Tme Nanny Sharing
Part time nanny sharing is a relatively new idea that is often overlooked. Part time nanny sharing occurs when two or more families are able to share a nanny in one of two ways:
One way to participate in part time nanny sharing is to team up with another family to hire the same nanny. In this case, the nanny would work so many hours for one family, and then she would work so many hours for the other family.
Another way for nanny sharing to work is by hiring a nanny who will watch the children of both families at one or another of the family's homes. Both families will be expected to pay the nanny's salary for either method.
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Driving Ms. Nanny
Most families require that the live-in nanny be able to drive the children. Whether it is a to play date, the doctor's office or to preschool a nanny needs t be able to drive. It is a good idea that you obtain your have a driver's license before applying for a home child care position.
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