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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: Fair Salary for a Part Time Nanny
You don’t have to have a part time job to hire a part time nanny. In fact, there are all kinds of reasons why you might only need a nanny to work on a part-time basis. If you operate your own at-home business, for example, it might be important to hire someone into the home to look after the kids. That way, you can dedicate a certain amount of time to your at home career without being interrupted every five minutes.
Maybe you’re training for a marathon, or need to balance your life with your own interests outside of home. Or, maybe you really do have a part-time job and you need a nanny to fill in the gaps.
If you’re thinking about hiring a part time nanny, don’t be surprised if she asks for a higher salary than you were expecting. Remember, part time nannies have to make a living too, and if you’re not able to hire them on a full time or permanent basis, they need to make sure the income is padded enough to put food on the table.
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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: Keeping the House Rules Intact
Families in the real world are recruiting nannies because they need someone to help take care of their kids while they’re at work.Maybe they’re offering a live out nanny job to one qualified applicant.If you’re that lucky person, remember that the only camera possibly on your back is a webcam.There’s no TV crew lurking around the corner and you haven’t been hired to change the way the family raises their children.
Unless you witness outright child abuse, it’s none of your business if the family lets the children drink cola with their lunch.You might want to try and introduce unsweetened fruit drinks or milk into the child’s diet, but only with the parents’ permission.Hopefully, the family disclosed any serious allergies the minute you accepted the nanny job, but what if you weren’t aware that the child is deathly allergic to milk?Maybe cola wasn’t the top choice for a drink substitute, but at least now you understand the reasoning behind the decision.
Once you find a nanny job, it’s up to you to stick with the agreement.Some families don’t believe in discipline and others give time-outs every time the child looks sideways.In this new live out nanny job of yours, it’s your responsibility to be a support to the family.That means reinforcing the house rules, not changing them.
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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: The Strengths of a Nanny Resume
Not everyone looking for nanny jobs has a Masters degree in child psychology.However, you should have a good look at the nanny resume to see what experience and life skills the person has before hiring.Remember that education doesn’t have to come from a classroom.Life and work experience can be equally as important as whether or not the nanny has a certificate or diploma.In fact, that little piece of paper from university doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to hire the best nanny for the job.
Keep an open mind when reading nanny resumes and look for her strengths instead of trying to pinpoint her weaknesses.
Nanny interviews will help weed out the good from the bad, but the nanny resume is going to be your first indicator of how well suited the nanny is for the job.Look for things that indicate good organizational skills, like coaching little league teams, coordinating arts and crafts events, etc.Maybe this person has never worked as a nanny before, but she spent two summers traveling the globe with youth groups.That alone indicates commitment, energy, planning skills, organizational skills, and problem-solving skills.There’s no way you couldn’t encounter any of these situations during travel, especially travelling with youth.
Look for safety training (first aid, for example) on the nanny resume, and take a look at what her hobbies are.Maybe she likes to bake, read, listen to music, dance, swim, etc.Remember that the things she likes to do on her own might very well be strengths she brings into your home to introduce to your kids.
Pick through the nanny resume with a fine-toothed comb, but remember, you’re not looking to flush out weaknesses, you’re looking to build on strengths.
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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: Keeping the Nanny Search Anxiety-Free
Chances are you know how to find a nanny, but you might be concerned about how to find a trustworthy one. Start interviewing a few candidates and you’ll begin to wonder if there’s anybody sane enough out there to trust with your little darlings.
Fear not! By going through a reputable online nanny finder agency, you’ll feel confident that the nannies have gone through some basic screening. Some agencies don’t go through an initial screening process, allowing anybody with the designation “nanny” to post their profiles on the webpage.
While you want word to get out that you’re hiring a nanny, don’t go so far as to post a Nanny Wanted sign on your front lawn. That’s just an invitation for disaster. You’ll wind up with more resumes in your mailbox than you can shake a stick at. You’ll wind up talking with people who couldn’t look after a flea circus let alone your children!
The best way to ease anxiety levels when conducting a nanny search, is to keep the search for finding a nanny professional. Talk to close friends and family for references, or complete an online profile with nannies4hire.com. Just remember, you don’t have to hire anybody unless you feel 100% comfortable.
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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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