Nanny Tips
When it comes to Nanny, we've been there, done that, now serving 424 tips in 17 categories ranging from Au pairs. to Temporary Nannies.
Trying Out a Temporary Nanny Service
Hiring a temporary nanny is a good way to test the waters. If you've been toying with the idea of hiring a nanny, but just aren't ready to dive into hiring someone full time, this might be the way to go. It's important to be honest about the position right from the start. From the time you post your “temporary nanny job” want ad to the time you interview someone for the position, make sure you're honest about it. Don't promise your temporary nanny eventual full time employment if you're not 100% sure you can follow through. You can, however, suggest that there is the possibility of further employment and maybe work it into a nanny contract.
It's not unrealistic for a temporary nanny to expect some commitment, so be prepared to offer a guaranteed schedule. Maybe you'll hire the temporary nanny for one month, or maybe for three. Again, write it up in the nanny contract and talk to the temporary nanny before either of you sign the document.
At the end of the negotiated work commitment, you have a decision to make. Be honest with the nanny. If you can't afford to hire a nanny on a more permanent basis, tell her. If you think you might be interested in hiring within a six month to one year time frame, tell her! You can't expect your temporary nanny to stay a temporary nanny while you sit on the fence of indecision. To buy yourself a little more time, it's okay to negotiate another contract whether it's for another month or more.
Temporary Nannies who Teach
As a temporary nanny, you might be looking for ways to supplement your income. Sure being a temporary nanny is your thing, but why not package up all of those years' experience and take it over to the local college or university. Training coordinators and staff at colleges are always on the lookout for new faces to teach continuing education courses.
Teaching a continuing education course usually involves about two to three hours of your time, once or twice a week, for a short period of time. As a temporary nanny, think about all of the experiences you've had and what you've learned from those experiences. The last time a toddler crammed three Flintstone vitamins up his nose taught you at least three different lessons:
1) Keep all medications, including vitamins, out of the reach of children.
2) Kids will shove anything they can up their noses.
3) The emergency department doesn't feel that Flintstone vitamins are top priority in the triage protocol.
How does this relate to teaching continuing education courses? Well, you've got enough knowledge right there to teach a course in basic child safety and/or how to handle a stuffed vitamin emergency.
Create a resume of past teaching and/or earning experiences and take it over to the local college. Tell them you're interested in teaching a night course and see what happens. It might be the perfect way to earn more money while continuing to work as a temporary nanny.
Weekend Nannies
A lot of people do shift work. Nurses, paramedics, police officers, security guards, doctors, fire fighters, etc, all work hours that fall outside of the nine-to-five mould. It's especially hard for single parents, or in a home where both parents or caregivers end up working the same shifts but still have kids at home to care for.
People who've done shift work for a while probably have their schedules down to a science, making it easy to get the grandmother to look after the kids on the days (or nights) when the caregiver is working. The problem with shift work, however, is that it isn't always predictable. As hard-wired as your schedule may be, someone is bound to get sick or go on vacation. All of a sudden you and your partner find yourself both working the same shifts. Unless you're interested in leaving little 4-year-old Johnny home alone for the first time (sooooo not recommended), it might be time to call in a temporary nanny.
A temporary nanny or “weekend nanny” can be called in with little notice. If you've hired a temporary nanny before, you might have the luxury of calling her directly and asking her to come back. On the other hand, you may have to go back to the nanny placement agency and accept the services of a different nanny. Before you even need a temporary nanny, check out nanny placement agencies to make sure that at least basic background checks are completed. Families who need temporary nannies don't have time to wait a few months for the checks to come back. However, if you're sure that the company is legitimate and does background checks in a timely manner, you should feel confident that you're on the right track.
Temporary Nannies for Temporary Setbacks
Life circumstances are unpredictable and sometimes the unthinkable happens. One day you're a happy family and the next, everything changes. If you're in the unexpected position of being a single parent, there's help. You'd think that when tragedy hits, everything else could go on hold for a while, until you're ready to pick up the torch. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. The laundry piles up. The family needs to eat. Bills need to be paid. Life doesn't wait.
When a crisis hits, the emotional rollercoaster is draining. There could be days when you feel as if you're just keeping your head above water. Until you get used to a new way of living, it might be a good idea to call in a temporary nanny. Temporary nannies are a short-term solution to help get you back on your feet. Not sure where to start? Do an Internet search using keywords like “temporary nanny” to find nanny websites. Online nanny placement agencies will help you find the perfect person for the job. Generally, registration involves answering some questions about yourself and posting it to the site. You won't get much for free, but if you pay the membership price (different packages for different services) you'll have more access to the complete profiles of temporary nannies. Instead of giving you immediate access to the temporary nannies personal information, nanny websites usually filter questions and interview requests to a generic email account that the nannies can use to screen potential employers.
Temporary Nannies Who Save The Day
A temporary nanny is not Cinderella. She's not going to turn a pumpkin into a coach or mice into horses. When the clock strikes midnight, she won't flee the scene. No…she's not the girl working as a temporary nanny in a castle who gets to be princess for a night. She is, however, a lifesaver. In a pinch, she can be called to save the day. When the regular full time nanny calls in sick or has a horrible lawn chair accident, the temporary nanny steps in and takes over with ease.
Temporary nannies are either people looking to supplement their income, are trying to break into the industry through occasional work experience opportunities, or are retired nannies interested in keeping a proverbial foot in the door.
For busy families who don't have a lot of flexibility in their jobs, it's important to have a roster of reliable temporary nannies on hand. While the temporary nanny will do what she can to make it in on a moment's notice, there are sometimes extenuating circumstances that prevent it from happening. However, if the family has a few temporary nannies that can be called on in a pinch, it makes life a lot easier and a lot lessj stressful when the unexpected occurs.
Student Work Placements as Temporary Nannies
Students in training for work with children might be required to complete weeks of on-the-job training before qualifying for graduation. That could include a stint working as a temporary nanny. Families who live near colleges and universities can visit the campus registrar to submit their names as work hosts. That means they're willing to hire a student as a temporary nanny with the understanding that the student will be paid less than qualified graduate, but also understanding that the student now has the skills to do the job.
Families who approach schools with an interest in hiring temporary nannies should be aware that they may be subject to scrutiny. Generally, it's the student's responsibility to find their own work placements, but the school is still liable should anything happen to the student. For that reason, they may want conduct at least a minimal background check on the host family before approving the job placement.
Hiring a student as a temporary nanny also carries some responsibility. For example, the family will be required to keep notes on the student including details of their work habits, tardiness, skills, care, etc. The family will probably be required to complete an evaluation and submit it to the school at the end of the work placement. The evaluation and feedback the family gives directly impacts the student's chances for success. A terrible work placement as a temporary nanny could even mean the difference between graduating or not graduating.
