Archive for November, 2011

Set Ground Rules for Your Live-In Nanny

Author: admin

Nov 28



As an employer of a live-in nanny it is essential for you to design a set of rules for your nanny to get the desired services. These rules will clear out any issues regarding the role of the nanny which otherwise may create confusion. These ground rules will also help in defining the relationship between you and your nanny, thus avoiding any kind of misunderstandings.

Read on regarding rules for your live-in nanny. It is recommended to include these rules in your nanny contract or agreement.

Define nanny’s roles and responsibilities

Clearly explain to your nanny her duties, roles and responsibilities. Set appropriate rules for child care. For instance, you may set rules such as keeping the child and his room neat and clean, feeding him with fresh food and so on. Also, if your nanny agrees to perform housekeeping duties, discuss the concerned rules with respect to laundry, dish-washing, ironing or any other related activities.

Daily schedules

Design a schedule for meals, activities and sleep time. Make sure that the child feels comfortable with the schedule. Assign time limits on child care and other housekeeping duties. Once you have determined your nanny is effective and responsible in fulfilling her duties, you can allow her to be more flexible with the schedule.

Spell out the house rules

Discuss the house rules with your nanny and let her know if she is restricted from entering or using certain areas of your home, like your bedroom or home office. Define rules for maintaining tidiness in her room. Also, make her aware of where security and emergency tools can be found. Be sure to explain how and when to use them.

Issues regarding discipline of children

Encourage her to teach discipline to your children. Ask her to be consistent when it comes to disciplining the children. However, the nanny should not engage in any kind of physical punishment should the child resort to undisciplined behavior. Speak to your nanny and design an effective management system to deal with such issues.

Design rules for nanny’s behavior

Designing rules for a nanny’s behavior may sometimes interfere with her personal interests. Though it may seem inappropriate, making your views clear is mandatory to avoid certain problems that may arise later.

Are visitors (to meet nanny) allowed?

Decide if you wish to allow your nanny to have any visitors. As your live-in nanny stays in your home, you may have to think about her overnight visitors and be careful to set strict rules for such visits. Ensure that your nanny is clear about what is acceptable and not acceptable with respect her visitors.

Rules for safe driving

At times, your nanny may have to take your children out. In order to ensure the safety of your child, define driving-related rules like obeying traffic rules, taking care of the fuel needs, maintaining speed limits, buckling children into their seats and so on.

Encourage your nanny to follow the above mentioned rules. Arrange monthly meetings with her to discuss any issues related to child care. If necessary, make changes accordingly and set new rules.



By: Jessica Tandy

About the Author:
Looking for Orange County Nanny Agency? Then check Crunch Care, a premier in-home care staffing service in Orange County. We provide custom solutions to hire nannies, babysitters, baby nurses, elder caregivers and post-surgical caregivers for people looking for Home Care Orange County. The local community looking for Nanny Orange County, will get a valuable resource through our services as they are professional and reliable.



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Babysitter Guidelines

Author: admin

Nov 27



Finding a babysitter and leaving your children with a caregiver are big decisions. You want them in the best possible care in your absence. When I have a new babysitter, I like the sitter’s parents to be at home — at least for the first few times. This way the babysitter can call on them if needed. They can serve as a back-up if something gets out of control. If you have time, have the sitter come a few days in advance and watch the kids while you are there. It will give you some time to do a few projects, and you can observe how he/she interacts with your kids.

Babysitter Guidelines
1. EMERGENCY INFORMATION: Always, always leave a paper with instructions and emergency information posted on your kitchen bulletin board or some place very accessible (maybe inside a kitchen cupboard close to the phone). This way the babysitter can refer to it often.

Emergency information sheet should include:
1. All your contact information — cell phone numbers, street address, nearest cross streets or landmarks to your home, your land line number in case she has to give it to emergency personnel.
2. Cell and land line numbers for Grandma & Grandpa, aunt, cousin or other relative who lives nearby.
Close neighbor or friends cell and land line numbers.
3. Include any local emergency numbers like poison control or a nearby hospital and of course, 911.
In an emergency, even that number may be forgotten.
4. Names and ages of your children.
5. Include your child’s blood type if you know it — it never hurts to be thorough.
6. Include any specific health information the babysitter needs in caring for your children. Allergies your child has, and instruct the babysitter in your desired course of action.
7. If your child has an allergy that can be fatal, give very specific instructions, and make sure they understand the gravity of their allergy. In this case, I highly recommend the babysitter feed them nothing if the allergy is a food allergy. You are the best one to monitor your child’s food intake.

Do not allow your babysitter to administer any medicines or even, over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol or Ibuprofen, especially not aspirin. They may not be old enough to understand the consequences of giving wrong meds.

Go over the list with the babysitter and be sure he or she understands what to do in an emergency. Let him or her know they should contact you for any questions or concerns they have.

2. EATING: I recommend as little eating as possible when having a babysitter; maybe just a snack. That way, it doesn’t over-burden the sitter and she can concentrate on taking care of your kids. Or, have the food prepared and she can just feed them and clean up.

Of course, if you are gone for several hours or the day, the babysitter will have to feed the kids. Be sure food is available and they know how to use your appliances. Before you leave, choose the meals so there is no concern for choking or allergic reactions.

3. BATHING: Never have your babysitter bathe your kids. It simply isn’t necessary. It opens up too many possibilities for accidents and anything inappropriate.

4. SWIMMING: Same as bathing, there really is no need for kids to swim while you are away. It opens up too many possibilities for accidents.

5. PHONE USE: We didn’t want our babysitter talking on the phone — we wanted the line free if we needed or wanted to call. The phone can distract a sitter from watching your children well — this includes their personal cell phone. You may have to say this directly to your babysitter, so she understands your guideline. You can ask the kids the next day; I’m not trying to encourage tattling, but they are your eyes and ears when you’re away.

6. ANSWERING THE DOOR. Best rule of thumb: Never have the sitter or your kids answer the door while you are away. It’s really very simple and cut and dry. You will want to teach your kids that mommy and daddy are the only ones to open the door when someone knocks. No one needs to know your kids are home with a babysitter. This protects your family. Make sure your kids and babysitter understand this principle.

7. OUTSIDE PLAY: We allowed playing outside in our fenced-in backyard only, but no front yard play.
If you have a pool, even a wading pool in your backyard, then I recommend no backyard play. It’s just too risky. Front yard play usually involves bikes, and play near the street and requires so much careful watching — possibly too much for a teenage babysitter. Again, exposing the kids to unnecessary danger.

8. TV & MOVIES: Establish what movies your kids can watch ahead of time. If the babysitter has brought movies along, be sure you talk about them and decide if they are appropriate. Clearly establish with the babysitter what TV shows or channels your kids are allowed to watch.

9. DISCIPLINE PREFERENCES. A good rule of thumb: Don’t have your babysitter ***** your kids. They simply are too young to handle this properly. A time out, following your guidelines for time out, should suffice while you are away.

10. VISITOR PREFERENCES: Decide ahead of time if other kids can play in the house while you have a babysitter; explain this. My recommendation: You guessed it; no friends in the house, unless there are very unique circumstances.
Can the babysitter entertain guests? Emphatically, NO!

11. TAKE TIME TO GO OVER YOUR EXPECTATIONS & GUIDELINES: Make sure the babysitter understands your expectations and guidelines; bedtime routines and times. Sometimes when having a sitter you may relax certain routines; for instance, maybe bedtime can flex by a half hour, etc. Explain this and be clear — he or she needs to know which things are non-negotiable. You decide ahead of time what can be compromised if any or at all.

12. ASK YOUR KIDS FOR A REPORT THE NEXT DAY: Talk with your kids about what they liked or disliked about the babysitter; did the sitter follow your instructions, etc. No need to unduly grille your kids, but ask them for their observations and preferences.

I hope this helped to define some parameters for establishing some babysitter guidelines. Remember these ideas are just guidelines and suggestions from my own experience — use what makes sense to you and ditch the rest.



By: Julie DeHart

About the Author:
Julie DeHart is the mother of 5 and author of http://www.keep-your-home-cooking.com/ Visit her site for more parenting tips, home organization & cleaning helps, conversation starters for talking to your kids, cooking techniques and delicious, easy recipes.



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Hiring a Nanny – What to Expect From Your Nanny

Author: admin

Nov 27



Every aspect of hiring a nanny involves outlining what you require. For instance, they should: Respect family decisions and provide services for them. Promote the development of the child in all aspects emotionally, physically, intellectually and socially. Hold true to high standards of professional conduct with the children and families. Continue their education to provide the latest resources and skills for the child.

The role of a nanny is multi-faceted, including being an educator, a nutritionist, an activity coordinator, a researcher, a friend, and much more. They do more than any babysitter could provide as their job is not to keep the child out of trouble for a few hours.

When looking for a nanny, keep in mind that there is no official seal of approval for hiring a nanny. It is recommended that you check on the experience and educational backgrounds of prospective nannies. Many colleges offer specialized child care education and there are a number of institutes as well.

Ask yourself these questions: What makes the prospective nanny qualified to raise your child? What skills do they possess that make them capable of handling this huge responsibility? Do you have relatives, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. that employ a nanny?

If you know of anyone currently employing a nanny, be sure to inquire with them as to how they found them. For instance, was it through an agency or by word-of-mouth? Meet with prospective nannies and monitor their behavior with your child and your child’s behavior with the nanny. And remember – a background check is essential.



By: Hilary Basile

About the Author:
Hilary Basile is a writer for MyGuidesUSA.com at http://www.myguidesusa.com, you will find valuable tips and resources for handling life’s major events. Whether you’re planning a wedding, buying your first home, anxiously awaiting the birth of a child, contending with a divorce, searching for a new job, or planning for your retirement, you’ll find answers to your questions at MyGuidesUSA.com.

Find parenting tips and resources at http://becomingaparent.myguidesusa.com



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How Can Background Checks Help You?

Author: admin

Nov 27



Most of the time people are afraid to hurt someone’s feeling. So even they see something wrong to a person, they don’t have the guts to confront them instead they just ignore it. What if that person is the nanny of your child, even if you see that your child reported you what his/her nanny is doing while you are away, you tend to ignore this because you are afraid to confront that person.

Nanny are very big help for working parents, they are the one who take good care of your children, while you are busy working. Of course if you have a nanny, you are giving your trust that she can take good care of your children.

But there are some cases that some nannies are abusive and we are afraid to tell them because we worry who will take care of your children if you go to work. But before this happens, you can prevent this by choosing the right nanny for your children.

Requiring nanny applicants some clearance and certification is a help in determining who to hire. Also, conducting background checks will help you identify which of the applicants have bad records such as criminal record, court record and record from previous employer.

It is a simple action but make a big impact on how to choose a nanny for your children. Remember, hiring a credible and trustworthy nanny is very important because it’s your child life that can be at stake. We don’t want to have abusive person to look for your children if you are away. So, conduct background checks in order to know more about the persons.



By: Maella Ayson

About the Author:
Written By: Maella Ayson for SherlockRecords



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Private Nanny – Easily Locate Good Private Nannies!

Author: admin

Nov 27



The nanny seeking process can sometimes be long and frustrating task. Solutions as the private nanny finder are recommended for families that are looking for a quality nanny. One of the reasons families are choosing to use this service is the fact that many other families already used it successfully to find a professional reliable private nanny. Want to learn more? Carefully read the following article.

Locating online a personal nanny

A good private nanny locator enables parents to define the characteristic of the nanny they are looking for and by that conduct the best possible match. This tool enables you to easily access a large online database of fine nannies and filter candidates according to your needs. Advanced nanny searching and matching solution is not the only services families can enjoy from. Other services may include the following – nanny credibility check, nanny profile preview and tips on editing the nanny hiring agreement.

Why use an online solution?

Now let see what is in it for the parents when using an online solution:

(1) Simple to manage – provides parents a friendly tool to seek, screen and choose the best nanny for their children’s.

(2) Enables parents to manage the nanny searching process by using the web from home or work and by that save valuable time.

(3) Supporting parents both before and after hiring a private nanny and sharing the experience of other families.

It’s all about efficiency

With the internet growth in the past years it only makes sense to use a service such as the private nanny locator in order to find exactly what you need. There are plenty of other important advantages this nanny locating service can offer since it enables parents to skip several time consuming and unnecessary steps in finding a nanny. This quick review covers the main concept of the nanny seeking process. It’s suggested to remember and implement the above tips just as you begin using an online nanny matching solution.



By: Gill Lavi

About the Author:
If you wish to learn more about the benefits of using online placement agencies to find a Private Nanny visit: http://www.online-nanny.com

© 2008 Gill Lavi.



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Babysitter Expectations

Author: admin

Nov 27



I don’t know about you, but finding a babysitter is a big task for me. I am very picky when it comes to who watches my children. Some people think that I might be a little over-protective of my children, but they are my life and it is my responsibility to keep them safe. I believe that in today’s society there is never any way of being overly cautious. Because of this, I keep my babysitter expectations pretty high.

For starters, I have three children at different age levels. I need to find a babysitter that can provide attention to all of them without getting overwhelmed. My six year old likes to draw and write stories, which takes a lot of patients in order to help her spell the different words. At the same time, my five year old is very inquisitive and likes to ask a lot of questions about how things work and why. Not everyone can handle question after question. Then you have my soon to be two year old, who likes to do everything that her older sisters are doing. But of course, she likes it done her own way. Finding inventive ways to keep her busy is almost a full time job in itself. Therefore, it is very important that our family has a very patient and understanding babysitter.

Then there is the topic of availability. My husband works very long hours and usually six days a week. Sometimes I need a babysitter for a couple of hours while other times I need them for longer periods of time. Every family is different in their individual schedule, so it is important to find someone who is willing to work with you. My job sometimes calls for me to be there without a twenty four hour notice. I know from experience that this can be a big inconvenience. Babysitters for us need to be understanding and willing to change to our schedule. This is very hard to come by, so keep this in mind while you are searching for your sitter.

With the hours that my family has, it is a high priority to have a babysitter that knows how to cook. With three young growing children, we all know how important it is for them to eat healthy. I’m not saying it has to be a fancy meal. Variety is good. Meat, potatoes, and a vegetable are important to us sometimes. Easy cooking is nice once in a while, but I don’t believe children should have Spaghettio’s and hot dogs every meal. If you can believe it, I once had a babysitter who fed herself lunch but forgot to feed the children. Obviously it has taken me a few tries to get the right babysitter for my girls.

A lot of people don’t think that a little bit of cleaning is important. Our family prefers it. My husband and I have such different work schedules that coming home to a very dirty house is not acceptable. Now I’m not talking about dusting, vacuuming, and moping. If they do activities together, I prefer that these items be put away. I only expect the dishes from a meal be done, leftovers put away, and the counter and stove be wiped off. I have had babysitters that don’t even take the plates off the table. Who wants to come home to that? Make sure you know exactly what you expect out of a babysitter, you never know what surprise you could get.

One other major point that a lot of families don’t think about, is the importance of routine. I like for my babysitters to stick with the schedule that I have for my children. If it is during the daytime, I like the girls to eat lunch around the same time everyday and have their scheduled naps. I don’t know about you, but I can always tell when they didn’t have their nap. The same goes for the evenings with dinner and bedtime. If your children are used to a routine, my advice is to make sure your babysitter understands it and follows it when you are away. It truly makes things easier for everyone.

I hope you take some of the information that I have provided you with and use them in search for the right babysitter for your family. As long as you stick to what you believe in, you will find a babysitter that will fit right into your family. This will make you and your children extremely happy.



By: Michelle Buee

About the Author:
For other useful hints and tips, please go to parentingtipsandhints. For more tips on finding the right babysitter for your children please visit http://www.squidoo.com/howtofindasitter Every resource can make the search for a babysitter a little bit easier.



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Nanny Finder – 8 Tips to Checking a Legitimate Nanny Finder Agency

Author: admin

Nov 27



Scams in the Internet abound and most of them are carried out in online nanny searches. In fact, even the nannies themselves have been victimized by identity thieves. Such stolen identities will eventually be used to con you and your family by bogus nanny finder agencies that operate in the net.

To avoid being victimized by fake nanny finder agencies that use stolen identities about babysitters, consider the following steps to take, to find out if you’re dealing with a legitimate nanny finder:

1. Call the nanny agency at different times of the day and take note if it is often responded to by an automated answering machine. If a live person answers, ask hypothetical questions about nanny problems and see if they are well trained to represent the nanny finder business.

2. Ask the agency representative how they conduct the recruitment and screening processes. A regular babysitter agency will take pride in their pool of nanny recruits who have been tried and tested by their loyal online customers. Repeat engagements in child care services are their main selling points.

3. You can also check if they are members of the International Nanny Association (INA), National Alliance of Professional Nanny Agencies, the Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau. A membership in any one of them will provide you with names and other useful information which you can use to further check the nanny finder’s credentials.

4. Has the agency been in business for a long time or just recently? However, this does not mean that a new nanny finder agency is always suspect for being fraudulent. It is only a factor that adds up to other deficiencies in credentials and procedural requirements.

5. Determine if they have standard qualifying requirements from their pool of nannies and do they have age, experience and specific conditions that will automatically disqualify a nanny? Ex: less than 18 years of age, high school undergraduates, smokers, etc.

6. Ask them how many references do they require from their applicants and do they check the legitimacy of the references? What do they use for background checking and up to what extent is being checked?

7. Inquire about their nanny finder’s fees and what services are included as basis for these fees.

8. Ask them about guarantee and refund policies in case a nanny will not meet the requirements you asked for, if in case no nanny is provided at all on the dates you specified?

Checking out such nanny finder agencies will serve its purpose only if the reputable or highly recommended child care finders have no available babysitter candidates to provide you. Hence, resorting to these agencies just to find a cost free or cheaper means of securing nanny finder services may not work at all, because they may be legitimate but the quality they have to offer may not be above par.



By: Sheila Huggins

About the Author:
Finding a babysitter should be simple and hassle-free. Discover how you can find a dedicated and responsible babysitter at the comfort of your own house, all within the click of a button. Visit my site now for more babysitting tips and articles such as: How to Find a Babysitter.



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Family Help: Hiring a Nanny

Author: admin

Nov 26



The thriving modern day world puts pressure on each of us and changes the traditional balance we each live by. This affects how we carry out our lives and the amount of time we can dedicate to important responsibilities.

In the twenty-first century, it’s become both common and desirable for parents to continue working after having children. Past problems of being unable to have a working life and also bring up children are no longer an issue; both parents can go to work if they choose, with other people employed to look after the children.

Whilst short term baby-sitters can be used for the occasional night of cover, for longer term child care many people consider employing a nanny. It’s possible to hire nannies on a daily basis, part time, just for weekends, short term or even live in, where the nanny stays with the family. Whilst a nanny’s responsibility is to look after the children, it isn’t just for this purpose they are employed; more often nannies are hired to ease pressure from the parents. Indeed, this can go one step further with a Doula; a Doula is a specialist in caring for the mother before, during and after childbirth.

Nannies can be educative, with many qualified teachers deciding to become a tutor or governess so that not only do they care for children, they also help with academic instruction and social development. Often, tutors are employed by families whose first language is not English, such as families who have only recently moved to the UK.

Nannies aren’t only employed by working parents; looking after children can often be very time consuming and draining, and many parents employ a nanny simply to reduce the pressure this puts upon them. Night nannies are a good example of this: rather than being woken throughout the night, some people employ a night nanny so a screaming child may be cared for once the parents have gone to bed, so they may have a good night sleep but the child may still receive the highest levels of attention and care. Nannies can be employed purely so parents may continue to go to work, but this is rarely the only reason why people would choose to do this.

Nannies have a number of duties. Not only do they look after the child, preventing him or her from getting into troubles, they can also care for a child’s spiritual and educational development. The responsibilities are varied and may range from supervising homework, preparing nutritious meals, to bathing and dressing. Whilst a nanny may prepare basic meals for the children, it would be extremely unusual for them to get involved in household domestic tasks such as emptying bins or cooking a family meal. This is beyond what a nanny would do: ordinarily the nannies presence is to look after the children, not the adults. Nannies may help to take the pressure from the parents, but not do the householders work for them.

What happens if a family decides to take a holiday? Nannies can be asked to travel with the family, however this should not be expected and this is something that she be discussed in each instance.

If you are interested in nannies for hire, first you should decide what kind of nanny you need. There are many resources on the internet which will help you understand the different types of nanny available. Quite often a nanny agency will be the best place to hire a nanny from, and they will also to help you select the best type of nanny to fit your personal circumstances. If you are unsure where to find a suitable nanny agency, try looking for one on Google by searching someone that operates within your local area, e.g. nanny agency London.



By: Ivy Hadley

About the Author:
Nanny Agency London
Nannies for hire



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Are Daycare Centers The Right Choice?

Author: admin

Nov 26



There are certain characteristics that a parent or guardian should look for when choosing a daycare center for their child. Is it clean? Does it have a respectable history among its clients? How many workers are there for how many children?

These are essentials to the safety and well-being of the child. Other characteristics someone choosing a center will want to keep in mind refer to a more personal set of opinions. It is totally up to you whether you decide upon a private or public daycare center. It is your personal choice whether said daycare center is a religious one or non-secular one. In fact, it is your personal decision on whether your child should go to a daycare center to begin with-perhaps a nanny in the home is more suited to yours and your offspring’s lifestyle.

When it comes to your child, their safety and well-being are the most important aspect of their care. Providing them with an environment such as this will allow them the possibility of growth and learning without the fear (yours) of something happening. A daycare center should be a clean one. This doesn’t mean **** and span from top to bottom. Anyone who has kids, or works with them knows things can get a little messy sometimes. The key is to keep the kids as clean and germ free as possible. A proactive approach to hygiene and the upkeep of the child’s space is essential to a good daycare center. It is even better if the staff integrates such values into the child’s time there. This can in turn, instill such values in the child which they will carry with them throughout life and their future education.

What are other people saying about this daycare center? Word of mouth is a great way to research thoroughly whether this is a respectable daycare center. If a parent or even a former employee had a bad experience with the place they are going to talk about it. When making a decision about which daycare center is right for your child, start by asking your friends and family, your coworkers and even internet message boards about some of your choices. You can even ask for some suggestions if you have just started your search and aren’t sure where to begin. What someone tells you shouldn’t be the basis for your final decision but at least it can help to narrow the field of choices a little bit.

As for your personal choices, some daycare are run from a person’s home and others are large businesses with multiple classrooms. Both situations can be good ones, and one or the other may fit your child more than another. Also, choosing a nanny or family member to care for your child at your own home can be beneficial as well. Daycare is not a mandatory decision. But for parents who work full-time it can be a place where they can leave their children for those hours with the confidence that they are being well taken care of.



By: Maxine Wagner

About the Author:
For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on Autism please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.



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The Answers to 10 Top Nanny Compensation Questions

Author: admin

Nov 26



Writer Kimberly Coleman looked to Deborah L. Smith (DS) the President of Parents With Nannies, Inc. and Kathleen Webb (KW) the co-founder of HomeWork Solutions for expert advice regarding common questions that parents ask regarding nanny pay.

1. What is an appropriate birthday present for a nanny?

(DS) Money is always the most appreciated gift. Birthdays don’t have to be quite as expensive as Christmas. It all depends on what you can afford. If you appreciate your nanny, let her know it.

(KW) Birthday gifts vary greatly according to the tastes of the nanny and the means of the employer. Some examples are concert tickets, a spa treatment, camera, gift cards for restaurants/movies/stores, flowers, etc.

2. What is an appropriate holiday (i.e. Christmas) present for a nanny?

(DS) Money is always the most appreciated gift. For Christmas a week or 2 weeks salary plus maybe a small gift to unwrap is appropriate.

(KW) Christmas is an unusual holiday, as many families give a gift similar to the birthday gifts above as well as providing a holiday bonus. Again, the relationship between the nanny and the family and the family’s means play roles here. We found in our payroll practice in 2005 that 69% of the families provided a year end bonus payment. 1 – 2 weeks salary was the average span. Amounts ranged from $250 – $5000.

3. Should you pay nannies for holidays when you (and they) don’t have to work?

(DS) Yes, most full time nannies get the major holidays off and paid.

(KW) Yes.

4. Should you pay nannies when you are sick and can’t work?

(DS) Yes, it is not the nanny’s fault that you are sick and can’t work. The nanny still has to pay her bills. This should be the rule of thumb for days off that the nanny does not request. If it is the family’s choice to go away or to excuse the nanny for a day or two, it is not fair to expect the nanny to do so without pay.

(KW) Yes.

5. Should you pay nannies when your kids are sick and you stay home from work with them?

(DS) Yes. Also, nannies are used to caring for sick children. It is one of the reasons that you hire a nanny.

(KW) Yes.

(KW) (For questions three through five) The golden rule is the best to fall back on in these situations – do unto your nanny as you would have your boss do unto you! In general, the nanny should be paid for every day that they are regularly scheduled to work, whether the family decides to use them or not. A full time nanny will expect to be paid for all holidays when the parents are not at work (July 4th, Christmas, etc.). What these holidays are vary, particularly with the parent’s occupations (medical and emergency personnel, airline and hospitality employees might get different holidays).

(KW) (For questions six through eight) Most full time nannies have some vacation and/or sick time negotiated into the employment agreement. Moms beware – the first time you dock your nanny for missing work because they caught your kid’s cold could be the last time she works for you. The total paid days is most commonly 10 per year, and flex days are the way things are going. So, the nanny has a pool of 10 flex days she can use for sick time, vacation time, personal time, etc. This will vary among nannies and families – the work agreement is vital here to determine this in advance of the problem.

6. Should you pay nannies when they are sick and can’t work?

(DS) I think it is probably advisable to include some sick days in her contract. I have seen numbers from 3 per year to 10 per year. (See more on sick days below)

(KW)Flex.

7. Should you pay nannies when their kids are sick and they have to stay at home from work with them?

(DS) This should constitute a sick day. Many parents have commented to me that they do not specify a number of sick days in there contract, they simply “cover” for nanny if she is sick. I think it is probably advisable to include some sick days in her contract. I have seen numbers from 3 per year to 10 per year. The decision basically depends on how generous you are and your ability to make other arrangements if the nanny gets sick. If you have to pay for expensive “alternate” care when your nanny is ill, you may want to stop the paid sick days at 3. If, on the other hand, you can make arrangements when the nanny is sick and you’d rather not have her bringing her germs around the kids, offer more paid sick days so that she doesn’t feel financially obligated to show up to work with strep throat or worse. Some parents require their nanny to work six months to a year before offering paid sick days.

(KW) Flex.

8. Should you pay if your nanny has to miss work for uncontrollable reasons (i.e. death in their family, jury duty, weather prohibitions, and transit strikes)?

(DS) Families should use their own discretion in this matter. Nanny could use a sick day or vacation day. Or, as in my case, I would just pay my nanny if she had to miss a day because her brother died for instance or she got snowed in. It seemed too cruel to dock her pay when these things were beyond her control. This is where the family needs to look at nanny as more than an employee if she has been loyal and conscientious, on time and not taking advantage of time off. My own personal nanny was so dedicated in 3 years that she was never late and only took a few sick days because of stomach flu. There was no reason to dock her pay in my opinion.
(KW) Flex.

9. Should you pay if your nanny needs to go on maternity leave?

(DS) Maternity leave is usually too financial impossible for most families. Some families who love their nanny and want her back will hire a temporary nanny to take her place until she is ready to come back. If the family is financially able to pay maternity leave, then it is up to them. Rule of thumb in all instances…if you love your nanny, do what it takes to keep her.

(KW) Maternity leave is not commonly paid by nanny employers. They may cash out flex days, but that is the extent of it. Nannies also do not always take the 6 – 8 weeks professionals do, but are often back at work within a few weeks with their infant (assuming that was the agreed arrangement when she left).

10. How much vacation time should a nanny receive?

(DS) Nannies get at least one week paid vacation, usually two. Families commonly ask nanny to plan one of those 2 weeks around the family’s vacation to save on alternate childcare expenses.



By: Kimberly Coleman

About the Author:
NOTE: All of the above variables should be covered in a Work Agreement between the employer and nanny at the time of hire. Sample agreements that you can use can be found at http://4nanny.com/work_agreement.htm

Kimberly Coleman is the founder of Mom in the City http://www.mominthecity.com a social and support group for expectant moms and moms with children five and under in the New York City metropolitan area. She is also the NYC Metro and Long Island parenting guide for ParentZone.com/BabyZone.com ([http://nyc.parentzone.com] ).



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