Archive for December, 2011

Three Tips For Hiring a Nanny

Author: admin

Dec 28



There are many tips for hiring a nanny that can help you clear the fog that is probably going through your head right now! Having little kids at home, especially when you are already overworked, is very stressful, and finding a qualified, competent nanny to help you out with the kids, and around the house, is an important step in getting you back on track.

But like most folks, you will not settle for just any nanny. Your choice needs to be able to provide the care to your little ones similar to how you would do it yourself. No one wants to leave to go to work or run errands, and wonder if their child is safe. So how can we do everything possible to make sure the nanny that is hired will meet these standards?

Three Tips for Hiring a Nanny

1) Nanny Experience – The first tip is about finding someone who has more than just babysitting experience. The best caretakers are ones who are also passionate about children, and have made them their career choice. This means elementary or preschool teachers who may be out of work, or trying to get their first full time teaching job are perfect candidates to be a nanny.

2) Background Checks – Always run a full and thorough background check on any nanny you interview. I recommend making this the first cut of any inquiries you get to your listing for a nanny. Eliminate any one who has something on their background report that makes you uncomfortable at all.

3) Interview Process – The interview process for hiring your nanny should be well organized and professional. Many parents will make the mistake of wanting to be friends with the nanny, and while a good relationship is important, remember that you are paying this person to take care of your kids, so make sure you are professional at the same time. Conduct a thorough interview, and make sure you mesh well with the candidate before making your final selection.

Finding great in home care for your children can be a very stressful situation. Use these tips, along with any others that you may find useful, and you can have a great experience in hiring your nanny. Since you are searching for this information anyway, I am confident you will do a great job in finding the right person for the job.



By: Ella McGinley

About the Author:
If you are still a little confused, and want to get some more information on how to hire a nanny, be sure to check out our website. We have included pages of information on hiring and managing nannies that will really help most parents out. Visit today to see more: IdealNannyConnect.com.



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Dog Boarding Kennel Or Pet Sitter – Which is Best?

Author: admin

Dec 27



When vacation time is upon us and families are looking to spend some time away from home, taking the family dog is not always possible. Will you choose a pet sitter or a dog boarding kennel?

A responsible decision has to be made for the care of your pet in your absence. If you do not have a trusted friend or family member to act as guardian, you have two other options that each have both pros and cons attached.

It is important to take your dog’s personality into account and how it’s likely to react to certain situations. Many dogs will become stressed in your absence and being at a kennel much more than they would in your absence and staying in their own familiar environment, where familiar scents, their dog crate, comfort zone or bed is. Would you be able to depend on the boarding kennel feeding your dog the food it’s accustomed to? Dogs that are fed different food from their usual diet may experience upsets such as vomiting or diarrhea, conditions that can be compounded and made worse with the addition of “stress”.

Many dogs confined in a small area coupled with the stress of boarding can induce a viral infection in some dogs such as kennel cough, a similar situation to having too many children in close quarters passing around a common “cold”. Proper sanitation is critical for preventing the spread of contagious diseases. Cages and kennel runs should look and smell clean, and the other animals currently being boarded should be clean and appear well cared for.

In case your dog becomes ill, how will it be addressed? Is there a veterinarian on call for treatment, or will your regular veterinarian be contacted. Be sure this is discussed with the kennel owner.

An animal hospital is not the best place to board your pet while on vacation for the simple reason that you increase the possibility of your dog coming in contact with other dogs’ illnesses that might transfer. If you are opting for the convenience of a dog boarding kennel, be sure to find a facility that you trust and, even better, that others have expressed trust in.

The most important things to look for in a boarding situation are general safety, and friendliness and competence of the staff. Not all boarding kennels are “great”. Some facilities do not give the dogs the play and attention you would desire for your pet. Extra amenities and attention in the way of treats, walks and play time can be optional “add-ons” to your base fee, so you need to consider these factors for cost analysis and your dog’s comfort, which is of primary importance.

Finding a boarding kennel with a good reputation is critical when entrusting the care of your pet to temporary guardians. Hopefully, you have gotten references and you can be confident that your dog is being monitored in a trustworthy establishment by professionals who understand their responsibility. The boarding kennel option removes any concern over having people you don’t know in your home.

The concern over strangers entering your home can be alleviated by doing a little advanced preparation and seeking the recommendation of reliable people and checking of references.

The pet sitting situation has positive aspects by offering you the advantage of someone checking your house, taking in mail and making your home look occupied with normal activity. If you desire a higher level of service, you can often find someone who is willing to stay at your home while you are away. This gives your pet companion the added advantage of plenty of attention with the least possible stress.

Office and technical staff at veterinary clinics make good candidates for pet sitting responsibilities or they can often offer you reliable referrals. They or those they might refer are “animal people” and are able to properly handle medical problems should they arise.

Whether you choose a boarding kennel or pet sitter (the better choice, in our opinion, is a pet sitter), make sure you give clear instructions on what food your dog should be fed and any required medications. Whoever is left in charge of your companion should walk and play with the dog several times a day. Give clear directions on what you expect with regard to play time and interaction. Be sure you provide good contact information in the case of an emergency.



By: Jay Jacovitz

About the Author:
We have existed as a company since 1985, but it was a love of dogs, the dogs that have been a part of our life, and the passing of one dog in particular, Rusty, that inspired the creation of http://www.CalloftheDog.com and http://www.CalloftheDogShop.com — created to provide the things your dogs and pets need. Visit us for great information and quality dog supplies! Be sure to see our About Us page as well.

The two sites are dedicated to the dogs we have loved so deeply, and who have given us so much love in return. Purebreds and mixed breeds, but mostly rescues in need of a home. We educated them, but each one has had something to teach us in exchange.



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Professional Nanny – Discovering the Five Most Important Things Parents Look For in One

Author: admin

Dec 27



Parents don’t have to be looking at academic credentials to hire professional nannies. However, it is important that if you’re looking for someone to regularly babysit your kids, there has to be some standards before you choose and hire one. The most important things you need to look for in a nanny that you can regularly entrust your kids to should have the following:

1. Training – When it comes to babysitting, you have to remember that the lives and safety of your kids are in your nanny’s hands. Although they don’t have to have a degree in child psychology or in pediatric care nursing, they need to have at least a fairly dependable amount of knowledge and training on first aid and emergency. With kids around, a lot can already happen in even just an hour of babysitting.

2. Experience – Experience, they say, is the best teacher and as far as babysitting is concerned, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Experience provides your professional nanny with the confidence and the presence of mind to act accordingly to the different situations, emergency or otherwise.

3. Clean Background – If parents were to let a stranger come in to their homes to watch over their kids, they’d want somebody with a clean background and good mental health. They’d want somebody with a clean past and no criminal records.

4. References – Just as job applicants have references to their resumes, they should also have references to back up the claims stated in their resumes and application. References are like testimonials from people whom a nanny applicant has worked for in the past. References are definitely one thing ever parent should look for in a nanny applicant.

5. Natural Love for Kids – An ideal nanny should have a natural love for kids. Unfortunately, though, not everyone who wants to be a professional nanny have affection for kids. When your nanny have a natural love for kids, they become more patient and sensitive in interacting with your kids and attentive to their different needs.

Remember that your professional nanny should do more than just sit in a home with kids for hours. She is being entrusted with lives of children so she needs to have the necessary character, training and mind set to do so.



By: Rashel Dan

About the Author:
Do you need to find a babysitter? Learn how to find a babysitter from 2 of the most reliable babysitting agencies online.



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Small Business Tax Tips – I Received Form 1099-MISC – Now What?

Author: admin

Dec 26



Did you receive a Form 1099-MISC and aren’t sure what it means and/or what to do with it? This article will answer that question. Form 1099-MISC is one of the most common tax forms in the world of the self-employed. And it’s most common use is to report income made by sole proprietors who have performed services for other businesses. By “sole proprietor” I’m referring to self-employed people such as independent contractors, consultants or free-lancers who are in business for themselves but do not run their business as a corporation, partnership or multi-owner limited liability company.

If you fit that description of a self-employed person and performed services for another business, and that business paid you at least $600 during the year, the other business is required to send you a Form 1099-MISC by January 31 of the following year. The January 31, 2009 due date happens to fall on a Saturday, so the deadline for issuing 2008 1099′s is automatically extended to the next business day of Monday, February 2, 2009. So you may have already received a Form 1099-MISC for 2008. If not, you could still get one soon.

If and when you get the 1099, take a look at Box 7, “Nonemployee compensation.” This is the place on the form that your annual income from this other business will be reported. And this is the income that you must be sure to include on your Schedule C, because not only did you receive that 1099, but so did the IRS. In effect, then, the 1099-MISC serves the same function for the self-employed as a W-2 does for the employee – it tells you and the IRS how much income you made from one particular source.

Now that you know the basic purpose of the 1099-MISC, you probably have some questions, such as:

1. What do I do if I don’t receive a 1099 from a business, when I know I performed services and received over $600 for the year? Whether or not you received a 1099, you are required to report all income.

2. What do I do if I don’t receive a 1099 because I made less than $600? Sorry to sound like a broken record, but you are required to report any income you made, whether or not you received a 1099. Even if you made less than $600, just because you didn’t get a 1099 does not excuse you from reporting the income.

Not getting a 1099 does not mean you don’t have to report the income. If you made it, you’re supposed to report it on your Schedule C. That’s the law. And if you don’t report all your income, you are part of the underground economy. (Shame on you!)

3. What do I do if the amount of income reported on the 1099 is incorrect? You should contact the business who issued the 1099 to resolved the discrepancy. If they made a mistake, they must issue a corrected 1099 to both you and the IRS. To be safe, you should wait until you receive the corrected 1099 before filing your tax return. You want to be sure that the 1099 amount agrees with your Schedule C income amount. If there is a difference between the total income on all your 1099′s and the amount of income on your Schedule C, the IRS will eventually catch it and send you a letter demanding an explanation. Not good.

4. What do I do if I receive a 1099 after I filed my return? If you included the 1099 income on your return, do nothing, because you did report the income and there should be no problem. But if you didn’t report the 1099 income on your return, you must amend your return to include the previously unreported income. This will result in additional tax you must pay, plus the possibility of late payment penalties and interest, depending on how much additional tax you owe and whether you pay it late.



By: Wayne Davies

About the Author:
Looking for more small business tax tips? For a free copy of the 25-page Special Report “How To Instantly Double Your Deductions” visit http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com

Wayne M. Davies is author of 3 ebooks on tax reduction strategies for small business owners and the self-employed.



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How to Choose a Petsitter

Author: admin

Dec 25



I’ve written extensively on how to become a petsitter. It occurred to me that not everyone wants to be one. So, for those who don’t want to “be” a petsitter, but could use the services of one, I am now addressing this question.

Obviously, a petsitter is a trusted person. If I am hiring a petsitter, I want to know that my computer, TV and jewelry will be there when I get back. I want to know that my pet is safe and lovingly cared for. How can I tell if the person I’m interviewing for the job will do what I want and be trustworthy?

First, I interview the person over the phone or in person. I ask for references. If the person has no references for petsitting, I ask for the names and numbers of a couple of character references. I don’t expect the person I’m talking to to be an expert, or even be experienced. So many people are not experienced petsitters, that it doesn’t make sense to hold out for the one or two master petsitters in town to have time to talk to me. I need someone NOW!

So, I call the references. I ask about honesty,reliablilty and dependability. I want to know if the person works and where they live. I want to know if they have any pets of their own. How do they talk about their pets to their friends? If I know the person enough to carry on a conversation, I listen to how they talk about their pets. Are they having troubles with their pets? How are they addressing those problems?

Trustworthiness is important. I need to know that the person I pick to come into my home to care for my pets will feed them, love them, spend time with them and not do things I don’t want done in my home. I don’t generally want someone staying at my home while I’m away. I want to know that the petsitter has a home to go to and won’t stay over. I want to know that they live close enough so that I’m not buying a tank of gas that I don’t need to buy. If I need the plants watered, I need to know if they can handle it, or if they have a brown thumb. I’d **** to lose a prize cactus because it was watered too much, or a beautiful fern die and wither from lack of water. I don’t want the fertilizing done while I’m away. I prefer to do that myself. If I have an outdoor garden, does it need watering every day? How long should all this take? How much am I willing to pay? Is food included (read – fill the fridge before I go and again when I get back)? Am I willing to trust this person not to bring strangers to my home? That’s a real setup, if ever there was one!

Only now am I willing to discuss payment arrangements. I pay by the day. I negotiate to get the best rate, but want to be sure that my petsitter is happy with the price, too. Underpayment will only lead to sloppy care and scheduling, resentments and a petsitter who won’t come the next time I need someone. Pay fair to play fair!

If I’m going to be unavailable for more than a week, I prefer to board my cats at a trusted kennel. It just makes more sense, and works out well for me. I pick a kennel by three criteria: personal reference, cleanliness and meeting the attendants.

I always get a personal reference for a kennel. I go visit during a slow time of the week and look it over. I’m sure that during a busy holiday weekend, it will be much more chaotic; and I also know that the attendants won’t have time to give me a tour and answer all my questions during a busy time. So, I visit while it’s relatively slow. Since I have cats, I ask to see the cat area in the kennel.

I look for cleanliness. The holding areas (not always cages, but sometimes) are used by the animals, so I look for places and things that can cause hazards to my pets. Sharp things, stored items that don’t have any obvious reason for being there, etc. I also look for things my cats can climb on and check to see if there are any windows my cats can see out of to watch the comings and goings of the world. I look for cubby holes so my cats feel secure. I look for soft things. I check the ambient temperature because if it’s cold for me, it will be for my cats. I smell the area to see if I can smell urine or chemicals. I don’t want either scent to assail me when I come get my cats. I check to see how the other cats (if any) are being cared for. Are the litter boxes clean? Is the food old or spoiled? Do the walls and floor around the food dishes look like they could use a good cleaning?

Lastly, I talk to the attendants. I listen to how they talk about the animals they care for. I listen to their attitudes toward their work and the kennel in general. You can learn a lot by what IS NOT said, as much as what IS. I ask them if they have any pets of their own. I look them over for cleanliness. Yes, it matters. If a person handles a sick animal and does not wash their hands, the disease can be spread to other animals.

I hope this helps. The kennel I use is Ravenwood Kennels in Halls, TN. The owner, Cheri Roop is knowedgeable, has goats running around outside to visit with and the kennel is clean. She is very nice and tries to make the cat area as homelike as possible, while keeping the cats apart. I trust her with Beasley and Princess. She knows my vet personally, and is known to some of my church members. You can contact her at 865-922-9641.

Get references. Call and visit. Talk and get to know your people. The more comfortable you are with them, the more comfortable your pets will be.



By: Morgen Marshall

About the Author:
Morgen Marshall, a cat lover and trainer, invites you into her world of cats. She created a website dedicated to making the relationship between cats and people harmonious and healthy. For the Love of Cats is a place for people facing difficulties in their relationships with cats to come and find the answers they need from someone they can trust.



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Resume For a Waitress – Important Tips in Writing a Waitress Resume

Author: admin

Dec 25



The basic guidelines of resume writing apply when writing a resume for a waitress. The header of your resume must include your full name and your contact details. This should be followed with a statement of a career objective that strengthens your case as an applicant for the position. You then include a personal profile, which introduces you as personally fit for the position. The main part of your resume, however, must be your qualifications. Aside from a summary of these, you should include a list of work experience and educational background that supports them.

Knowing the specific industry and specific job title you want, however, particularly writing a resume for a waitress puts you one step ahead. As an umbrella guideline, each section of your resume must speak of how you deserve the position. But this will depend on your background. For example, if you have little or no experience working as a waitress, you should emphasize personal skills that match the position. This could include multi-tasking skills and exposure to interacting and handling different types of people. You could also emphasize summer jobs you have had or training from schools you have attended. If you have experiences in the same industry although not as a waitress, emphasize the skills you developed and not the job titles you held. You should create the right impression that you can handle the job despite not being a waitress before. If you have had quite an experience as waitress, you must emphasize your credibility in the field.

The thing to remember when writing a resume for a waitress is that the job requires a variety of skills from the technical to the social. As such, it is important to include as much facts as possible, whether personal or professional. A resume for a waitress must demonstrate your aptness for the demanding job.



By: Pete Miguel

About the Author:
Seeking the help of a professional resume maker should never be a big hindrance for you, just to get a perfect resume of your own.

I have developed a site that is solely dedicated to assisting every individual who wants to have a professional resume that will represent them perfectly as needed.

Visit my site thru this link: Professional Resume Service

Pete Miguel is an online entrepreneur and has been involved to helping other people in achieving their goals towards career advancement.



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How to Choose a Good Dog Sitter

Author: admin

Dec 25



If you are going away from home for any period of time then you will need to either kennel your dog or hire a pet sitter. Many people prefer to hire a pet sitter because it allows their dog to stay at home and maintain their normal routine, which is much better for the dog. Also, there is no risk of common kennel diseases and ailments. When hiring a pet sitter you also know who will be caring for your dog and you have the chance to fully assess their skills.

You Must Trust Your Sitter

There are many things that you will consider before hiring a pet sitter. The most important thing that you need to think about, though, is trust. You must have complete trust in the person that you hire so that you can be worry free while you are away and know that your dog is being cared for properly. There are many ways to build trust with your dog sitter.

You should always have the sitter come over prior to you leaving so you can watch the interaction between him or her and your dog. You want to talk to the sitter and get to know them. You need to build a good relationship with them so that you are completely comfortable with the idea of them taking care of your dog.

Finding a Sitter

One of the best ways to find a good dog sitter is to ask around. Find out is people you know have a dog sitter. Ask them if they know anyone who might be interested in the job. Getting a sitter through a referral can often boost the level of trust right away. You can usually trust that a friend or family member would not recommend someone who won’t do a good job.

Do an Interview

You need to interview the dog sitter before you make any final decisions. Even if it is someone that you know, you still want an interview. During the interview you will not only be asking about them, but also telling them about your dog and making sure they understand everything that is involved in caring for your dog. You want to take this time to iron out details and make sure the sitter can give you the type of commitment that you are looking for.

If the person is not someone you know or is not someone that was referred to you then you should ask for references. You want to take time to check the references before you hire the sitter.

Once you have found a dog sitter that you feel comfortable with you will then need to create written instructions and a schedule for them. Set a tie to go over everything and start having the sitter come over to play with the dog and go over the different tasks they will be handling when you are gone. This allows time for them to ask questions and to be sure they know exactly what they are supposed to do.

Hiring a pet sitter can be a great idea that will make it easier on your dog when you go away. However, it can also create problems if you hire a sitter without being able to fully trust them. Just be sure that whoever you hire is someone that will treat your dog right, respect your home and be complete trustworthy to do what you are paying them to do.



By: Kelly Marshall

About the Author:
Kelly Marshall is a popular writer at Oh My Dog Supplies – the leading online dog supplies store featuring elevated dog beds, elevated dog feeders, portable dog bowls and more unique dog gear you won’t find at your local pet store.



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Babysitters Needed

Author: admin

Dec 25



Are babysitters needed to give you a night out? Too many frazzled parents feel that they can’t get or afford a night away because they can’t find a good babysitter.

Which more and more dual income and single parents, there is an increasing need for good babysitters, but parents have less and less time to find a good one.

To help in your search, here are some tips to find a babysitter if one is needed at your house:

1. Ask your friends- Most of your friends who have great babysitters will not want to give you their name (or you will keep them busy so they could never get out!) However, they may have some ideas to share of how they found their babysitters.

2. Local Homeschool groups – Many local Homeschool groups and organizations have lists of girls who are looking to baby sit. Many have taken a babysitting class and are ready to get started any time. The nice thing about Homeschool babysitters is that they have more control over their time than their peers who attend school and related activities.

3. Try a Swap. Ask friends if they would consider swapping babysitting nights. You take one night out and they take the other and you watch each other’s kids.

4. Consider trying an online service. There are some great websites that match parents with qualified local babysitters. They offer babysitter profiles, parent reviews, wage requirements and even background checks. It is a great option for any parent who needs to find a babysitter near them.



By: Beth Howland

About the Author:
If you need help finding the right sitter for your family, visit http://www.SittercityReview.com for more helpful information.



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Babysitter Checklist – What Information Should You Leave For Your Sitter?

Author: admin

Dec 24



Many parents leave a babysitter checklist for their sitters. But, not always is the important information that should be on the checklist actually on it. Here, we are going to cover the basics for putting together a checklist for your babysitter. Some of the information you will need to put on the checklist should be updated regularly.

Here are some helpful tips and suggestions to get you started on making your babysitter checklist.

1. Emergency phone numbers.

- parent(s) cell phone and work phone numbers
- close relative phone number (cell, work and home)
- pediatrician phone number
- neighbors
- number where you will be while you are out (restaurant, friends house etc.)
- poison control

2. Schedule that your child should follow while you are not with him/her

- bedtime
- nap time
- meals time
- snack time
- television time
- computer time

3. Rules your child should follow while you are not with him/her

- diapers only at map time
- no soda
- healthy snacks, no candy
- read before watching television or using computer etc.
- make bed, clean room etc.

4. Acceptable punishment you expect to be used in appropriate situations

- one minute in the corner per year of age (3 years old=3 minutes in timeout)
- loss of computer/television time for more serious punishment
- timeout chair when appropriate

5. When it is appropriate to call you for reinforcement or assistance

- if the child is unruly, destructive to themselves, the house, the sitter or other children
- a low grade fever is present
- a rash is increasing in severity over a short period of time
- child needs medical attention
- if an unexpected trip will be taken (park, mall etc)

6. Allergies

- to medications
- to foods
- animals

7. Medications

- the dosage and frequency of any medications the child is taking
- dosage amount for medications and time to give the medication to treat your child for a fever, flu symptoms etc.
- what to look for if your child is taking a new medication

You will need to customize your babysitter checklist to suit the needs of your child and sitter. However, this should be used as a guideline to create and accurate and clear list of information for your sitter. It is also suggested that you keep this list on your refrigerator and another list near your telephone for quick reference.



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 your babysitter search at http://www.mybabysitterplus.com



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Rewarding Careers – Being a Nanny

Author: admin

Dec 24



Working as a nanny may be one of the most fulfilling jobs one can have. Taking care of children takes away barriers of work only attitude. As nannies, they normally get attached to the children after some time.

Since children could hardly communicate as adults do, nanny must have a good grasp of a number of ways in communicating with these kids and bringing them to what one wants rather than be lead by these kids. With this privilege comes the unspoken responsibility of guiding the children’s character and behavior.

If one is interested, one may see the families, or tie up with an agency. If one is an American citizen, he/she must be not less than eighteen years of age. However, if the applicant is less than 18 yrs. Old, he/she may decide to work as a “helper”, one that needs supervision from an adult.

Oftentimes, families like to hire applicants who can render service for one year minimum. This is important to the children’s emotional development. Applicants who are not prepared may chose to still help in some other ways.

In advance, one has to reflect on one’s attitude and ask the question: “Can I really take care of child?” One needs the following qualities to deal with any child: endurance, tolerance, attention to detail diligence, and dedication. Not only does one need the above qualities, one has to be ingenious and inspired in steering the child to grow, while getting to know character of the child.

Applicants for the position may choose to apply online by filling up forms and submitting together with their bio data to an agency with a good track record. Agencies are expected to verify on the information submitted.

Immediately after verification, the agencies forwards a shortlist of candidates for the families to choose from to interview and hire later on.



By: Jackie Reyno

About the Author:
Beautiful wooden craft boxes captures a distinct style and ambiance, while this wooden jewelry boxes is sure to be a useful tool in your home or office in case of an emergency.



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