How to Find a Great Nanny

For some parents, their busy lifestyle requires hiring a nanny to help take care of the children. Their 70-hour work weeks and other responsibilities simply doesn't allow them to spend the time they need with their kids. But finding a nanny isn't as easy as calling the ABC Network and asking them to send Super Nanny to your doorstep. Finding the right person takes time and research. Here are some things to consider when trying to find a nanny that will be an ideal fit for your children and your family.

1. Decide exactly what you're looking for in a nanny. Sit down with your wife and make a written list of qualities and requirements. Are you looking for a live-in nanny or one that visits during the day? Do you want someone just starting out and has fresh ideas or someone that's been doing the job for 25 years and has "tried and true" methods? These and other questions must be answered before you can begin looking for a nanny that meets your needs. (Speaking from experience, though, your wife will likely choose the older nanny over the younger one for obvious reasons.)
   
   
2. Begin your research. Finding a nanny is one of the most important decisions you'll make concerning your young child so the research will likely be the most time-consuming part of the process. Here are some tips for researching nannies:
   · Ask family and friends about nannies they know or have heard about.
   · Find nanny training programs in your area through your local phone book. Then ask them for referrals or references about nannies that have completed their courses.
   · Contact a professional nanny placement agency. This is how most people get their nanny because the agency typically screens people before referring them to families. Some agencies even check a person's driving record and health records before certifying them as one of their nannies.
   · Check nanny-based websites. There are several websites dedicated to recommending and discussing nannies so parents can post their experiences. Some of these websites include Enannysource.com, Aupaircare.com and 4nannies.com, among others. You'll also find other useful information, including forms and tax information.
   
   
3. Narrow down your search to a few prospective nannies. Contact the necessary people and set up the interviews. Before they show up, have a detailed job description ready to discuss with the interviewee. Also, have some mock scenarios ready to discuss to explore how each applicant would handle situations with your children. If possible, have your child around and observe how the nanny interacts with him or her. Seeing how the nannies respond how your child responds to the nanny will definitely help you make your decision. Just because the nanny has all the right answers to your questions doesn't mean she will be good with your kids.
   
   
4. Call the references. Do not skip this step because this is where you'll get some of the most honest information about the nannies you are considering. Parents will likely be honest about their experiences because they want to help other parents. Ask if they have anything negative to say about the nanny, too. Nobody is perfect, but the negative characteristics might far outweigh the positive characteristics in some cases.
   
   
5. Select a few nannies to "try out." After the interviews and references, you've likely narrowed your choices even further. Ask each one to "audition" by giving them two or three days with your children. Explain to them that this is a trial run just to see how things work out with different nannies. It's one thing to interact with your children while you're around, but it's totally different when you're away. If you have monitoring equipment, such as a "nanny cam" or other devices, review those when narrowing down your decision to just one. This might seem sneaky, but it's an unfortunate consequence in today's world where you simply cannot be too careful in situations where your children are involved.
   
   
6. Make a decision. Hopefully, you've been able to narrow your options down to one or two after going through all of these steps. Make the decision with your wife and try to be in total agreement on the one you choose.
   
   
7. Consistently monitor and reevaluate the nanny on a regular basis. Make sure your child is still happy with her and that she's doing her job correctly. Also, have open communication with her so she feels comfortable voicing any concerns or issues that arise about your child. This will help everybody stay satisfied with the situation.

Nannies provide a great service for parents who both have a career. But the fact is that they will be with your child for about one-third of its waking hours. This means the nanny will have a great influence on your child and she could even encourage habits you don't want your child to have. That's why an in-depth and extensive screening process is vital. Your child is the most important thing to you. Make sure you choose only the best caregiver.

Check out our post especially for new dads.