A Parent’s Guide to Hiring a Nanny: Expert Tips

A Parent’s Guide to Hiring a Nanny: Expert Tips

Hiring a nanny can be a daunting process; you will receive expert helpand discouraging; Finding the right fit is super important for you and your family. Ensuring that your caregiver aligns with your family’s values, routines, and expectations is essential for you and your child’s caregiver.

We have contacted Adrian NilesExecutive Director; Charlene NilesGeneral Manager; and Laura DavisNanny Caretaker of Jovie. Jovies The goal is to reimagine the babysitting and nanny experience for everyone involved.

Whether you’re a first-time parent or looking for a new sitter, our guide with these expert tips will help you navigate the process with ease and confidence.

Psst…The benefits of a babysitter-child bond

Is it important to hire a babysitter who has experience with children the same age as your child?

We recommend finding a nanny with at least 12 months of experience working with children in the same age range as your child. But remember, children grow quickly! You should also consider how long you expect to need a nanny and consider someone with experience working with the ages your children will reach.

Are all nannies required to have specific childcare certifications or training, such as CPR or first aid?

Certifications are important, some more than others. A major aspect of a nanny’s role is the safety of the children and the ability to handle accidents. Up-to-date first aid and CPR certifications should be a major requirement for your nanny. Infant and child CPR is different from adult CPR, so proper training is essential. If your nanny needs this training, it is common for the family to offer to pay for it. Additionally, it is not a bad thing for parents to receive this certification. This can be a great opportunity to gain useful skills and bond with your new nanny!

Should different rates apply if you ask your sitter to help with light household tasks related to the children, such as laundry or meal preparation?

Typically, nannies are responsible for the safety, involvement, and care of the children. This is their primary focus and should take precedence over other activities. Child-focused tasks such as tidying up the playroom, doing the children’s laundry, or cleaning up after meals are an expected part of the nanny’s job description. Depending on the age of the children, the nanny may have time to add other responsibilities. These additional duties should be discussed, agreed upon, and outlined in the terms of employment.

The hourly rate for a nanny is determined by the detailed job description and should include expected responsibilities. The final rate is determined by many factors, such as how many children they will be working with, their age, pet care, non-children related household tasks, and similar expectations. A good rule of thumb: if it is related to the children, it is more in line with the typical rate nanny role and the typical nanny wage. Adding household duties would increase the expected wage to more of a Nanny and Household Manager role and a commensurate wage expectation.

Do you recommend signing a contract that outlines expectations, responsibilities, and working conditions?

Absolutely! As with any traditional job, it is important to clearly understand expectations and responsibilities. Putting the details in writing can help you avoid awkward issues and clarify any vague boundaries in the employee-employer relationship. That is why it is advisable to work out the details during the negotiation period. A clear job description detailing the role, hours, salary, benefits, pay dates, expense reimbursements, and many more details should be included in the agreement. For example, many nannies in NYC appreciate the inclusion of an unlimited MetroCard in their benefits package. Ultimately, completing a written contract will help the relationship between the nanny and the family.

Adrian Niles, Executive Director of Darling, and Charlene Niles, Managing Director, share, “Two important and often overlooked responsibilities of a domestic employer are paying their nanny’s employer taxes and complying with New York State requirements for paid sick and family leave and workers’ compensation. Whether you choose to go it alone or employ the services of a placement agency, make sure your legal obligations are adequately met.”

What are the most important questions parents should consider when hiring their first babysitter?

Hiring a nanny for the first time is a big step for most families. It takes time to find the right balance. Families who have never had a nanny before benefit from hiring a nanny with several years of experience. Why? Because the adults are just as likely to adjust to first-time caregiving as the children! An experienced nanny can help shape their role based on the family’s needs and guide their partnership.

When looking for a sitter that is a good fit for your family, ask yourself the following questions:

• “Do you have demonstrable experience caring for children the same age as our child? And what about caring for children who are getting older? Have you worked with a family like ours before?”
• “Can you share references from any previous nanny or childcare positions you’ve had?” (It’s important to talk to all previous employers.) “Can you discuss any periods of unemployment you’ve had?”
• Ask specific questions during the interview: “What would you make our toddler for lunch?” If they say they like to go to the library with their kids, ask, “What are your three favorite books for a preschooler?” Most experienced babysitters will have no trouble referring to Alexander’s Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day with a smile or by explaining in detail how they carefully cut the crusts off the sandwich, making sure they do not come into contact with the peeled apple slices.

You will also want to conduct a criminal record screening of candidates.

What experience does an experienced nanny have?

Hiring a nanny is not just about general childcare experience. Of course, love for children and experience caring for children are important starting points. But the beauty of hiring a nanny is not only matching personality and style, but also the experience your family needs today and as your children grow. So you want to delve deeply into the specific age-specific experience your children have and will have over the course of the assignment. And of course, safety and safe care training and experience are essential.

An experienced nanny should have the following:

• Work experience: At least Children in this age group require two years of full-day care. And be specific, how many hours per day; how many days per week? You want to determine that two years of experience is two years of full-time care, at least three days per week. And, importantly, this experience must be in a family home. While experience in childcare or preschool makes for a skilled caregiver, being a nanny (being fully responsible and having to rely on yourself for all of the care) is different than being in a group care setting.
• Certifications for First Aid, Infant and Child CPR: that are current (ask to see the certification card) and come from a reputable organization such as the Red CrossIf you have a pool or other body of water, please mention LifeGuard or similar water conservation training (and make sure your nanny can swim if water activities are part of the job description!)
• Professional development training: This could be as extensive as a diploma in child development or a range of training within the sector specific to the age group they care for.
• Experience with planning: An experienced nanny will want to work with parents to plan activities, sign up children for classes and camps (and know which ones are best to enroll in), anticipate developmental milestones (it’s time to childproof the house because your little one is ready to crawl), arrange the start of the new school year, or the end of the school year annual activities, or to prepare the family for a holiday.
• Care of newborns: If the nanny’s role is to take care of newborns, Newborn Care Specialist (NCS) Certification would be the gold standard. However, a seasoned nanny who is a mother herself can be a great hands-on experience that results in great care.
• Confidence in answering specific questions: ForGiving specific examples of situations they have experienced as a nanny will help you in the interview. Dig deep, such as: Name three books you would read to a toddler. How would you deal with a child’s separation anxiety while the parent is working from home? Provide a weekly lunch menu for a preschooler. The answers to these questions will give you insight into the nanny’s experience and comfort level working with a parent to provide the best care and support for the family.
• Don’t skip the references: Yes, you like the nanny and she looks great… why references? Because references not only help you screen the nanny, but they can also give you tips on how to work best with the nanny. Also, review the resume for gaps in the work and ask for clarification. Experienced nannies are happy to explain gaps – maybe they were waiting for the right family; maybe they were taking classes; maybe they were caring for a family member.