Childcare 101
What's the difference between a nanny and a babysitter?
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A babysitter, quite often a teenanger, will keep your child(ren) happy and alive for a few hours while you are busy.
A nanny is your substitue. She too will keep your child(ren) happy and alive but she will do much more. She will keep them healthy, teach them the essentials of life, explore the world with them and stick to your routines and education methods. She is a valuable team member who will make sure to be the best parent substitute she can possible be. Nannys are professionals, often with childcare or education related degrees.
Lubbock has many babysitters but only very few professional nannies.
What is a ... ?
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... a Newborn Care Specialist?
A Newborn Care Specialist is an individual trained and skilled in newborn care. Caregivers are more than just nannies, they know the ins and outs of newborn development and have specialized newborn training. They provide unique expertise in all aspects of newborn care, parental education, and support. Their job is to help nurture and care for newborns while providing guidance and education for the parents. A Newborn Care Specialist’s goal is to reassure new parents and help make the transition enjoyable.
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... a night nanny?
No matter if you are having fun on a well deserved date night, or need to leave the house for the whole night (even several nights in a row), a night nanny will make sure that your child(ren) are very well taken care of.
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... travel nanny?
Do you enjoy having your child(ren) around when you travel but are unable to look after them the whole day, maybe due to work? A travel nanny can help you with that. If necessary, she can be your subsitute 24/7 and make sure that you and your child(ren) enjoy traveling to the fullest.
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... event nanny?
Are you invited to an event, let's say a wedding and would love to take your kid(s) along? Would you also love to be able to spend time away from the child(ren) for a while in order to dance, drink a glass of wine, etc? An event nanny will accompany you to your event and take care of your child(ren) as much or as little as you prefer.
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... a nanny contract?
Nannies are employees and must be treated as such. A detailed contract, signed by both parties makes sure that there will be no surprises when it comes to topics like overtime pay, termination, health insurance, etc.
An example for a nanny contract can be found here.
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... a medical consent form?
Children hurt themselves every now and then. It is part of growing up. Your anny might even have to take them to the doctor, maybe even the ER. But your child is a minor and therefore (as long as the situation is not life-threatening) every doctor needs the consent of the child's guardian to provide treatment. What if your nanny cannot reach you and your child cannot be treated for, let's say, a broken arm? Not even pain medication is allowed. To prevent cases like this, your nanny should have a medical consent form that allows her to act on your behalf in emergencies.
An example or a medical consent form can be found here.
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To be continued...
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Why is private child care so expensive?
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Private child care is a luxury. It is expensive because one often highly skilled employee focussed completely on your child(ren). In my case, I do have a Bachelor's and a Master's degree.
I am also a certified teacher.
When I focus all my skills and qualifications on one, or two children instead of 25 in a class, your child is exposed to very high quality care. Quality is worth a good compensation.