4 ways to get and keep a great nanny
It isn't easy to find a good nanny. A person who can take great care of your children, who is your substitute when you cannot be there for them. You want to make sure that you find the right person and once you find her, you want to make sure she stays. How do you accomplish that? Here are four key aspects of getting and keeping a great nanny.
1. Know what you want
That sounds easy enough, doesn't it? You want someone who loves your children, takes great care of them and allows you not to worry. But what does “great care” mean to you? Someone who has experience with the age group your children are in? Someone with a college degree? Someone with fantastic references? Someone who can help the kids academically? Someone who knows how to cook? Vegetarian? Vegan? Someone who teaches them to do their chores… or speak a second language?
Why not just make a list? Or three. 1. What must my new nanny know or be? (CPR/First Aid certified, cook gluten free,...)
2. What would I like her to know or be? (Bilingual, university educated,...)
3. What do I absolutely not want her to do or be? (smoker, under 20 years old,…)
Knowing exactly what you want will help you tremendously when it comes to screening and eventually interviewing candidates.
2. Pay her legally and fairly
If you want to pay a babysitter wage then all you will get is a babysitter. Nannies are highly qualified individuals with years of experience who see nannying as their main career and not something that can be done between jobs, or while in college.
A nanny invests a lot in her own education which is solely aimed at providing the best possible care for your children. Therefore, you need to pay her a wage that allows her to live comfortably. You want a well-rested, healthy and happy person taking care of your children after all.
The rate you pay your nanny varies greatly and depends on many factors including:
- the nanny's experience
- the nanny's qualifications
- the number of children she will take care of
- the needs of the children (a special needs child might require a nanny with better qualifications and will therefore require a higher hourly wage)
- other duties she has in the household (for additional compensation nannies often take over cleaning and laundry duties, or cook for the family)
- where you live (a living wage in West Texas is different from a living wage in Los Angeles)
Legally, nannies are employees, not independent contractors. That means that you need to provide them with a W2 at the end of the fiscal year. Websites like homepay.com help tremendously with paying household employees. Nannies are also legally required to be paid hourly and overtime for every hour worked more than 40 hours in a seven day period.
3. Have a contract
You want your nanny to be taken seriously. After all, she is taking care of who is most precious to you. You also want to make sure that both her and your rights are written down in a contract so both parties know what they can count on. Before you set up a contract, be aware of what you need and what you are willing to offer for it. Here are some aspect that should be covered in your contract:
- Hourly wage and hours the nanny is expected to work every week.
Be aware: 1. Legally you have to pay overtime. lf. 2. Banking hours is illegal. You cannot ask your nanny to work 30 hours one week and then 50 hours the next week and still only compensate her for 40 hours in the second week.
- Sick days, vacation days and paid holidays. An example: I worked 50 hours a week for a family and they gave me ten sick days and ten vacation days. I also got the major holidays off.
- Terms for termination of employment. At the moment my contract states to give four weeks notice and also get four weeks notice from my employers. Of course there are reasons for both sides that justify immediate termination of employment. Such reasons could be being intoxicated at the job, endangering the children, stealing and so on. Make sure you mention that in your contract.
- Guaranteed hours are a standard for the great majority of nannies. That simply means that even although you might not need the nanny on some days for example because you go on vacation, you still pay her full daily rate. Nannies need to be able to rely on a steady income and you are the one providing it. Allowing your nanny to be free of money worries will help her to focus on her duties.
- Expenses and mileage reimbursement. Like in any other job, a nanny needs to get mileage reimbursement if she drives the kids in her own car. The current rate is $0.54 per mile. Of course, also her expenses need to be reimbursed (visits to a museum, zoo, movies, eating out etc).
- Health insurance. Legally you are not required to offer your nanny health insurance. However it is a nice gesture to help her out a little. Also this should be mentioned in the contract. My current employers add $100 for health insurance a month.
- Whatever agreement you feel you need to have in written form has to be part of the contract. In addition to the things already mentioned that can be: additional duties (cleaning, cooking), social media (pictures of children allowed?), confidentiality, etc.
4. Communicate and don't be scared
You allow a stranger to stay with your kids all day long. That person gets to dress them, feed them, help them with their homework, discover the world with them, love them, hug them and help them grow. Most parents face two areas of great worry or even anxiety:
1. Entrusting someone else with the well being of their children.
2. Being away from them a lot and potentially missing important moments in their lives.
Both fears are equally justified and there is simply no way around them. If you want to work, you will have to leave your children in someone elses' care and won't be around for long periods of time.
But guess what, a good nanny will help you with both. She will not only have great references and make sure that you come home to clean, happy and healthy children.
She will also, if you want her to, send you pictures throughout the day, do crafts for you with the kids and make very sure that you are a part of their lives as much as possible. She will never try to replace you and always make sure the kids understand very well who their mom and dad are. And most importantly: She will consistently raise them the way you want them to be raised. That is why communication is so important. Your nanny is your partner and you both have the same goal:
To raise happy, healthy, educated, compassionate, gentle and well-rounded future members of society.
