So you know you need a nanny, now what?
Nannies are becoming part of the modern family, and interviewing/filling the position of having another person to take care of your child can be a stressful experience. Here are a few things to consider before hiring someone to care for your kiddos while you are at work! This is just the beginning, so we will start with the basics: salary, hours (including overtime) and how long you will need a nanny!
Salary:
Obviously this varies from family to family and even urban/suburban and rural areas, it depends on your needs…and those of your kiddos! You do not need to provide benefits…unless you are amazing human beings…it is not expected! Ask what their expectations are, and talk to friends/family about what they pay.
Hours:
Full-time, part time, flexible? Weekends? Be up front with your nanny candidates, if you need to be out of the house by 8A.M. does she need to be there at 7:45 for your transition out the door? Or 7:15 so you can shower and get ready? Do you run late in the evenings? Once and a while isn’t an issue, they will understand…but does it happen three days a week?
Overtime:
Eventually, even for the timeliest of families there will be a need for overtime, this is really only important if your nanny is full time and you pay her salary based—not hourly. If you do have a full time nanny and you are running more then 15 minutes late-pay the girl! Tell her you will include the extra time in her check (go with time and a half, she will welcome it and the extra cash you are dolling out will motivate you to get home on time). Acknowledge that you are running late, the earlier the better…if your boss tells you its going to be a late night, then text/call your nanny to let her know. It is only fair that you give her as much notice as possible. Most likely she will be thrilled to take the overtime, but if not and she has something planned, you may need a backup! In a perfect world this wouldn’t happen and if your train/bus/traffic is running slow then let her know ASAP, it shows you appreciate her work and value her time-on and off the clock. Nothing makes a nanny feel unappreciated more then you running hours late and not recognizing it…trust me.
Holiday/Vacation/Sick Pay:
Once again, this only really is important if you have a full time nanny…this works best if it is known far in advance. Do you take same vacation every year? These are days you are choosing for her not to work, but see these as paid vacation days for your Nanny (unless you want her to come with…but that is for another time with a whole other set of stories). Will you give her a few sick days? Keep in mind that if she does get sick, it is most likely that your kiddo provided her with all the germs! (Two Words: Stomach Flu). Be understanding, if she is physically incapable of caring for your child it is not doing anyone any good at all for her to be there. How long will this last? Most likely it will not last forever, although I do know people that kept their nannies until their kiddos left for college. Are you looking for a career nanny, someone who will stay with you until it is deemed time to part? Do you want someone for a year or two? Changing nannies can be a traumatizing experience for a little guy, but if you know that you are planning to move in a few years and you only need someone for that time period she needs to know.
These are the basics, but there is much more to discuss…if you have any specific questions large or small do not hesitate to ask!
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