A parent who works from home can be one of the biggest deal breakers for a nanny. If you ask nannies why, they will tell you that having a parent in the home generally makes a nanny’s job harder. For a nanny, the home they work in is their “office” and oftentimes parents forget this.
Read MoreI want to start this article with a question for parents: Would you ever ask your house cleaner to change your child's diaper, or take your child to the park, or prepare and feed your child lunch, or pick your child up from school, or assist your child with homework, or take your child to the doctor, or research and plan a developmentally appropriate sensory activity, or set up and host a play date, or sleep train your baby? I bet your answer is a resounding "No". Why then, do parents often ask and expect nannies to take on house cleaner roles? I truly don't get it. If you wouldn't do the reverse and have your weekly cleaning person take care of your child, why then is it okay to expect your nanny clean your home? A nanny and a house cleaner are two VERY different jobs and generally speaking, most nannies don't decide to become a nanny so they can clean houses -- they decide to be a nanny because they love children and are passionate about investing in them.
Read MoreTake a moment to imagine the following scenario: You work at a job that requires you to use your personal vehicle for business related drives. You have to drive all around town running various errands, picking people up/dropping them off, driving people to and from activities, etc. Unfortunately, your employer does not reimburse your mileage. That's right -- your job requires you to use your personal vehicle for work, but it's an expense you have to incur on your own -- you have to cover all the gas and the added wear and tear on your vehicle (i.e., more frequent oil changes, needing new tires, depreciation of your vehicle, etc.). When you deduct all of the money you're spending in gas/wear and tear for your job, your take home pay is significantly less.
Read MoreEmploying a live-in nanny can oftentimes be a little confusing. Many parents think that because a live-in nanny is receiving "free" room and board, they can pay their nanny less by deducting room and board from their nanny's monthly income, or pay them a lower hourly rate, or simply have their nanny work in exchange for room and board. A nanny who doesn't have to pay any rent, electricity, water, internet, cable, food, etc. surely should make less money per hour! While I understand how at first glance this seems like a fair deal, the industry standard is to pay a live-in nanny their full hourly rate...not a reduced rate. Legally live-in nannies must be paid for all hours worked, including applicable overtime (live-in overtime laws vary state by state, so it's important to check your specific state laws). In fact in some markets, such as Chicago, live-in nannies actually make MORE per hour than live-out nannies. Why? Because being a live-in nanny is extremely hard work and a huge sacrifice.
Read MoreLet's just dive right in. Nannies get sick and will miss work from time to time. There, I said it. Sadly, all too often, parents seem to forget that nannies are still human. I can only assume that lots of parents think their nannies are superhuman (which we kind of are in some ways), based on the countless nannies I encounter who are told they HAVE to come in even when very sick or are simply made to feel guilty for calling out. One nanny says she has been made to feel so guilty for calling in sick, that she hasn't taken a sick day in 6 years. Many nannies have even reported being guilt tripped for needing surgery -- like it's something they can control.
Read MoreAll too often parents expect their nanny to make their family a priority, while not offering the same in return. Parents, you cannot have your cake and eat it too. If you expect your nanny to prioritize your family, you better plan to prioritize your nanny. If you expect your nanny to offer consistent availability, you better plan to offer your nanny consistent pay.
Read MoreThese are the two most confused terms in the nanny profession. I frequently encounter people using these terms interchangeably when they're not interchangeable. While similar, guaranteed hours and salary are not the same thing. Let me repeat, they.are.not.the.same.thing. Let's break it down:
Guaranteed hours are exactly that -- hours that are guaranteed to a nanny so they can rely on a consistent paycheck.
Read MoreA family I've worked with for over a year now just asked if I'm ok with getting vaccinated for them and frankly...I'm not. I read a bunch of forums about it and it seems that everyone is torn on this issue! Some parents think nannies NEED to be vaccinated while others think it's an invasion of privacy to ask. What do I do?! I don't want her to think I'm rude but I don't think I should need to get them. What do you think? - Anonymous
This is a really great question and something that many nannies deal with. While a family cannot legally require a nanny to get vaccinated, they can choose to only hire nannies who are willing to stay up-to-date on their vaccinations (usually Influenza, Tdap, and Varicella).
Read MoreThis article is not about how to interview or market yourself to a potential nanny family. Instead, it is about how a nanny should interview a family to find out about potential employers. This is one of the most important things a nanny needs to do before accepting ANY nanny position. The interview for a nanny job goes both ways — while the family is interviewing and vetting the nanny, the nanny is interviewing and vetting the family at the same time. In addition to asking the parents basic questions about job expectations, compensation, or parenting style, a nanny NEEDS to inquire about the family's history with nannies. Are they good employers? Do they appreciate and respect their nannies? Are they reliable? Do they pay on time? Do they have unreasonable expectations? Are they micromanagers? Do they expect their nanny to clean up after their own messes? And most importantly, would their previous nannies recommend them and work for them again?
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