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 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 MoreJust like with almost everything else in the nanny field, nanny interviews are unlike any other type of job interview. Why? Because most of the time, a nanny interview involves the nanny having to articulately converse with the parents while simultaneously interacting with the children. It's like the ultimate test of one's ability to multitask. While nannying certainly requires a strong level of multitasking and kids should absolutely be a part of the interview process, the initial in-person interview (notice I did not say initial phone interview) should not involve any multitasking or any kids. I personally feel it's unreasonable to expect a nanny to enthusiastically engage the kids while also discussing important things like parenting style, job roles/expectations, pay, etc. As a nanny who has had to do this MANY times at job interviews, I'm here to say that it is a hard...VERY hard...thing to do. The few times I've interviewed with parents sans kids, I was able to think more clearly and express myself better.
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?
Read MoreI'm a nanny and am curious what my hourly rate should be. What is the current going rate and what should I be making? - Anonymous
This is a question I get asked all the time. While I would love to give a clear cut answer, it's just not that simple. It is really hard for me to answer how much a nanny should be making because nanny rates depend on a variety of different factors:
Read MoreThe three rules of nannying are, as I learned them, to be loving, firm, and fun every day. At first I assumed that meant the kids, but sometimes it applies to the parents, too! That's what it means when I say I'm a no-nonsense nanny. You have to be loving: Show compassion for their problems and provide flexible support. Be fun: I accidentally took my nanny kids to a cemetery as an outing the other day, and immediately sent my boss a text not because she needed to know that very second, but because I knew it would make her laugh. Be firm: Do no harm, but take no shit.
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