Nanny to the rescue

When you are in nesting mode, you're mind is probably racing with questions on how you are going to "do it all." Well first off, lets quickly get you acquainted with the fact that you WON"T, and that is perfectly normal! You are already going to be superhuman after birthing multiples and you will and need to be ok with asking for as much help as humanly possible to help raise these munchkins of yours! It takes a village and there is no shame in that. Some mamas will need to go back to work full time and others may just be in need of some good self-care alone time. Thanks to Beth G., we want to help guide you through the process that has worked for many of our mamas when it came to finding the best nanny for their families.

I know I need a nanny, what do I do next?
You will need to answer a few questions on your end before beginning your search process.      

1. How many hours of coverage will need weekly?
2. What is your hourly or weekly budget? Depending on needs anywhere from $12-20/hour is appropriate.
3. What tasks, other than childcare, would you like your nanny to be responsible for? For example: light housework, pet care, errands, driving children, family travel, educational activities, potty training, meal preparation, assist with pets, etc. 

Where do I search for a nanny?
If you would like to do the search on your own, use Care.com or SitterCity.com. You can also use a nanny agency, such as NannyJoynt. For more babysitters or sporadic nannies we recommend Busy Bees or  UrbanSitter. 

If I want to search on my own, how do I go about the search process?
It is highly recommended that you pay for at least 2 months with the online sites of Care or SitterCity. In order to search all applicants and speak with all individuals, you need to be a paying member. Do not wait for applicants to reach out to you, they can only contact 5 people a month, so you must reach out to nanny applicants and be proactive. When reaching out to them, ask them to complete a simple task such as emailing you a resume or 2 references to see how their basic follow through is. 

I’m ready to interview a few candidates, how do I go about this? 
Check our files tab on PVMoM's facebook, for a list of suggested questions and adjust as needed. You can screen candidates with phone interviews, or solo in person interviews, but it is highly recommended that you see how the candidate interacts with your children prior to hiring them. You can either do a short working interview or an all day interview/trial. Just remember, you can tell a lot about a person when you see how they enter your home and interact with your children. It may be nerve wracking to welcome strangers into your home, but if they are the right one, the candidate will no longer be a stranger. 

I have a candidate that I am interested in hiring, what do I do?
Do your homework! It is highly recommended that you complete a background check and a department of motor vehicle check on your candidate, even if they won’t be driving your children. If you do want your nanny to drive your children, make sure to discuss their type of car, knowledge of proper car seat safety and have them do a test drive with you to gauge their driving abilities. You cannot know too much about the person caring for your children. You may also want to have the candidate complete a personality test. Begin drafting a contract to cover at least the basics: pay, tasks, holidays, travel, paid time off (if desired/negotiated), and more. 

Why do you recommend a contract?
An employment contract is helpful for both parties to be on the same page when providing a service and can keep both parties accountable. It protects both parties when there is a dispute. Also, be specific about their duties so there are no questions as to what needs to be accomplished in a day. We’ve found contracts are very helpful when a nanny may not be meeting your expectations or maybe asking for extra days off or calling in sick a lot. While the document likely won’t hold up in court, it was helpful when discussing performance and accountability. 

Are there any tax-free benefits I can offer my nanny?
Yes! There are many tax benefits that residents of AZ can take advantage of is hiring a nanny. A few of these are, but not limited to:

1. Paying for the nanny’s cell phone if there is no home phone
2. Paying for the nanny’s health and dental insurance

Both of these can be paid before taxes, which in turn allows for less of their income to be taxable saving both sides money and providing an extra benefit. 

My candidate has checked all of my ‘boxes’ and we agreed on pay, now what?
Discuss a starting date and plan a training period. It is highly recommended that you plan at least a day or two to ‘train’ your nanny on how you would like things done before you head off to work or to complete solo tasks. Most nannies will know how to care for a child, but they won’t know how you would like your laundry completed, your daily schedule and more. If you are super particular, write things down and take a couple extra days to make sure things are satisfactory for you. 

My nanny has started working with our family, what can I expect in forms of communication?
Be sure to set expectations early. Most nannies will provide photos throughout the day if the parents are not home and communicate via text message as needed. It is important to not ‘high five at the door’ meaning that you take time to have a quick 5-10 minute discussion at the beginning and end of each day to speak about any important topics or changes. It is also recommended that you provide ground rules on social media posting about your family along with what warrants a phone call to you as the parent. 

We advise to start looking for a nanny at minimum 2-3 months prior to your ideal start date. Most mamas have shared that it took them two solid months of interviewing at least 10-12 candidates to solidify the right match. Sometimes the best fit, yet hard to come by, can be a recommendation of a available nanny or look for a nanny share via friends. 

Remember this person part-time or full-time will become an extension of your family. Don't rush this process!!!