A Parents Guide to Hiring a Nanny: Expert Tips
When hiring a nanny, the process can be exciting; you will have expert help, and daunting; finding the right fit is super important to you and your family. Assuring your caregiver aligns with your family’s values, routines, and expectations is key to you and your child’s caregiver.
We connected with Adrian Niles, Executive Director; Charlene Niles, Managing Director; and Laura Davis, Nanny Concierge of Jovie. Jovie’s goal is to reimagine the nanny-babysitter experience for all involved.
Whether you are a first-time parent or looking to hire a new nanny, our guide with these expert tips will help you navigate the process with ease and assurance.
Psst…The Benefits Of A Nanny-Child Bond
Is it essential to hire a nanny who has worked with children of similar ages as your child?
We recommend finding a nanny with at least 12 months of experience working with children in the same age range as your child. But remember, your children grow quickly! You’ll also need to consider how long you anticipate needing a nanny and consider someone with experience working with the ages your children will reach.
Should all nannies have specific certifications or training in childcare, such as CPR or first aid?
Certifications matter, some more than others. An important aspect of a nanny’s role is the safety of the children and the ability to handle any accidents. Having up-to-date First Aid and CPR Certifications should be an important requirement for your nanny. Infant and Child CPR differ from Adult CPR, so the right training is key. If your nanny needs this training, it’s common for the family to offer to pay for it. Plus, it’s not bad for parents to receive this certification. This could be a great opportunity to gain helpful skills and bond with your new nanny!
Should a different fee be involved if you ask your nanny to help with light household chores related to the children, like laundry or meal preparation?
Typically, nannies are responsible for the safety, engagement, and care of the children. This is their primary focus and should take precedence over other activities. Chores that are child-centric, such as cleaning up the playroom, doing the children’s laundry, or cleaning up from meals, are an expected part of the nanny’s job description. Depending on the children’s age, the nanny might have time to add on other responsibilities. These additional duties should be discussed, agreed upon, and outlined in the employment offer terms.
The hourly wage for a nanny is determined based on the comprehensive job description and should include expected responsibilities. The final wage is determined by many factors, such as how many kids they’ll be working with, their ages, pet care, household duties that are non-child related, and similar expectations. A good rule of thumb—if it is related to the children, it’s more in line with the typical nanny role and the typical nanny wage. Adding on household duties would increase the expected wage to more of a Nanny and Household Manager role and commensurate wage expectation.
Do you recommend signing a contract outlining expectations, responsibilities, and terms of employment?
Definitely! Just like any traditional job, having a clear understanding of the expectations and responsibilities is key. Putting the details in writing will help avoid awkward issues down the line and clarify any blurred lines around the employee-employer relationship. That’s why knocking out the details during the negotiation period is recommended. A clear job description with specifics of the role, hours, wage, benefits, pay dates, expense reimbursement, and many more details should go into the agreement. For example, many NYC nannies appreciate the inclusion of an unlimited ride MetroCard in their benefit package. Ultimately, the completion of a written contract will help the relationship between the nanny and the family.
Adrian Niles, Executive Director of Jovie, and Charlene Niles, Managing Director, share, “Two important and often overlooked responsibilities of a household employer are the payment of their nanny’s employment taxes and compliance with New York State’s Paid Sick and Family Leave and Workers’ Compensatiorequirements. Whether you choose to do it alone or engage the services of a placement agency, ensure that your legal obligations are adequately addressed.”
What are the most essential questions parents need to consider when hiring their first nanny?
Hiring a nanny for the first time is a big step for most families. It takes time to find the right balance. Families who have never had a nanny will benefit from hiring a nanny with several years of experience. Why? Because the grown-ups are adjusting to having in-home care for the first time, just as much as the children! A seasoned nanny can help shape their role according to the family’s needs and guide the partnership.
When searching for a nanny that’s the right fit for your family, the essential questions to ask are:
- “Do you have verifiable experience caring for children similar to our child’s age? What about as they get older? Have you worked with a family size like ours before?”
- “Can you share references from all past nanny or childcare positions you’ve held?” (Speaking to all past employers is key). “Can you discuss any gaps of unemployment you’ve had?”
- Ask specific questions in the interview: “What would you make our toddler for lunch?” If they say they love to take children to the library, ask, “What are your three favorite books for a preschooler?” The most experienced nannies will have no trouble referencing Alexander’s Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day with a smile or describing in detail how they will carefully cut the crusts off the sandwich and ensure it doesn’t touch the peeled apple slices.
You will also want to perform criminal background screens on any candidates.
What types of experience does a well-season nanny possess?
Hiring a nanny isn’t only about general childcare experience. Of course, the love of children and experience caring for children are key starting points. But the beauty of bringing a nanny into your home matches not only personality and style but the experience your family needs today and as your children grow. So, you want to dig deep into the specific experience with the ages your children are and will be during the length of the assignment. And, of course, safety and safe-care training and experience are key.
A well-seasoned nanny should have:
- Work experience: At least two years of full-day care for children in the age range is needed. And get specific, how many hours per day; how many days per week? You want to establish that two years of experience is two years of full day care, at least three days per week. And, importantly, this experience should be in a family home. While daycare or preschool teaching experience provides a knowledgeable caregiver, being a nanny (fully in charge and needing to rely only on themselves for the entire care) is different than being a part of a group care environment.
- First Aid, Infant, and Child CPR certifications: that are current (ask to see the certification card) and from a reputable organization such as the Red Cross. If you have a pool or other body of water, include LifeGuard or similar Water Saving Training (and be sure your nanny can swim if water activities are part of the job description!)
- Professional Development Trainings: This can be as extensive as a Degree in Child Development or a series of industry trainings specific to the ages under their care.
- Experience planning: A seasoned nanny will want to engage with parents in planning activities, enrolling the children in classes and camps (and knowing the best ones to get into), anticipating developmental milestones (it’s time to babyproof the house as the little one is ready to crawl), handling back-to-school or end-of-school year activities, or getting the family ready for a vacation.
- Newborn Care: If the role of the nanny is providing care to newborn(s), Newborn Care Specialist (NCS) Certification would be the gold standard. However, a well-seasoned nanny who is a mother herself can be a tremendous hands-on experience that results in amazing care.
- Confidence in answering specific questions: Providing specific examples of situations they have handled as a nanny will help you in the interview process. Dig deep, such as: Name three books you’d read to a toddler. How would you approach the separation anxiety of the child while the parent works in the home? Provide a menu for the week for a preschooler’s lunches. The answers to these questions will give you insight into the nanny’s experience and comfort working with a parent to provide the best care and support to the family.
- Don’t skip the references: Yes, you like the nanny, and she looks great…why references? Because references not only help you vet the nanny but also can give you tips on how best to work with the nanny. Also, review the resume for gaps in work and get explanations. Seasoned nannies will have no concerns explaining gaps—maybe they were waiting for the right family; maybe they took classes; maybe they cared for a family member.
