As a working parent, I understand where you are coming from when you say:
“How the heck am I supposed to take care of my child after grinding the whole day?”
It’s impossible, I know. Tackling a child, who’s completely dependent on you, is difficult. But you have to do it – in one way or another. So, why don’t you give the responsibility to another person while tackling your life accordingly? Yes, you have guessed it right.
I’m, indeed, talking about hiring a nanny. But, how do you find the best option amongst them all? Is there something that you need to be worried about? Let’s find out.
How Do You Find a Nanny for Your Child?
When it comes to finding a nanny, the first thing you should do is do a thorough background check on them. It may take you to complete the national police check application form and do a little more research. But I’m pretty sure you’ll be willing to do so. Anyway, once you are done with it, here’s how you should evaluate your child’s potential nanny –
1. Research, Research, and Research!
If you know you’ll have a hard time tackling your child’s care, you should begin researching your options at the earliest. If possible, I’ll ask you to get started by the third semester.
When you are just starting, it might be best to talk to people and ask them about who they can recommend to you. Make sure to ask everything about the person before making a choice.
If you want, you may also hire a nanny from a professional website, like UrbanSitter. Here, it will be easier for you to find more information about the nanny and how they work.
2. Look for Experience
No matter how it might look, tackling a toddler is no joke. And as a child tends to be sensitive you simply cannot let them be handled by someone who is inexperienced with children.
So, here’s the thing.
When it comes to hiring a nanny, you should always look for someone who has worked for at least five years with kids. This way, they’ll be able to handle your child better than usual.
When you are searching on an online module, you will find loads of additional info about the person on their profile. So, keep a notebook and jot everything down accordingly.
3. Opt for a Good Agency
When it comes to hiring a nanny, it’s always best to opt for an agency. This way, you will get more information about the person in comparison to talking to an individual.
Furthermore, there’s no need to do additional background checks on the person. These people always hire people who are professional to the core.
In addition to these, you will also get interview tricks and tips for you, so that you can find the right person without any issue. Just make sure to call a few of them to find the best option.
4. The Price
It’s pretty convoluted, TBH. When it comes to pricing, it might differ depending on the nanny you are choosing. And it might differ even more if you are hiring from an agency.
Why?
Well, experience definitely does matter a lot in this aspect. The more the person has been in a field of work, the better they will work with your child. And the more they’ll ask from you.
Also, the working hours can be a factor in this aspect as well. For example, an individual who is working for six hours will take less than someone keeping an eye for nine hours.
So, when you are hiring someone, make sure to ask them everything regarding the price. Also don’t forget to inquire if there’s some sort of hidden price or not.
And try to be competitive with your offer. Keep an eye on what others like you are proffering and attempt to meet the same demand. But don’t burn a hole in your pocket while doing so.
5. Try to Trust Your Gut
Honestly, almost everyone looks perfect on paper. However, as you confront them and talk to their mentors – then you get to know the truth behind.
So, even if someone feels like the right person for you, you should always go by your guts. If it’s saying no to someone, look for another option. Keep on researching!
Is Going Through a Police Check Important?
Yes, absolutely.
After all, you are letting someone else stay alone with your kid for a long time. Thus, you will want to have someone who is safe, reliable, and dependent.
Here’s what you can learn through a police check.
- A police check can help you learn about the background of an individual. So if they’ve been convicted before, you’ll have that information right away.
- It can let you know if they have done anything wrong, whether it happened during the job or after that period beforehand.
Apart from that, you can also learn more about their overall character and how they have been working in the designated field. Also, you will get a closer look at their work style, ethics, the way they behave with everyone else, and much more.
So, all-in-all, performing a police check can bode pretty well for you!
The Bottom Line
Honestly, at the end of the day, asking a million questions in the interview won’t matter at all – if you don’t know much about the person itself.
I mean, yes – you can definitely get much more information about how they work and behave. But learning about the person underneath can be difficult.
Thus, if it’s possible, you should try and take some time to talk to them for a while. The more you spend time with them, the easier it will be for you to learn how they may act in a difficult situation. Also, try to use your intuition as much as possible. It works, every time!
In any case, now we’ll be closing our article. If you need more information, let us know more about it in the comments below.
Further reading: What’s a manny and why all single mums should have one.
