Finding the ideal person to take care of your children at home is not an easy task. It can be time-consuming, and you might even end up making a couple of mistakes and hiring the wrong people before you find the one ideal for you.
To avoid that, don’t rush things. The process of choosing the right person for the job and your family takes time and careful consideration. So give yourself at least six weeks for the process. You will find the rest of the things that might help you and even speed up the process in the following lines.
You need to know what you want in order to get it
Make sure you know what exactly you expect from the future nanny or babysitter. Write a job description in which you will clearly state what abilities you wish this person to have. Even if you are going to ask for recommendations from friends and family and not actually place an ad, you should still make this list to help you organize your thoughts and clarify what it is you really need.
For example, do you need this person to cook for the children as well, or will you take care of it? Should they be expected to do laundry for the kids? Would you maybe like this person to be bilingual and help your children learn a new language? Or perhaps you would prefer that they know how to teach them to play an instrument?
The list can be quite long, and we are certain you will add something of your own to it. However, it is extremely important not to forget that the bigger the list of tasks, the higher the salary this person will expect.
Educational background
Nannies do not really have to be formally educated. Many of them simply started babysitting when they were teenagers and found their life calling. But there are some who went on and got an associate’s degree and/or certification in early childcare, for instance.
When looking at a nanny’s CV, you might think that years of experience are more crucial than their educational background. Still, if you are looking for an above-mentioned bilingual nanny, for example, you might want to ask for their educational background here, like how they learned their second language and where. Similarly, if you want to count on your babysitter to tutor your kids, maybe you would prefer someone with a slightly higher degree.
As you can see, it is a bit individual, and it might be another personal decision, rather than a rule for everyone to follow. However, one thing is certain – your nanny/sitter must have a CPR and First Aid certification. Your children’s life is in their hands, and they must be able to help in emergencies.
Do a background check
After you have had interviews with potential candidates, make sure you trace all of their references. They might seem great to you, and they probably are, but it could be crucial to hear about other people’s experiences. Try to check all of them, if possible, because these are people you do not know, so you want to be sure that you get the same or similar information from the majority of their references. This way, you will recognize if there are false claims on either side.
Some experts recommend that you Google your future nanny or sitter and see what their social media accounts have to say about them. It might sound a bit much, but this way, you might find out something about their personal believes and lifestyle that either match with yours perfectly, or not at all.
It will not work without chemistry
A person can seem ideal to you on paper and even during the interview, but the children and them must hit off; otherwise, everything is in vain. A perfect amount of experience and certification of knowing French from a Paris language school will not mean anything if your toddler simply does not like the future nanny.
This is why you should ask the most promising candidate to spend a couple of hours with your kids. You should be there and observe how they function, and if your child is already speaking, make sure you ask their opinion. Children are honest, and they will tell you exactly how they feel.
In a nutshell
A nanny or a sitter will become a part of your family. Seize the opportunity to choose the best possible one. It might take time to decide who you need, find them, and do a check on them to see if they are really ideal, but if you do your homework, you, your babies, and your employee will be happy and form a long-term relationship.
