Why is it okay to hire a nanny and how to find a good one

Why does your family need a nanny

A qualified one will help your child to socialize, give the child the skills necessary for development, for example, teach him to read or work out with him exercises for fine motor skills. And for you it will free up hours for work, study and just taking care of yourself.

Do not listen to anyone who will judge you for using such services: this does not make you a bad parent. You do not place your child under the full care of a nanny. She will only help keep track of him, educate and entertain while you are busy with other important things. Remember, a nanny will never replace a child with love, warmth and attention that can only be received in a family.

How to choose the perfect assistant

1. List requirements

List the qualities and skills that are important to you as a nanny and her responsibilities in your home.

A nanny can be:

• partner for games: comes for a couple of hours to entertain the child;
• educator: sits with the child all day to play, teach and develop;
• au pair: Monitors the child, prepares food and does various household chores.

A nanny can teach a child not only basic, but also additional skills in which she herself is well versed, for example, English.

Finding a nanny who meets all of these characteristics - especially if there are a lot of them - can be challenging. Therefore, it is better to rank the requirements in the list by importance: it will be possible to refuse from not very important qualities or skills at the selection stage.

You can look for a nanny in professional agencies, on the recommendations of friends or on services with ads.

It is possible to quickly find a nanny that suits your requirements. Avito Services: more than 12,000 candidates are looking for work on the service. You can sort ads by price per hour. In their profiles on Avito, babysitting services indicate a list of possible responsibilities, work experience and other important details, for example, the ability to drive a car. You can also read reviews from their clients there.

2. Have a short phone conversation

Before a personal meeting, call potential candidates, ask a few important questions and find out:

• age;
• possible schedule;
• experience and recommendations;
• having your own children;
• readiness for physical activity;
• citizenship and the need to travel to the home country;
• willingness to overwork on weekends, sit with a sick child and stay overnight (optional).

If the phone interview was successful, schedule an in-person meeting.

3. Make a list of interview questions

During the interview, you need to once again ask basic questions about experience, qualifications, working conditions. Also prepare case questions in which you describe the situation and check how the nanny will react to it.

We've compiled a rough list of what you need to ask your nanny. It is not necessary to ask everything: focus on your needs and goals, boldly cross out unnecessary points.

1. What experience do you have in caring for and raising children, strangers and your own, if any?
2. Tell us about your previous work. Why did you leave her? Do you have letters of recommendation? Can I call your former employers?
3. Tell us about your children, if any. How old are they? If kindergarteners or schoolchildren, where will they stay while you work?
4. Do you have bad habits? How often do you get sick?
5. How long do you plan to work with us?
6. Can you stay late by prior arrangement?
7. What decisions will you make on your own, and what - only with our permission?
8. Can you drive a car?
9. Are you ready to work this weekend? Go out into nature or go on vacation with us?
10. What would you like to know about my child?
11. How will you spend your day, what games will you play?
12. If a child goes into hysterics on the street, how do you react?
13. In what situation is it acceptable to spank a child?
14. What will you do if your child gets sick? Will you be able to provide first aid in case of poisoning, injuries?
15. Will you entrust the child to our relatives or friends who were visiting?
16. If the child cries when I leave, how will you calm him down?
17. What method will you use to develop your child?
18. What kind of children's songs and games do you know?
19. What books on parenting and child psychology have you read and put into practice? Why exactly them?
20. Do you have any skills that you can teach your baby: languages, music, painting?
21. Can you complete additional tasks: cleaning, cooking, washing?

It is important to write a summary of the nanny's answers and your reaction to them so that after the interview, you can re-evaluate the candidates.

4. Pay attention to babysitting behavior

By the way the nanny behaves during the interview, you can understand whether she is right for you and how competent she is. Pay attention to these signs:

• ability to express: if the nanny does not speak very well and clearly, her participation is unlikely to contribute to the development of the child;
• punctuality: being late for an interview is a wake-up call;
• evasiveness: if the nanny has nothing to hide, she will answer all simple questions;
• interest: a passive nanny is unlikely to take care of the child with interest;
• excessive focus on pay;
• lack of tact and courtesy;
• scornful reviews of previous employers;
• little knowledge of the specialty;
• no questions about work.

5. Check docs and help

The nanny must have a passport, recommendations from previous places of work, a medical book, a certificate of no criminal record. But vocational education for a nanny is optional, although it's great when it is. If you are looking for a nanny for an infant, look for candidates with a medical degree, for older children - with a pedagogical background.

Find out the nanny's citizenship: if she is not from Russia, you need to check if she requires a visa and work permit. The main thing is the possible length of stay in the Russian Federation: it will be very unpleasant if the nanny gets a job with you, and after three months, when the child gets used to her, she will be forced to leave.

6. Introduce your child to the nanny

You can take him with you to the interview or introduce them immediately after it. Pay attention to how the child reacts to the nanny, whether they are comfortable together and whether they are psycho-emotional for each other.

7. Sign an employment contract

After all, a nanny is an employee, and you are her employer. This is an important document if you are hiring an assistant for a long time. This will ensure that the nanny will not be deceived by you. And you will know for sure that the nanny will not disappear without a reason and will not refuse to fulfill her duties.

Specify in the contract:

• working conditions: working day, vacations and days off;
• duties: permanent and paid additionally;
• salary: size, form and frequency of payments;
• termination procedure: It is advisable to register a preliminary notice of dismissal in 14 days, so that you have the opportunity to find a replacement.

8. Arrange an adaptation period

The first week or at least a few days should be spent with the nanny and the child. First of all, conduct a setting conversation: tell us how you see raising your own child and what you expect from a nanny. Then it will be easier for her to navigate and she will meet your expectations.

Then show the nanny what you do and how you play with your child during the day. It is important for a helper to see this in order to understand her own boundaries in relation to your child.

The last stage of adaptation: see how the nanny behaves with the child, follow his reaction. Give advice and correct if you don't like something.

9. Go ahead and get feedback

Find out if everything suits the nanny, do not be afraid to ask questions and always solve difficult situations in a timely manner, do not lead to a conflict. So your cooperation with the nanny will be comfortable and long.