We’ve become experts at juggling work and caring for our kids, right? It may be true for some; however, if you’re like most parents you’re still trying to find balance. Between a pandemic, closed schools, mask mandates, work from home, deep freezes in the south, and a run on toilet paper, this year has been really hard! Whatever your circumstances, (babies crying, potty training, online school, sibling rivalry, Zoom meetings, et cetera), it’s been challenging at best. Don’t worry, summer is just around the corner!

In San Antonio we’re beginning to look forward to summer, warmer weather, barbecues, vacations, and watermelon. I wonder, will summer school or kid’s camps happen and how much longer can COVID go on? None of us know when, or if we will get back to the place we call normal. Hopefully, the COVID-19 vaccine will have an impact soon. You can ease the stress in your life by hiring summer help. A nanny can allow you the breathing room you need. Imagine the children playing in the pool, doing arts and crafts, playing games, riding bikes, and doing school work, all under the watchful eye of an experienced nanny. Nannies can also help with laundry, doing dishes, preparing bottles and light cooking, and give you back several hours of your precious time. Summer nannies are in high demand! Families are already beginning their searches. We are busy recruiting San Antonio Nannies to fill the demand. A qualified nanny agency like Choose The Right Nanny is a great time saving resource and we’re experts at what we do! If you decide to hire a nanny on your own, here are some ideas to help.

Hours: You might decide you just need a few hours a day or a full 40-hours per week. Any hours over 40 would need to be paid as time and a half. In some states like California, overtime is required for any day with over 8 hours of work.

Budget: Think in terms of not only what you can afford, but what is the safety of your children and your time worth to you. Quality care and safety of your children should be very important in your decision. Hiring your aunt’s neighbor’s teenage sister to watch your kids saves a lot of money, but will she be as responsible and creative as an experienced nanny? Experienced nannies make at least $18 an hour and nannies with years of experience make $25+ an hour.

Requirements: What do you hope to achieve by hiring a summer nanny? Examples: Keeping the kids safe, happy, and busy; being able to work in peace; getting the laundry folded and put away etc. Make a list of ‘must haves’ and then rank them. A few things to consider: experience, education, personality, responsibility, communication, cooking, creativity, physical skills, musical abilities, swimming, driving, playfulness and safety. Do you want someone who can drive your kids to activities? Is CPR important to you or is the use of technology ok with you?

Job Description: Write a detailed job description that includes the start date, the job title, hours, general location, children’s ages, the job requirements, and the hourly wage you’re offering. Write your expectations of what the daily schedule is and what type of candidate you would consider.

Advertise your job: Word of mouth is a great way to find someone to care for your children. You can also advertise on social media, craigslist, your church or neighborhood, or on any of the many nanny database websites. Be careful to not publish your last name, children’s names, address or phone number in a public forum. You should create a new email address specifically for people to respond to your advertisement.

References: Always ask for 2-3 references regardless of how you find your nanny or babysitter. Do not accept family members as references. Have a list of questions you want to ask the references about the person you are considering bringing into your children’s lives. Make sure to actually call the references, even if you were referred to the candidate by a trusted friend. Listen carefully to what each reference says. Is the reference happy to answer questions or do you feel like you’re pulling answers from them? Would they consider rehiring the nanny?

Interviews
You should conduct at least two-three interviews with each potential candidate.

1. The Phone Interview: Ask a few pre-selected screening questions. Eliminate candidates by determining if they meet your job requirements. Here are some examples. Can they work the hours you require? What type of wage do they desire? Do they have a reliable vehicle? Are they CPR certified? Do they know how to swim? Be very careful to not ask any questions which would be discriminatory such as age, race, religion, medical issues or personal identity.

2. The Online Interview: You have many avenues which allow you to not only speak to, “meet” your candidates. Zoom, Google Meet, Facetime, just to name a few. Make sure you and the candidate understand the technology prior to the interview. Check your settings, microphone, speakers and lighting. Be free from distractions during the interview. Have a more in-depth questions to ask. Pay attention to not only what the candidate says, but how they say it. Do they speak articulately and are they forthright in their answers? Are they dressed and groomed as if they are applying for a job? How is their energy level and were they communicative?

3. The In-person Interview: This interview can take place in a public place or your home. Have your questions pre-selected. Is the candidate on time, dressed and groomed appropriately for a job interview. A prepared nanny will bring things like a resume, letters of references or pictures, driver’s license, and CPR/Safety certification with them. Observe how they communicate. Are they outgoing or shy? At the completion of the interview, discuss the next steps you will take, like checking references, interviewing additional candidates and when you plan on making a decision.

Create a Written Work Agreement: Once you’ve found the right nanny, you should present an offer in the form of a written agreement. This agreement should detail out the job, responsibilities, schedule, hourly wage, how and when payment will be made. Will you pay weekly or bi-weekly? Paying by personal check or direct deposit? You should definitely consider working with a payroll company to make sure you are paying the correct and legal way. A payroll company will advise you about your responsibilities, tax savings, educational and health savings accounts. Using a payroll company is quite reasonable. You save a great deal of time and headaches because they by fill out and file all the paperwork required, and guide you with tax savings you may qualify for. Homework Solutions offers our clients a free, comprehensive consultation with no obligation. Just mention Choose The Right Nanny!

Background Checks: One of the biggest mistakes parents make is to skip a professional background investigation. Not all background checks are equal. Make sure to use a reputable company. Some companies just do an “instant check”. These are not checking the most current records. Many counties do not update online sources frequently. Missing this step can be a very costly mistake for your family. At a minimum you should make sure to check the Sex Offender Registries, National, State & County Criminal Records, Work Authorization, Driving Records, and social media sites. Be sure to order a drug screen from a reputable lab.

Finding a great nanny to help you will change your life! It can be time consuming screening every candidate; however, skipping steps will put your family at risk. If you are overwhelmed by the process, the team at Choose The Right Nanny is here to help you! We can take over the majority of work with our full-service, or we can assist with any part of the process through our A la carte’ services. Contact us at and we’ll be happy to help you!