Ask Them These Questions Before Hiring a New Nanny.
When I was about 12 years old, I started to look after a couple of children from time to time who lived across the street from me. My friend was their constant nanny, but when she could not be there on a certain day, they called me in as help. These are literally the only reasons they hired me – because Lindsay (another 12-year-old boy) vouched for me, and I lived in several houses on the block.
If they had asked me if I had ever sat before, I would have answered in the negative. If they asked me if I have any experience of caring for young children or even interacting with them, it would again be negative. I didn’t even really like small children, I did it only for the money. I managed to keep these kids alive (and had to watch The Princess Bride several times), but now it occurs to me that their parents really should have tested me a little more.
Whether you use child care services such as Care.com or deviate from a friend’s recommendation, it is important that you hire your new nanny with due care – you need to make sure you trust the person who will be responsible for your wellbeing. your child. But if you’ve never hired a nanny before, it can be difficult to know where to start. Here are some key general topics that you should definitely address.
Start with some personal questions
It might sound a little intrusive, but it doesn’t have to – after all, you are hopefully going to be building a relationship with this person, so it’s important to get to know him. If they are in school, ask what they are learning or about their favorite class. Ask them if they participate in any sports or extracurricular activities. Ask what they like to do in their free time. Ask about their family and if they have siblings.
It doesn’t have to be a grill. It should be more of a direct conversation – you should also talk about yourself and your family. You may find that you have something in common, and their answers can give you an idea of whether they fit together or what they can do with your kids while they are together. For example, if they are into cycling, perhaps they can bring their own bike and take the kids for a bike ride around the area. Or, if they love to read, maybe they would like to take the kids to the library.
Immerse yourself in their experience
This is really the essence of the interview: what is their experience? Have they looked after before or do they have other experience, such as caring for younger siblings or maybe some kind of education in childcare? Do they have experience with children of the same age as yours? Ask about any first aid or CPR training they’ve gone through – and if they didn’t, would they be ready? Do they have experience with putting children to bed and what methods have worked for them?
Be sure to touch on their philosophy of discipline and how they have dealt with behavioral problems with other children in the past. Ask if they’ve ever been to a child care emergency, and if so, ask how they dealt with it. You want to understand their grooming style and see if they can react quickly if something goes wrong. You can also try giving them some scripts and asking how they handle them. (For example, you leave, and the child will not stop crying for you. Or the child has a diaper inflated. What are you doing?) If they are old enough to drive and need to take the children wherever they go, ask if they have a license. and disability.
If they have previous experience, ask for referrals from other families they have worked with over the phone. If they don’t have experience, ask for other references, such as a previous boss or teacher, so you can ask these people questions about their work ethic or reliability. And be sure to ask their pay rate so you can confirm that you are on the same page about this.
Determine what is comfortable for them
Before hiring a nanny to come to your home and take care of your children, it is important to have a good understanding of the tasks they are comfortable with. Maybe they don’t want to be in charge of cooking, or maybe you have pets that they will be responsible for as well. If one of the children is not potty trained, he will need to learn how to change diapers. You may be hoping that the older children can help with homework if needed. You can also ask if they are willing to watch the games (for an additional fee) or take on light housework while the children are napping or playing. In any situation, it is important to make sure that both of you understand in advance what responsibilities this job entails.
While we’re still in a pandemic, you’ll also want to ask some of these questions about their potential impact and how distanced their lifestyles are. And you’ll want to get a feel for how flexible their schedule is, the days and times they are most likely to be available, and how many notifications they would like to receive when you want to hire them (if it isn’t on their regular schedule).
A good way to end the interview is to ask them what is the hardest part about babysitting; this will give you an idea of where you might need additional information or support. Finally, after the interview is over, take some time to ponder their responses and consider if there are any red flags or things you need to clarify before you officially hire them.
If you are still unsure, but think you can hire them, you can also ask if they are willing to do a “test run” in which they will observe the children while you are at home so you can feel better if they are suitable for your family.