Hiring a nanny is one of those life events you can never really prepare for. The high emotions, guilt, the jealousy and the over-arching stress that all go into the mix, make it one of the least enjoyable aspects of modern parenting.
Your children are the most precious things in the world. How could anyone ever be good enough to take care of them? Would anyone do a better job than you? These questions will be flashing up on your radar constantly as you address the no-nanny issue.
But for many women, to have or have not a nanny isn’t negotiable. Whether it’s a demanding career, single parenthood or lots of travelling with work that pushes you towards the nanny option, it’s never going to be easy to hand over responsibility and care of your cherished little ones.
If you have recently arrived in the city of London, you’ll be fast learning that great nannies are in high demand. This means securing the services of the best child carers takes real application and dogged determination. Your brain may turn to mush at the thought of your offspring being cared for by someone other than you, so read on for some useful tips to remember on your nanny quest…
You are the Boss
Yes, you are – and don’t you forget it. As the employer, you are the one who calls the shots. You say what you want. If you have never employed anyone before, you may find the situation intimidating, just remember that you are not the person being interviewed. It is up to the nanny to convince you they are the person for the job.
Decide what you need
Before launching your hunt, know inside out what you need. Answer all these questions: Do I want a live in or live out nanny? How much cover do I need? Full time, half day or just after school care? How much can I afford to pay? Do I want a nanny who is, young/older, male/female, bi-lingual, a licensed car driver, qualified in childcare and first aid, living locally? Would a nanny share work? Once you’ve worked out the answers to these questions, you’ll be in a position to move forward.
Use a Professional Nanny Agency
If the prospect of all these questions, organisation and planning is beginning to bring you out in a cold sweat, try handing over the reins to the professionals. Fortunately, when looking for a nanny agency London has the best available. The culture of city life is 24/7 and the work and play never stops, so for parents seeking a leading nanny agency London has many options. With a nanny agency, the pool of candidates suddenly becomes much bigger. Choices and preferences become possible and you won’t feel as if you are simply accepting the first and quickest option. Agencies can run security checks, they can fully vet nannies to ensure they are suitable and that they are legally able to work in the United Kingdom. Any qualifications and references can be checked out and awkward topics such as pay and conditions can be hammered out without you needing to become involved.
Ask All the Questions you Need
Meeting a prospective nanny for the first time may be a little like a first date. You will both be pussy-footing around each other a little, but you need to remember to be direct and clear about putting important questions to the nanny. The way a nanny responds to certain queries will enable you to gauge their suitability. Ask them about attitudes to child discipline, how they would soothe a sad or poorly child, get them to describe a typical day with your children, ask them about activities they would use to amuse or stimulate your kids. Allow the nanny and children to meet up and be watchful to see how they respond to them and vice versa. If your maternal gut instinct indicates at any time that this person is not suitable, (for whatever reason), go no further. When you have found ‘the one’, it is perfectly standard practice to have a trial run for a few days or even a couple of weeks – this gives everyone, nanny, parents and children, a chance to see if the arrangement is going to work.
Hiring a nanny can be tough, but when you remember to ask the right questions, go to the correct places and pick out the relevant information, the stress melts away. If your kids are happy, then so will you be. And don’t you forget it…