Things to Consider when Hiring a Nanny
What should you look for when hiring a nanny? What are good questions to ask before hiring a nanny? And what do I personally wish that I had KNOWN before hiring a nanny?
I’m Lauren, founder of Sleep + the City, and I speciailze in baby sleep worldwide bringing in-home and online sleep solutions that modern parents can understand AND actually see results from. Before I became a sleep consultation, I worked in early childcare centers, and studied early childhood psychology, which led me to begin this business. Once my business grew with two babies of my own at home, I decided hiring a nanny was something I needed to do, but I didn’t know where to start!
Read our breakdown below if you’re considering hiring a nanny into your home, and we’ll walk you through the steps you need to take from start to finish!
First, ask friends and family.
You might be surprised to learn that your cousin is staying home from college this semester, or your neighbor has a teenager looking for some extra work. I know friends that have even had their Moms offer when they brought the subject up!
What should you look for when choosing a nanny?
For me, it starts with location when I’m hiring a babysitter or hiring a nanny. I prefer someone within only 5 miles of my home, just in case of nasty weather, or if I need to pick her up occasionally due to car trouble. I also have learned that having a nanny that’s familiar with my area is great if she’s old enough to drive your kids around to local parks! I’ve had a lot of great luck in my local Facebook groups, or on Care.com. From there, I look for years of experience (not more is always better though strangely!), if she has her own vehicle, and if she has positive references/reviews.
When you find someone you might considering hiring, what do you do next?
When I’m hiring a new nanny, I always invite them over to my house after a quick phone call discussing basic facts (where I live, how old my kids are, and how many days/hours I’m looking for). I ask really basic questions such as:
Tell me about yourself and what you do for fun?
Why did you become a nanny?
What do you like to do in your spare time?
What was your last job like?
What did you enjoy most about your last nanny job?
What did you dislike most about your last nanny job?
What do you think children like the best about you?
I keep the interview pretty casual, talk about my expectations (meals, laundry, cleaning, etc) and always discuss pay range, finalizing an hourly rate via phone call once I decide on who to hire. If I’m feeling really confident towards the end of the in-home visit, I’ll have my children come down to briefly meet them as well.
How much should you pay when hiring a nanny?
When deciding on how much to pay, again, I ask my local Facebook Moms group for the going area rate. On average for two children under five, I’ve seen about $10-$12 for high school and college students, and $15-$20 for full time nannies. Prices do range a bit wider with the number of children you have, their ages, your particular area.
Only I can put my baby down for a nap/bedtime. How do I help a nanny learn to do this?
You’d be surprised how often I hear that nannies actually have an easier time putting babies down for sleep :). It’s important to however walk them through the basics, but give her a bit of room to create her own routines. She may be able to give you some pointers! If you’re both struggling to get baby down for a nap, or baby refuses to be put down (and requires being held for example), you’ll want to look into some nap training, which you can read more about here.
I really want to hire a nanny that can help out at night. What do you recommend?
For night help, I recommend first starting with a plan. You can grab one of my sleep plans via my online sleep classes, or ask if the nanny has some tricks of her own (if she’s seasoned). Talk about how she’ll handle any night wakings and/or feedings, and what you expect her to do while baby is sleeping (she probably can’t stay up ALL night!).