What to look for before finalizing a nanny for your child

What to look for before finalizing a nanny for your child

After the birth of my second child my husband and I decided to hire a nanny for our two kids. As a full time working mother I had many apprehensions about hiring of nanny especially for my little one.  With so many thoughts in my mind I sat down and tried to pen a few essential to do’s which the nanny should possess and where do I begin?

I finally began my nanny search by asking friends and family for recommendations; by going online to websites, local message boards and by registering with a nanny placement agency. A usual trend suggested that parents give themselves three months to find a nanny. It can take a while to find someone you trust and can rely on. So we began interviewing a few candidates which was the most imperative part of choosing a nanny, below are a few points that we jotted down before we finalized on a nanny:

1. Background check
2. Educational qualification
3. Any past experience with new born?
4. Age of the youngest child you have cared for?
5. What type of activities do you do with the infants?
6. What type of things you do to deal with a fussy baby?
7. Have you ever had an emergency with an infant, if yes please share it with us
8. Tell us about your typical day with a toddler or an infant

Finally the interview happened and I sat down with the candidate I selected for my little one. I explained to her “Nannying can be a much bigger commitment than you first realize. When you will begin initially you are naïve and things are novel so everyday tends to be easy and fun. However once time passes by, the job becomes a bit challenging and takes a toll on you. Please don’t get me wrong”, I told her, “being a nanny is the most rewarding job you will ever have. The things you will teach to my children will affect them for the rest of their lives. When you will teach them things like sharing, and then see them do it in public you will be delighted and these little moments will remind you of how important your job is. You will be a major part of my kid’s life and when they will grow, you will also grow. Your milestones will be their milestones because you helped them get there.”

I know I made it sound like hiring a nanny is a scary responsibility but when you do it right the rewards are endless and magical.