Last Minute Baking Ideas for Kids!

Great Blog for Cooking and Baking with Your Children!

I have not seen such cute ideas in a while!  This Blog is great, as it accesses many different ideas from all over the web.

Happy Valentines Day!!

Museum Month in San Diego! 

Cant think of something to do with your kids for Valentine’s Day? 

Lucky for you, Macy’s is presenting Museum Month from

 February 1st to the 28th. Museum Month will allow you to save half-off regular admission prices for most museums in the San Diego area, but you must visit a Macy’s Department store to receive the half-off passes before attending the museums. Don't forget to show your children that Valentine’s Day is also a a great day to demonstrate how much you love and appreciate them in your lives too.

For more information and details on this event check out the awesome San Diego Museum Council website and the San Diego webpage:

http://www.sandiegomuseumcouncil.org/events/item/73-museummonth/

http://www.sandiego.org/members/museums/san-diego-museum-council/events/museum-month-half-off-admission.aspx 

Communication is Key for a Successful Nanny/Family Relationship

CELL PHONES for OPEN COMMUNICATION?  

When is ENOUGH ENOUGH?

As a nanny for many years and now as a woman in my 40's, I see how things have changed in the world and within our profession. Cell phones are usually a big "no-no" in the course of our day when we are working with our charges, but cell phones are also essential for communication with our parents, especially if we are nannying for a set of parents that work out of the house. 

However, cell phones, overbearing parents and nannies that need some sense of autonomy can be a big problem when combined all together.  I am not saying either one of the characters on this stage are at fault, but its a great piece to be looked at and considered from both nanny and parent perspective.  

I felt that this was crucial to share.  It is upsetting to read and you can only imagine how the mother felt with the tone and delivery of this from her newly hired nanny.  From a nanny perspective, I think we have all felt this angry at one time or another with the parents we work for, but to actually write and carry out a note such as this is not nice, it is unproductive and it shows the nanny has no couth or maturity.  This could have been handled in a way in which didn't upset anyone if the nanny just sat down with the mother and had a dialogue.

If you have any comments, please email them to us at info@seasidestaffingcompany.com.

Enjoy~

Dear Mom,

I'm VERY upset today. When I checked my phone and saw 5 missed calls and 4 missed text messages from you, I got a little worried. I thought something had happened. The reason I didn't answer your calls and messages was because my ringer was turned off because I was using my phone as white noise for the baby so she could sleep peacefully and so that the toddler didn't keep waking her up every few seconds. He was already acting out and making noise on purpose and she was having a very difficult time sleeping between his banging and her stuffy nose/binky falling out problem.

After an hour or so, I realized I had forgotten my ringer and rushed to my phone to see your barrage of calls and texts. Ok, so I forgot about Gymboree. It was an honest mistake and to tell you the truth, there is *No Way* I can keep track of all the information you give me and all the notes you have for me all day everyday. Your communication style is crazy, excessive and completely unacceptable! You email, call and text me non-stop! You HAVE to understand and respect the fact that I am busy with your young children and that they require my full attention at ALL times.

I feel like I focus on YOU more than your children, and that's crazy to me. I am not the type of nanny who likes to be on my phone all day, texting and emailing and answering calls. I feel like I work in an office and not as a nanny. You have to understand that when you take so much of my time, you distract me and keep me from being able to focus, be organized and do all the things you want done before I leave at 5 pm, including caring for and entertaining your children. I feel frazzled and unable to think when you bombard me with your emails, calls and texts.

You are HIGHLY controlling and bossy and I just can't work with that. Also, you don't need to remind me over and over of things we talked about, agreed on and signed on in the contract, like watering the plants. There was no reason for you to email me about that, it was redundant.

You also have to understand that I am a 32 year-old woman and I don't want to be treated like a child. I have my own style and a lot of creativity, but you make me feel very stupid and incompetent, especially when you try to explain how every child-related item works. I think you're forgetting that I have been doing this for close to 10 years!

I expect my employers to treat me with respect and to understand how important my job is and that it can be difficult at times, especially with multiple children. The way you speak (your tone) in your emails is like a boss/slave type of relationship. For ex: "tomorrow, I'm going to have you do this and this and also I'm going to have you do this", as if I have no choice! I would prefer if you said "Nanny, would you mind doing this for me tomorrow? I understand you're very busy with my children and if you don't get to it, it's no big deal".

I also want to let you know that it is highly unprofessional and unacceptable for you to be contacting me at any time that I am not at work. It's not ok for you to text, call or email me after 5 pm, on the weekends (like last Saturday morning at 7:30!) and when I am on vacation. You were trying to work out the training schedule with me while I was on vacation and that is just plain crazy! I am not on call for you 24/7 and I have other things going on in my life that you have to respect. I need my life and my nanny position to be happy and positive and you really stress me out.

****Please take this as my 2 weeks notice****. I meant to cc your husband on this, but I don't have his email so please feel free to forward this to him.

WHAT MAKES A NANNY AGENCY A “GOOD ONE”?

I am always asked “How is your agency different?” and I always reply, “Where do I start?!”  I think there are many things to consider when you are looking for an agency that can best suit your specific family needs. Each family is different and that is why families have choices in working with a reputable agencies, take the stress off the parents and feel comfortable in the process.  The best place to start would be gathering information from every avenue, from online data bases to high end boutique agencies and everything in between.  Start asking every question you can think of and take notes.  

CALL AND COMPARE

Local nanny referral agencies can be found in publications, online, and in the local yellow pages. 

One of the best ways to be referred to a local nanny or domestic staffing agency is by someone who has already used their service and had a positive experience. Just because you have seen a nanny agency’s advertising all over the place, do not assume they are the best in town. Professional nanny agencies should take the time to invest in a dialogue with you, so that you feel comfortable, leaving you with all questions answered. 

ASK QUESTIONS

Ask the agency representative questions regarding their background and philosophy in connecting Nannies and Families within the community! 

Make sure their answers resonate with your own thoughts on the matter. 

Be detailed in your requests about the company, and ask about the clients and nannies that use their service.

For example, who are the nanny agency owners and what are their backgrounds in? 

How did they get involved in the industry?

What are their personal credentials as well as their agencies?

How have they gained their reputation? 

How do they stay in tune with their industry? 

Do they attend the INA conference and network with one another for the better of their community? 

Are they involved in the community in other ways? 

What larger affiliations are they associated with (APNA and INA)? 

Are they child centered?

Are they knowledgeable about making sure the nanny candidates are aware of the specific ages and stages of the child’s development, so the candidates the agency sends over are appropriate? 

What are the minimum requirements of the agency’s nannies and what skill sets should they have? 

Are the nannies required to be CPR/First Aid Certified?

Can they help answer questions about taxes and payroll?  If they cannot, can they direct you to the appropriate resources that are known in the industry to help with taxes, such as Breedlove and GTM?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

What is the general modus operandi of the nanny agency regarding their interviewing process? 

How does the agency screen their candidates? 

How do they screen their prospective clients/families? 

If the agency has online forms be sure to find out if they also have face-to-face interviews as well. 

Does the agency ask a nanny for a resume? 

Are the nannies required to supply the agency with references, if so what kind? 

This actually might include references for both parties in the process.

The agency should be concerned with connecting a nanny and family based on not just skill set and knowledge base, but demographic, longevity at positions, comments from the references in which the agency spoke with, and personality!

SAFETY & “IN HOUSE” VISITS: 

Ask if the agency does an “In House” visit.  This is a crucial part of the process in finding the most appropriate match, making both the nanny and family experience a positive one, as well as this approach initiates a quick and accurate placement for both nanny and family.

An agency representative will visit the home to assess the family’s own, personal family dynamic, as each family is unique!

The “over the phone” process is a typical scenario when using a nanny agency, however it is usually worth a little more money (if the agency fee is a slightly higher one) if a representative can come into the family home to see the children in their home environment. 

This is also a sure way to guarantee the nanny’s safety. 

BACKGROUND CHECKS?

The nanny agency you decide to work with should offer background checks. 

This should include the minimum of, a Social Security trace, leading to every county the candidate has lived in, and a County Criminal check in every county they have ever resided in. 

The background check should also include a Department of Motor Vehicle report.

Some agencies will also offer a drug screening, sometimes at an extra cost to the client, including consent from the nanny, depending on what state they reside in. 

All states have different laws.  Please make sure to check with the Department of Social Services in your state. 

FEES?

What are the agency’s fees and why? 

Why do some agencies ask for a percentage of the nannies salary vs. flat rate nanny agencies?  (Remember that location and demographic of where you live may have an impact.)

Does the agency require the nanny pay them as well? 

Sometimes a percentage of the hours worked by the nanny are paid to the agency.

Many times, the fee schedule of the agency can also dictate what level of service you can expect. 

For families, ask if the nanny agency charges an upfront, non-refundable retainer and what is it for. 

Does the retainer get rolled into the final agency fee or is it extra? 

What are the benefits to both for you and your family’s budget for choosing an agency that charges “one month’s nanny salary” vs. a “percentage” vs. a “flat rate” agency? 

Many agencies that charge flat rates are very appealing to the wallet, however they might be so inundated with clients, that they might not be able to give you the personalized service that both nanny and client deserve. 

Remember this should be a very intimate process in which can take time, so give your self several weeks ahead to find the perfect nanny for your family. 

GUARANTEE?

What are the agency’s policies with their guarantee?

Note that because an agency offers a longer guarantee on their placement, does not mean anything.  This is a fabulous marketing tool to get your business. 

Agencies that take the time upfront to make sure the nanny is a perfect match for the client ahead of time, their guarantee really does not have to be longer than 3 months, as a nanny or a parent will know if the fit is not comfortable within 3 weeks!

If the nanny that is hired decided to leave within a certain time frame, does the agency replace the nanny for no charge? 

How are the nannies secured within their positions? Nannies need to know they are supported by the agency and if their positions are secure with a contract. 

As nannies are required to make a commitment to the family in whom they are placed with, nannies also need to know there are always open lines of communication and a commitment from the family that employs them. 

This is assured within a nanny agency that is supportive of contractual documents that are offered as part of the agency process!   Ask and see if the agency uses a nanny/family work agreement to help foster open lines of communication as both nanny and family have responsibilities to one another.

Using a nanny agency that has a good reputation in the community is a great place to start the agency process, so do your research!  The questions I have mentioned will hopefully help insure that your nanny/ family partnership will be as efficient, productive and successful as possible: as we all wish for happy homes, nannies, families and of course… happy children!

 Written by, Dara B. Green, Nanny over 25 years, Preschool Teacher, Nanny Agency Owner