Choosing a Day Care Center

Posted on February 17, 2012 by DayCare

Choosing a Day Care Center

Giving your child care and working at the same time is always hard for any parents nowadays. And because most parents both work to handle their child future and other expenses, it is expected that parents resort to child care centers and services.

Leaving child care to other people isn’t a laughing matter. In choosing a day care center is very important and crucial to the safety and the welfare and as well the upbringing of your child.

Child care is something very common nowadays. Simply put child care means that another person other than the legal guardians, most of the time someone not related to the family, is the one caring for the child.

Day care providers are everywhere. There are many types of day cares the question is which one will be right for you and your child.

According to some families, the best child care will be the one given by your family, a relative like a sister or an aunt or maybe grandparents. But in the western community, other relatives are busy as well. That’s why there are these two types of child care settings: day care centers and home-based child care.

Home-based child care is usually done by family relative or a nanny.           Because they’re being cared of inside the house, the possibility of getting ill is low. Although that is said, a nanny isn’t required to have any certification or whatsoever to take of your child, so be vigilant when choosing so. Also a child taken cared of at home is disadvantageous. It keeps the children in their own world making them unsociable to other children. And because you the parent is always at work, you won’t be sure if your child is well taken care of and receiving good education from the nanny. That’s why day child care centers are more convenient.

Child care centers or more popularly known as day care centers provides nurseries and gives the home like feeling to children. It’s a center where children are able to play interact and learn with other people at the same time.

When Choosing a Day Care Center, you must be careful and vigilant. Remember that the safety and wellbeing of your child lies to the day care provider of the center.

First thing you have to do is to create a list. A list of all child care centers in your vicinity will help you know which one is the nearest to your work place or your home. The also ask around. Ask your friend on what is the best child care center he/ or she knows. The more positive the feedback is the better.

Now you’re narrowing down the list of child care centers. When Choosing a Day Care Center make sure you visit the facility as well. When visiting, take notes oh how many people are working for that center, how many children are there, how clean it is and what food they serve to the children. And most importantly is if they are licensed do so. Licenses are very important; this will tell you if they’re good to perfect, accurate and legible the staff and the center are.

Staffs should at least have a license on basic CPR and have a decent record on taking care of children. The best day care provider is someone who attends classes on child caring and always updates their skills and licenses for this type of work.

You can ask the staff member how long they’ve been working there. If the care givers are always new, then it’s no good. Children would have to adjust to new nannies all the time and that’s really intimidating for any children, they’ll have a hard time adjusting. Staffs should have a warm and pleasing personality. Remember that they will be like a second parent to your children, what they see from adults they may copy. A day care provider with a bad personality can affect the growth of your children.

It is suggested that one adult should handle at least 7 children whose age is 3 years old and four to five children if lower.

Facilities should be perfect. Look if all areas are safe especially the play area. Is the center clean and sanitary? Do they serve the right nutritious food? And do they have enough places and exits in case of emergency? These are the questions you need to find the answer in Choosing a Day Care Center.

Now that you’ve picked out the child care center, determine the prices. Not because it’s expensive it has the best services and choosing a cheap day care center won’t assure you of a good day care provider. That is why research is important. Choose a child care center where your money would really meet what you need. Sometimes the best child care services become expensive due to the training and licenses and other things staffs and centers do to provide quality caring.

And last but not the least is follow-ups. Not because they have great background on child caring doesn’t mean you can just walk out work. Observe if the staffs are doing their job properly. See if they’re interacting well to your children and promotes good values to your children. Observe your children as well. If they are able to easily adapt to the care giver then that’s great sign of development. Make it a habit to visit time to time like in breaks from work. This can assure you the safety of your child.

Now remember when choosing a Day Care Center, make sure you do well research and never settle for second best. The safety and the wellbeing of your child rest in the day care provider’s hands.

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What is a Nanny Share?

Posted on February 6, 2012 by DayCare

Typically a family of two or more is involved in a nanny share. The families work out an agreement to split payments in order to afford her salary. Most nannies will arrange to watch over all the children at one given place,while some will stay at a different house each day of the week (Family A gets Mondays and Wednesdays;Family B gets Tuesdays;Family C gets Thursdays). Together the families will work out a deal that benefits all of them and be able to afford a nanny.

We have discussed nanny shares with four different moms to gather their opinions on how and why they choose a nanny in order to form a productive nanny share that works for everyone.

Some Advantages To Nanny Shares

1.   You get wonderful care at a decent price.  “Basically we get the benefits of having a nanny but at a lower price,” a mother in located in New York says. Nanny share prices vary according to regions. However in this location a nanny share costs a little more than a typical daycare. Stacey King Gordon located in Oakland California,is a mother who for three years shared a nanny and reaped the benefits for extra socialization for her daughter. Not only that,but her child care bill was cut in half.

The nanny watches multiple children,and each child is more likely to get more one-on-one attention than they’re typically use to at a daycare center,most children get to stay in their homes,this may appeal to most parents. Children may be given the opportunity to develop a relationship that nurtures.

2.   Flexibility is key. Most of the parents that were interviewed who were looking for flexibility,found that the nanny shares appealed the most. A daycare center usually have policies that are strict and these apply for holidays and sick days as well as for hours. A nanny share allows you to create your own policies and come to an agreement with what works for you and the nanny.

3.   Kids and Socialization. The parents who we contacted talked about how well their children had behaved with other kids in the given share. “The kid’s built relationships and learned how to respect each other and share,” Ellen Shahan from Hopkins Minnesota says.

Developing Successful Nanny Shares

1.   Do Your Research. When deciding who to negotiate a nanny share with,take your time getting to know the families you intend to share with as well as the nanny you may choose to use. To make sure everything checks out alright,arrange to have background checks done on the members of the family and the nanny. It may help to share a nanny with a family or other families who share the same philosophy of raising kids. Most importantly,make sure the kids get along well.

2.   Get Everything In Writing. Be sure to record everything from hours of work,conditions that apply for sick days and any details you want the nanny to be aware of when taking care of a sick child. Schedules in regards to holidays,pay days,what the children can and cannot eat,activities the kids can or cannot participate in,where and when kids go to bed,supplies needed and who pays for what. Be smart and design a contract that works for you and the nanny,make copies after you both sign it in case anything ever comes up.

3.   Communication and The Ability To Stay Flexible. After everyone has agreed on every detail,be sure to keep communicate often and avoid drama as much as possible. If you choose,maybe agree to have weekly meetings to asses how everything is going and mention things that need changing.

4.   Come to Expect Changes. Despite having advantages,a nanny share can have its disadvantages as well. Though not many,it pays to do research prior to considering a nanny share. A nanny share can be unpredictable in some ways. Such as one family deciding to option out of the nanny share. If this worries you,you should also discuss how to handle situations when someone decides to cancel their part of the share.

A little effort pays off. After doing careful research you can insure that your child gets the one on one time that he or she deserves while providing quality care for your child at an affordable price that works for you and the other families who share the same idea.

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Starting a Home Day Care Center

Posted on January 27, 2012 by DayCare

If you love being around children and want a way to make a living in your own home, consider starting your own home day care center. It gives you the ease of working at home with no worries about pricy gas bills or long commutes. Plus, you get to be your own boss and not have to answer to anyone but yourself.

Steps For Starting A Home Day Care Center

When starting a home day care center, there are some vital steps that you should take. These include:

Legal Considerations

If you want to start a home day care center, you first need to check out the legal requirements in your area. This is a requirement that some people tend to forget in all the excitement. It’s vital to do the research on these so you can get your home in order and meet any requirements such as minimum area per child, number of children you are allowed to watch, or what meals or snacks you must provide.

It’s possible that you will have to be licensed and have taken first aid or CPR classes, or other specific requirements. Other possible requirements are things like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, baby proof electrical outlets, or designated areas for play, naps or meals.

You should also look into how to qualify to receive any sort of government vouchers so that you can take care of low income families and not lose any money. These things and more are essential and your state and local government regulatory agencies should have all the required information.

Money Matters

When you first start out with a home day care center, there will be numerous things that will cost you money. These include things like decorating the area to be used (i.e. painting, posters, etc), kid sized furniture (chairs, tables, cots, cribs, etc), supplies (crayons, paper, toys, etc), and more. If you plan on incorporating a pre-school into your center, you will need educational toys, pre-school workbooks and lesson plans, and other tools for teaching small children.

Many of these things may be deductible the next time you file your income taxes, so it is vital to keep all receipts and records of payments. You should also keep track of things like mileage and gas costs for your vehicle, home expenses such as utilities, taxes, or maintenance as at least a percentage of these are normal deductible expenses usually dependent on the square footage of your office/daycare facilities.

Contracts between you and the parents

Another important factor some people forget is that you need a contract in writing between you and the parents. You can’t just open your door and take care of children without something in writing saying what you will provide, as well as what is expected from both you and the parents. A contract will specify things like costs (regular and late fees), any days you are closed (holidays, sick days), termination requirements (i.e. how many days notice, etc), as well as things like contact information, medical insurance provider, and any issues particular to the child such as allergies, etc.

These are just a few of the things that should be down in writing for you and the parents to sign off on. You also need to have a clause in your contract that states there is a probationary time frame for a new child in case of any unforeseeable issues that would cause you to have to break your contract with the parents due to problems such as being habitually late or things like their child constantly biting or other issues. This covers you and keeps you from being roped into a situation that is unpleasant for all.

The contract will also state things like the daily schedule (i.e. meals times, play times, school times, and nap times). Plus, it could specify if there is a need to have parents volunteer, or other issues unique to your center.)

Marketing your new Business

Don’t forget about marketing your new day care. It doesn’t do you any good to spend money to set it up, and get ready and just expect children to show up with no prior advertising. You can put ads in the paper or through the Internet, put up posters in local businesses or schools, and of course word of mouth between you and everyone you know. Don’t forget to jot down the cost of all this advertising as it is another business expense for tax purposes.

You could even start your own website or blog. This could be a great marketing tool to promote and after things get going it can be used to post articles, pictures, and other information about your center.

Conclusions

These are some of the things that you need to consider when starting your own day care center. This is more than just a job, as you will be helping to shape the minds of little children while providing them a safe, nurturing environment to be in while their parents work. It’s not the same as being a babysitter, as the high quality home day care centers feature many things that will benefit the child such as pre-school, etc. Your day care center should be a welcoming place that the children love and that inspires trust and faith in your ability to provide a safe and fun place for children.

All in all, opening a day care center in your home can be a rewarding experience for both earning money, as well as doing a job that you love. If you have your own children, it also provides playmates for them. It can be a win-win situation for both you and your clients, as you are providing a vital need that many working parents prefer over standardized day care centers or leaving their child with someone who is just going to plop them in front of the TV all day.

So, join in the adventure of opening your own day care center and be sure to follow these valuable guidelines.

 

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Finding Day Care for an Infant

Posted on January 16, 2012 by DayCare

Choosing the right form of childcare for your infant can seem like a daunting task. In today’s world, parents are usually working to make ends meet, friends are doing the same (and often have little or no experience with raising children), and family members live far away.

So what do you do?

First, take a breath. This may seem like a high-stress decision (it is a very important one, at the very least), but once you prioritize and look at the different options available, you can be confident and informed in selecting the childcare for your infant or toddler.

What works best for you?

That is the first question you should be asking. Before you start picking names form the yellow pages, you need to identify whether you want to send your little one to a childcare that’s close to your work or close to your home. You might also want to look into the size of the facility, and narrow things down based on whether you want your child to have a lot of social interaction, or if you want it to be a more personalized experience.

Now that you’ve taken the first steps, you can move onto the next big question.

Licensed Vs. Unlicensed Childcare?

There are valid reasons to go with either, despite what your initial reaction might be. Both have their advantages, so let’s take a look at each one.

Licensed Childcare Providers are those who meet the standards laid out by the individual state regarding taking care of infants, toddlers, and slightly older children. These can come in the form of Family Childcare Homes, which usually offer a mixed-age setting with a greater ratio of adults to children. Often these facilities are actual homes, and the structure is more akin to a family setting, with group games, field trips, arts, and activities. While the cost obviously varies, sending your child to a Family Childcare Home usually rins in the $125-$250 per week rate.

Another option for those parents leaning toward the Licensed Childcare Provider is that of Child Care Center. These typically have more children (separated by age group), and fewer adults on hand than the home setting. The activities are highly structured, and the cost varies quite a bit. As a rule, the cost for sending an infant to a Child Care Center is higher than that of a toddler.

In term of unlicensed, or License Exempt Childcare Providers, these typically fall under the general headings of “nannies” or “au pair.” With these, you have the ability to really shop around, do personal interviews, and see how your child interacts with the individual. You can also ask for references, negotiate prices, and they will come to you, rather than dropping your child off somewhere else each day.

The advantages to a nanny or au pair is that the experience is more personal, you won’t have to worry about a lack of attention, and you can ensure that things get done your way. You can put to rest the idea that your toddler might catch a cold from another kid, and you won’t have to adjust your daily commute.

The cost of nannies and au pairs varies greatly. Some come with live-in costs in addition to a weekly rate of pay. Some will be more expensive based on references. There are even agencies that specialize in nannies who will be able to recommend ones based on your needs and budget.

Lists Are Your Friends

The bottom line here is to do your research. Get out a notepad and break it into columns. Make a list of what is important to you, the budget you have to work with, what you are willing to negotiate on, and those points which are absolutely out of the question. Now write down the possible options in your area, along with their pros and cons. Next, compare those possible childcare options to your list of priorities to see the best fit for the needs you’ve set down.

One Last Note On Research

It cannot be stressed enough that there’s no such thing as too much research when it comes to choosing the right childcare for your infant or toddler. We live in a day and age where information is at our fingertips, and the internet is a great way to not only find daycare centers, nannies, family childcare homes, and au pairs. In addition to finding these places, you will also be able to check reviews from other parents and sift through their opinions and experiences to see how each of these options works for them. Barring all of that, actually go out and talk to people. Remember, parents love talking about their kids, so asking them about what they are choosing for childcare will almost guarantee you a detailed answer.

Not everyone gets Mary Poppins flying through the window to take care of the children and the house and make everything perfect – but with a little organization and research, you can come darn close.

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Finding a Live In Nanny

Posted on January 6, 2012 by DayCare

Finding a live in nanny can be a difficult process that requires lots of intelligence and patience. In essence, you are adding another family member to your household (since he or she will be living with you), so you are going to want to be extra careful when you are looking for a live in nanny. The reasons why someone would need a nanny that permanently lives in their household could vary; some find it more convenient to have their kids taken care of at the house, while others don’t have a local day care center to take their kids to, so a nanny that lives with them is basically their only option. Whatever the reason may be, we are going to cover some of the most important criteria when finding a live in nanny.

What one person sees a good trait in a live in nanny may not be the same as what another person values, so giving a universally-relevant checklist of things you should be looking for in a live in nanny is pretty much out of the question, but there are things that most everybody should know of. One of the most important parts of finding a live in nanny is being able to trust this person; there obviously needs to be a huge amount of trust between you and the nanny, since she will be living in the house at all times, often with no one home except for her and the kids. And while there is no one single way to make sure a person is trust worthy, there are a couple things you can do to help you with this. One would be finding a previous employer of that specific nanny, and calling them to ask a few questions. They will be able to tell you everything you need to know about her, like if she knew what to do in case of an emergency, or if the family ever caught her trying to steal something. Also performing a background check on any potential nanny’s is something that takes very little effort and time (usually around $10-$15), and can give you the peace of mind knowing that you were about to hire a nanny with a criminal background!

Of course, there will be things that nannies are looking for, for people who are finding a live in nanny. For example, the nanny is going to be living with you in your house, so it is going to be unrealistic to expect her to have to sleep on the couch at night. She should have her own room just like any other member of the family, and a separate bathroom is definitely going to be a plus. Rising above all the other things though that attracts live in nannies, is the pay. Remember, you aren’t going to want someone you aren’t particularly fond of living with you in your home, so it is wise to be prepared to pay a little extra money to make sure that you can hire an experience live in nanny that is trust worthy. Finding a live in nanny to hire is not an inexpensive process, which is why most families stick to the traditional day care center. However, if you can afford it, having your own live in nanny will certainly have its perks.

So with a little bit of knowledge gained from this article, and a lot of patience, you should now have no problem whatsoever finding a live in nanny. Just remember that above all else, you are going to want to be able to trust this person.

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Infant Child Care

Posted on December 20, 2011 by DayCare

In this day and age, child care services are only becoming more and more relevant in people’s everyday lives, which is why some people are using infant child care services to their full advantage. This makes sense too, as having a working mother and father is becoming an increasingly common sight these days, so the roll of a mother has to be played by somebody, if the real mom is busy providing for the family by working an office job. It is situations very similar to these that make infant child care services so incredibly popular with people these days, so if you are looking to get into the infant child care service industry, or even start your own child care center, then you are in the right place because that is exactly what we are going to be covering in this article.

When one thinks of a phrase like infant child care services, a child care center with lots of kids usually comes to mind. And while this is certainly one aspect of the term, there are actually lots of other things that also refer to infant child care. Some of you may have occasionally visited a day care center when you were younger, or maybe you have taken a younger sister or brother, so you probably already have some experience with taking care of children, which would make you a perfect potential candidate for an a job that involves something related to infant child care. Employers are going to be looking for people that are good at working with younger children (for obvious reasons), so right away you will have something that other people may not be able to offer. If you do get a job in the infant child care service industry, you may be pleasantly surprised at the money that there is to be earned. Depending on what kind of services you are offering to customers, some parents may be willing to pay top-dollar to make sure that their kid is staying with someone trustworthy and experienced.

If you are looking to pursue a career that is involved in the infant child care services, then you need to start by getting a certification. This can easily be done at either a vocational school or community college, where you will find lots of courses with flexible hours. An added benefit about taking these courses at a place like a community college is that they are pretty cheap; most of these classes will set you back no more than a grand or two. And they are pretty much necessary if you are going to want to start your own infant child care service center, since people will like having the peace of mind knowing that you have been trained and are experienced in what you are doing. Once you have completed these classes, you will be well on your way to having a secure job in the infant child care service industry, which is really worth something considering the pay.

So after reading this article, you should at the very least have a better idea of what to expect when pursuing a job that works with infant child care. There are a lot of things to remember, and more often than not people who start their own day care centers for infants are ill-equipped for the job, forcing them to close down shop. With the proper preparation and research, you can avoid having to worry about this happening to you, and you can start working with our new child care job.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Day Care

Posted on December 14, 2011 by DayCare

Before and after the birth of your child you’ve pondered whether or not to return to work with the aid of a daycare. Sometimes parents don’t get to make the decision. when choosing whether they should return to work or stay home with their child instead of using a daycare. Their options may have been picked for them. One might question how a child who goes to daycare behavior might be different compared to a child that stays at home with parents. Depending on various circumstances,a child who attends daycare may be better prepared than kids who stay home exclusively with their parents. Judith Katz,an administrator from Minee Subee Early Education and Childcare Centers says “While an ordinary daycare may watch over your child with safety in mind until pickup,an extraordinary daycare center may dedicate themselves to helping prepare your child for the future.”

They do this by working on colors,various shapes,numbers,anatomy,and some basic vocabulary to prepare them for reading.”Katz also informs us that usually when children are attending an early education facility,they are given the chance to socialize and interact with various kids of similar age groups. While interacting with their peers they observe manners and learn important lessons like how to share and resolve a conflict. These are very important skills that will prepare them for the future. A child who stays home with a parent or the babysitter don’t gain nearly as much experience. Even so,like every other thing in life,everything has advantages and disadvantages. Sharon Fried Buchalter a clinical psychologist with a Ph. D explains “Putting a child through daycare is a tough  decision and there are many options that suit various families”Buchalter furnished us with both advantages and disadvantages of daycare.

The advantages of a daycare are as follows:

  • A daycare offers a stable environment.
  • A daycare may be less expensive compared to paying for a babysitter.
  • Parents are more inclined to socialize with many parents who may have similar experiences and can help support one another during tough times.
  • Schedules are stable and are great for parents with inflexible work schedules. If a staff member at the child care facility is ill,a schedule is used in place of the teacher. However if the caretaker is sick,the parents may have to stay home with the child.
  • A great daycare facility usually hires staff that is particularly educated in early childhood development and education can help and monitor a child’s progress.
  • A good child care facility will offer many activities for your child to get involved in. Such activities usually include art,several activities centered around reading,and play time.
  • Children interact with other kids and learn social skills, where as a child who stays home may not develop these skills.

The disadvantages of a daycare are as follows:

  • Many parents are overwhelmed by the cost of a daycare. Depending on the salary of each parent,most of the paycheck may go towards paying the daycare bill. It may be best to stay with the child at home instead.
  • Because of the many kids who attend a child care facility, your child may be sick more than usual. It can however make your child more immune to illnesses.
  • Some day cares charge extra for late pickups and or early drop offs. If you are one of the parents who don’t watch the clock too closely,this may add up quickly. For those hoping to catch a break during holidays,this may not be an option for you as some day cares are closed during holidays.
  • Many day care facilities refuse to allow a child on the premises if they are ill. This may be a setback to some parents who can’t afford to take any days off.
  • Not many day care centers can offer individualized attention for each individual child. If you feel your child needs more attention,they may be best staying home with a parent.If you are determined to utilize a day care facility,make sure to check your prospect daycare out first. Check the accreditation,introduce yourself to the staff and talk to parents who have had experience with the facility first. If on the other hand you decide to hire a babysitter or nanny,do a background check and consider their credentials in order to ensure they qualify for the job. In conclusion both parents want a healthy loving and kind environment to entrust their kids to.
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Day Care Supplies

Posted on December 3, 2011 by DayCare

If you run a Day Care center, or even work for one, you will know that there are a lot of things to remember to stock up on when you are in business; these things are day care supplies. There are a lot of things to remember on the topic of day care supplies itself, and it is no wonder some people get really overwhelmed and end up giving up on their business, or making an avoidable mistake that costs them their business. Remembering all of the different day care supplies that are necessary to run a successful business may seem like an overwhelming and difficult thing to do, but after reading this article you should have a much better idea on what you can expect to be buying when operating a day care center.

First things first, the day care supplies that you are going to be buying will depend on what age group you are going to be working with. Some day care centers don’t want to take kids below a certain age threshold, so if this describes your day care center, then you are going to want to take an extra close note of what you should and shouldn’t be buying for you specific age group. Having said that, there are obviously going to be things that will be necessary to purchase, no matter what age group you are going to be working with. For example, some parents may want their kids doing something a little more “educational” while they are at the day care center, so your choice of day care supplies should reflect this. Puzzles, board games, books and other educational toys are all things that parents are going to like to see when they are looking around your day care. Most parents will like the idea you are doing more than just babysitting the kids, and will be very pleased to see a day care center that will be teaching their kids as well as looking after them. This is even more relevant if you plan on charging an above-average price for your day care center, as the parents will be looking for reasons why you think your day care center deserves the higher price.

An important thing about buying day care supplies is that if you are buying a lot of a specific item (like diapers, for instance), the price can add up pretty quickly. This means that you should constantly be on the lookout for new ways to save money, thus running your business more efficiently and effectively. One of these ways is by buying your day care supplies in bulk, whenever possible. This can apply to a lot more things than you may realize, like for instance if you give the kids fruit snacks and juice boxes for a snack, both of these things can be purchased at a local Costco or Sam’s Club at a seriously discounted price. It is little things like this that when added up, can make a huge help when you are looking to buy day care supplies. You can also search the internet to find good prices on day care supplies, so you can take comfort in the fact that you are saving money on buying supplies whenever possible.

If you just use a couple of the tips mentioned in this article, you are sure to get the best possible day care supplies for your center, at the best possible prices. Buying the right supplies for your day care center is hugely important to its success, so as long as you keep these tips in your head, you will have no problem operating a successful day care center.

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Nanny Background Checks

Posted on November 27, 2011 by DayCare

Trust is a huge part of finding a nanny for your children, which is why nanny background checks are so important to use. Let’s be honest- nobody wants a nanny living in their house who happens to have a criminal background. These are people that you will not only be trusting the house and its contents with, but also the thing that matters most if your life: your children. And so some people ask lots of questions during the nanny interview to make sure that they are hiring a trust-worthy nanny to live with them, but the truth is this can only take you so far. One of the single most effective ways to ensure yourself that you are hiring a live in nanny that can be trusted is performing a nanny background check on her. If this sounds like something that you could benefit from, you are in the right place because this article will cover some important things to remember when doing nanny background checks.

As far as we are concerned, there are two separate kinds of nanny background checks that will come in handy when in the nanny hiring process. Firstly, you have you traditional criminal background check that can be performed on anybody. And then, you have a background check where you can call previous employers and other non-relatives to get their professional opinions on a potential nanny. First, we will cover the criminal background check, and then moving on to the other one. While looking up a criminal background check on nanny candidate may not be as useful as you need, there are still many benefits that make it a necessity to anybody who is looking around for a new nanny. Firstly, there are incredibly cheap, so the price paid for a background check is not something to cause concern. They are also incredibly easy to find; plenty of websites are dedicated to this sort of thing, and all it should take to find one of these websites is a simple Google search. Of course, there are limitations to using criminal nanny background checks, like they aren’t going to tell you if she is lazy, or has a bad temper. But considering the time and effort needed to get a criminal background check, it really is a no-brainer for anybody looking to hire a nanny.

The next kind of the nanny background checks we are covering is one that will probably be much more useful than a criminal background check. Here, you will use contact information provided by any nanny’s who are looking for a job to get in touch with people like a previous employer. Be sure to ask things like what her work ethic was, was should particularly good at dealing with kids? Was she more of a liability than a help around the household? Did she quit or was she fired? These are all things that will prove to be invaluable when you are learning about the background of any potential nanny, since they will time and time again prove themselves relevant to employers. Doing a quick Google search of her name may prove to be useful too, as you are going to want to learn everything about her before hiring her.

While the process of using nanny background checks may seem unnecessary or even unethical to some, the reality is as an employer, you have every right to this information. So by taking full advantage of these tips next time you are in the nanny hiring process, you can avoid the headache that is associated with accidentally hiring an unsavory person.

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Finding an Au Pair

Posted on November 18, 2011 by DayCare

Finding an Au Pair

These days many working parents want a more stable form of child care than the standard daycare centers. If they hire an au pair, then it makes the child care person a part of the family. That’s why they want tips on how to find the best au pair for their children. Here’s some information on how to do it.

What do you want in an Au Pair?

When you consider hiring an au pair, it’s a lot more intense than just hiring a baby sitter. She will be living in your home for at least a year and you want to make sure it’s the right person who will fit into your family. That’s why you need to take down some notes about the kind of person you would like and what duties you would like them to perform other than taking care of your precious children.

You should also talk to people who have gone though the au pair experience and who can give you information on how it went and how they chose the au pair the used. Plus, you and your spouse should both be involved in the process of choosing an au pair. If your children are old enough, you might even involve them to some degree since they will be the ones spending the most time with the au pair.

What do I need to do for an au pair?

First, you need to know how many hours the au pair will be expected to be on duty, how much you want to pay for their services, how much spending money you can afford to give them, and how much it will affect yours and her privacy. After all, the au pair will be living in your house and interacting with the family. She will be eating meals, using the bathroom facilities, etc. It’s not like she is someone you can just send to their room when you don’t need child care.

Where do I get an au pair?

There are agencies where you can choose an au pair, or you can get advice from other families who already have au pairs. It may depend on the country the au pair is from as well as to where you hire one. Be sure to hire one from a reputable company. If may take a while to interview several of them until you find the one perfect for your family. You also have to be sure of the regulations that need to be followed for the au pair to live in your country for the year of service.

Most of the time you will fill out a form to show the potential au pair a little about your family, you can add pictures of you and your children, write a special “help au pair” letter and other things the person will need to know about the terms of service if they accept being your au pair. The average pay for an au pair is around $200 a week, but that doesn’t take into consideration things like her room and board.

Choosing an Au Pair

Next, you have to start narrowing down your potential list of au pairs. You can start with phone interviews so you can narrow it down to the ones you want to meet in person. You should also talk to her previous references or families she has worked for, plus do background checks. You want your children to be safe, so this is vital. Plus, you will want an au pair that is fluent in English so she can communicate with you and your family. You will also want to check their medical history to be sure you won’t be dealing with any big issues. Plus, she should have an international driver’s license too.

Once you have narrowed down you list of choices, you can invite them for a personal interview. Or, if you have satisfied yourself, you can just start the process of bringing your new au pair over to the U.S. An au pair can be a male or a female, but they are usually women. The tasks that they are expected to attend to include taking kids to school, picking them up, cooking, cleaning, helping kids with after school activities or homework, etc. It can also depend on the wants or needs of the host family.

Preparing for the Au Pair

Next, you have to get the au pair’s room ready, plus be sure to have all of their travel arrangements and contact number.  Soon you will be meeting your new au pair. All in all, an au pair can be a great addition to your family and the experience of having one in your home will be something you and your children can enjoy. And that’s much better than a day care center because the au pair will be a member of the family.

Where do au pairs come from?

It is possible for Au Pairs to come from places all over the world with the majority coming from places like Germany, France, England, Sweden, Canada, Brazil, or even from the U.S. They just have to be able to get a visa or other permit to work in the U.S. for a year or more. It doesn’t really matter which country your au pair comes from, you mostly want to be sure that they love children and are the type of person you want living with you and your family.

Conclusion

All in all, finding an au pair is a serious process that you shouldn’t take lightly. Be sure to do your research and know exactly what you are doing. Remember, this person will be alone with your precious children and you want the very best for them. That’s why you are choosing an au pair instead of traditional babysitters.

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