Time Management March 22, 2016

I have been nannying for over 25 years now, I actually now have my own licensed nanny agency. It’s a pretty cool business to have especially because I love that I get to share my expertise of this industry with both nanny and client.

In my years of being in the childcare, a lot of parents have asked how I am able to make sure I keep my kids on schedule with all that they participate in and still manage to have the house in order, now I don’t do deep housecleaning, but its kept in order.

My secret is time management. I have to intentionally decide to time everything, and i mean everything. I actually make time for last minute tantrums, and by that I make sure I leave room for crying cause “the waffle was not the flavor they wanted” or  because ” I must wear snow boots in the 60degree weather”. It’s amazing the kind of things that can cause a 15 minute delay to you leaving the house on time for school drop off. Without time management you can be so lost and end up so frustrated.

I keep a consistent schedule of what I do from the moment I walk into the door. The routine is so consistent that the kids know exactly what to expect. Now I know it can sound redundant, but here’s the thing, Kids love routine, they yearn for it, they live for it, they act better with it. Don’t feel like you are being a boring parent or nanny if the schedule is always the same. In fact experts say that daily routines brings feelings of predictability and  security which children desperately need.

Time management is very effective not just in the cooperate world but in the home especially when dealing with children. Time management is not just effective for the children but also for you as the adult. If you are having a challenge keeping time, start by writing down your to do and estimate how long it will take to do each task/activity. If you are starting your routine, make sure you stick to it, it might be hard at first, but they will soon get on the bandwagon. Remember, Don’t quit!!!

 

ETIQUETTE AND NANNY CONTRACTS September 14, 2013

by guest blogger Nathan Hammons, Esq.

A nanny contract is simply an employment agreement between parents and their nanny. Many parents, and nannies, have never seen one. For that reason, a nanny contract can be intimidating.

A nanny contract, however, doesn’t need to be scary. In fact, it’s a great tool for both parents and nannies. It addresses items like pay, work schedule, and job duties, as well as other important topics such as time off, job benefits, and even driving privileges.

Because it’s such an important tool, nannies and parents should strongly consider using a nanny contract.

That said, there are good ways and bad ways of approaching nanny work agreements. Here are some useful tips.

#1 – Don’t Presume

If you’re a parent, don’t presume that your nanny has seen or used a written work agreement before. And if you’re a nanny, don’t presume that the parents have seen or used one, either.

#2 – Educate, Educate, Educate

Don’t start by giving the other person a contract to sign. Rather, say you’re interested in using a nanny contract and that you’d like them to consider it.

Next, point the parents or the nanny to an independent resource. You can find many good resources on the web by simply Googling “Nanny Contract”. Alternatively, if you’re using a nanny placement agency, ask if they could spare a few minutes to explain nanny work agreements.

#3 – Give the Other Person a Sample

After everyone’s been educated about what a nanny work agreement is and the benefits of using one, find a good sample or template agreement online. It’s usually best to use one in Microsoft Word format so that changes can be made, if needed. Give the sample to other person (the nanny or the parents), and give them a day or two to review it.

#4 – Have a Face-to-Face Meeting

Next, have a face-to-face meeting so that you can review and discuss the nanny contract. Walk through it line by line, and fill in the blanks.

If you’re unsure of something, such as whether the nanny should have driving privileges and who should pay for her car insurance, revisit the issue after you’ve had time to think about it.

#5 – Distribute a Completed Contract

The parents should next complete (i.e., fill in the blanks) the nanny contract and send it to the nanny for review and signature. The nanny should be given at least a few days to review it and consider it.

If you’re a parent, don’t give it to your nanny and say, “Sign here”. She’s a professional and should be given time to review the contract by herself, in the comfort of her own home.

#6 – Agree to Reasonable Changes

The parents and the nanny should agree to reasonable changes to the work agreement, if needed.

For example, the nanny might agree to work the Fourth of July in exchange for having Thanksgiving off. Or the parents could agree to give the nanny 5 days of paid time off, provided she notifies them at least 2 weeks before taking a vacation.

#7 – Schedule Time to Discuss the Work Agreement

After you’ve signed the nanny contract, don’t forget about it.

Rather, once or twice a year, perhaps during an annual performance review, review the nanny contract to make sure everything’s in good order. If any changes need to be made, make them by amending the nanny contract.

#8 – Raise Issues Early

If the parents or the nanny aren’t following the nanny contract, raise the issue early. Otherwise resentment will grow, and it will be harder to reach a resolution.

If you need to raise an issue, do it in a professional way, trying not to point fingers at the other person. For example, say, “Our nanny contract says this, but we’ve gotten in the habit of doing that. Let’s discuss what we should do in the future and whether the contract should be changed.”

In conclusion, don’t be intimidated by a nanny contract, and ask for help if you need it. It’s well worth it in the long run.

Nathan Hammons is an attorney in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He’s also a father and the creator of MyNannyContract.com, a website with information about the legal issues of nanny care and a professionally written nanny contract. He can be contacted at nathan@mynannycontract.com.

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THE ABC’S OF ESSENTIAL NANNY VITAMINS March 20, 2013

ATTITUDE- A great attitude goes a long way, an attitude carries an altitude of how you will proceed with your day. An attitude is contagious and as a nanny you become a role model to the children that are under your care, so a positive attitude is vital.

BELIEVE- As a nanny, you must believe in what you do. A great nanny is unable to reach her maximum potential unless she can believe in her skills.

COURAGE-its defined as a quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc. Courage is a characteristic a nanny must have in order to be effective in caring for children. You cannot be afraid, or else the children pick up on it and adopt it as their own characteristic.

DETERMINATION- you must be determined to make a great impact in the children’s lives. You must be able to have the capacity to establish the right guidelines in a child’s lives.

EFFERVESCENCE- you have to portray an enthusiastic behavior towards the children you care for. Children need to know that they can be free to express themselves without being put down

FRIENDLY- a nanny that shows kindness will find it easier to relate with children. In order to build a trustworthy relationship with the children you have to prove to be friendly.

GREGARIOUS- you have to be a nanny that is sociable and willing to be in the company of other nannies.

HONEST- they say honesty is the best policy. Being able to be honest with your clients is a valuable character that no money can buy. Honesty creates an open line of communication, which is what you want

IMAGINATIVE- you have to be creative and be able to come up with ideas on how to keep the children busy and entertained that will instill both educational and developmental skills.

JOYOUS- A happy caregiver makes a happy child. A sad countenance relays insecurity towards the children, so making sure you are happy in the presence of the children is very important

KNOWLEDGEABLE- A nanny that is knowledgeable can be very valuable to the family she works for. Take time to keep yourself updated on safety concerns, health foods, e.t.c

LOVE- is what they say makes the world go round. A nanny without love is like the day without the sun. Love promotes growth in the inside and out. Children need to be loved.

MATURITY- A nanny must also prove that she can be able to psychologically respond to a circumstance or situation in an appropriate manner.

NURTURER- children need to feel nourished emotionally, so it is important for a nanny to cultivate a nurturing spirit

OPEN-MINDED- being able to be receptive to ideas in a moments notice is essential. Children love to come up with creative imaginative ideas and having a nanny that can be pliable and open-minded is ideal.

PATIENCE- Is having the ability to bear, no nanny should ever care give without the ability to bear with children’s unpredictable behaviors. This is one of the most important characteristics every nanny must have.

QUINESSENTIAL- if you can represent the most perfect or typical example of what a caretaker should be, it will definitely be of value to the children you care for. They will carry that example for the rest of their lives and will probably practice the views they have learned from you to the people around them

RESPONSIBLE- a nanny has to prove to be accountable and have the capability to make mature rational decisions.

SUBMISSIVE- a teachable spirit goes a long way. Being able to listen to your employers is valuable. Remember you are hired to enhance THEIR family values not lead yours.

TIME-MANAGEMENT- without having the ability to manage time, developing an effective schedule or routine is impossible. Children are most responsive to routine so the ability to be time conscious is a plus

UNIQUE- what positive thing or character about you makes children drawn to you? You cannot a strong effective nanny if you are looking to compare or compete with other nannies.

VIGOROUS- a nanny has to possess physical and mental strength.

WITTY- laughter is medicine to the soul. Being able to characterize humor is important to the children.

X-RAY- examine yourself daily. Are you emotionally/ mentally stable and capable in giving yourself wholly to children without losing your cool in a moment’s notice?

YIELDED- be a nanny that is willing to give yourself as required to the children needs.

ZEALOUS- You cannot be an effective nanny unless you are passionate in what you do. When you are zealous about care giving it becomes more than just a duty, it becomes a true passion.

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HOW TO BABY PROOF A HOUSE IN FIVE EASY STEPS September 17, 2012

 

Keeping your child safe is arguably the most important thing in the world when you are a parent, making sure that little Danny doesn’t fall down and skin his knees, or that Sarah doesn’t touch the dog next door are some of the things that people focus on when they have children. However, even with all of the elbow pads, knee pads and helmets in the world, children are never safe until you focus first on making your home a safe place for them.

 

Parents often overlook the most obvious place of danger in a child’s life, their own home. Often these places are seen as safe and secure for your child to wander around, if you’re in the next room nothing bad can happen to them, right? However, with all of the every day objects that can be pulled apart or chewed on, it takes a little bit of effort to keep your child safe and healthy in their own homes.

 

Safety in the home is not difficult to manage as long as a few important steps are looked over and maintained as your child grows from a wiggling crawling baby to an explorative and curious toddler who’s just itching to grab a hold of something and examine it.

 

Lock Up and Hide Anything Digestible.

 

Most cleaning products and bathing products contain sweet and savoury smells to make them more appealing to use. Unfortunately, not only does it appeal to you, but it appeals to your child as well. Young children like to constantly taste test what they think might taste good, and a good indication of what tastes good to them is how it smells.

 

If you take the extra time to put a few locks on the doors to the cabinet that are used to store those chemical cleaners you may use on your floors or furnishings, a poisonous drink of bleach followed by a trip to the ER can be prevented. Children won’t be able to get into your cabinets or at least it will take them a lot longer to even try, giving you time to discover what they’re doing and put a stop to it.

 

Get Rid of Tiny Pieces of Things.

 

Take a look at your floor, are there marbles rolling around or other small toys that could be choked on? Same with anything on your coffee tables and stands, if the surface is at a level a child could reach with ease, it is safer to clean it up. Get rid of anything that has tiny parts that can be easily pulled off and put into a small child’s mouth. If it’s something that can’t be gotten rid of easily, then place it somewhere where your child cannot reach it. Either in a locked cupboard or on a surface too high for them to reach the top of will do.

 

Secure Items that can be Easily Tipped Over.

 

Nothing is more terrifying than the possibility of your child reaching to grab something off of a table and knocking the whole thing over on top of them. Items that have even the slightest chance of toppling over with any amount of force that could be provided by a toddler should be bolted to the ground or secured in such a way that there is no chance of the child knocking something that they shouldn’t on top of them.

 

Not only avoid having furniture around that is prone to toppling, don’t leave things that can be pulled down within reach of small children. Things like tablecloths shouldn’t be left hanging over the edges of tables, especially when dishes or lamps are left on top of them as it can be easy for children to pull them down.

 

 

Watch out for Sharp Corners/Tight Squeezes.

 

         This should go without saying but managing to tape up or pad any sharp corners on tables, chairs and any furniture can mean the difference between stumbling around on new baby legs, falling and ending up with a little bump on your head or ending up with a huge cut on your head. Sharp corners can be dangerous on little toes, fingers and heads so you will want to make sure that those stay covered and that cabinet doors that don’t hold chemicals are slow closing so that little fingers don’t get pinched in between the hinges.

 

Keep an Eye Out for Trouble.

 

         One of the easiest ways to secure your children’s safety in your home is just by simply keeping a careful watch on them. Just because your child is at home with you doesn’t mean they are safe in another room. Keeping a close eye on them when they are playing can mean more than any baby-proofing can. How much trouble can someone get too if their parent has a constant surveillance on where they wander and what they pick up or touch.

 

         It’s also a good idea to keep an ear out too, listen to what your child is saying if they can speak or listen to what they are touching if it makes a sound. If you hear anything going on that shouldn’t be than it’s a good idea to keep a personal eye on them so that they don’t get into mischief.

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MUSTELA- NO RINSE CLEANSING FLUID July 25, 2012

So of course, Mustela products are hands down the best baby line products the french have had to offer in my opinion. In my 19 years of experience, mustela has never left me disappointed. My personal favorite product is the “no rinse cleansing fluid” aaahhh, I’m simply in love with it, it cleans with no rinse necessary and on top of it’s magic, it just smells divine. For e.g, when changing a diaper that’s full of poo, sometimes the wipes just seem to need alittle more water to get it it all out, but if you have this cleansing fluid, all you do is pump afew drops and voila!! not only do you get a clean toosh but one that smells fresh. You can also use it for hands and face… c’est bien!!!

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click on this link to buy it:
Mustela PhysiObebe No Rinse Cleansing, Diaper Area – Face 10.14 fl oz (300 ml)

How to chose a good baby stroller June 26, 2012

Baby strollers are one thing that you cannot do without, so choosing the right stroller to suit your needs is very important. With alot of variety to choose from, you must first assess your lifestyle needs. Choosing the wrong stroller can be very frustrating and inconvenient. Also before you can buy a stroller, always go on the web and check for customer reviews, you always want to hear from a person that has experienced it. Here are some of the things to consider when shopping for one

Safety features:
A child’s safety is always number one on the list of consideration when buying any baby paraphernalia. check out the braking system, the harnessing system, a five-point harness system is always best. look out for pinch points and sharp objects.

Convenience:
After being a nanny for over 19 years, i have come to realize that its always about convenience, a stroller that opens up and closes easily is a fantastic stroller. Taking care of a little one is hard work, so who needs to add more difficulty by buying a complex stroller?

Storage:
I have dealt with strollers that have minimum storage space. Not good!! You need a stroller where you are able to store as much as you can, not necessarily overload, but being able to have enough storage pockets are a plus to have

Drivability:
Check out how it drives, how does is maneuver? make sure it hugs the corners smoothly when pushing it. Also make sure it rides on bumpy roads smoothly and that its easy to push. If you live in a hilly and steep community, you want to make sure that the stroller can adopt to such conditions.

Adjustability:
Does the handle adjust to suit the height of the one pushing it? Does the seat adjust from sit down position to a lie down position? in case you are out during nap time, you want to be able to know that you can adjust the stroller accordingly. Do the harnesses adjust easily? These are some of the questions to consider

Additional features:
Features such as trays and cupholders are great to consider when choosing a stroller, you always want to know that you can add those features when need be.

Here is a link to one of my favorite strollers:

Baby Jogger City Mini Single Stroller, Sand/Stone

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Bumkin Bibs!!! June 14, 2012

One of the many challenging duties as a nanny/caregiver is dealing with bibs… arrrghh! It’s not the use of the bibs, its the cleaning of the bibs. Especially the cloth bibs, i almost detest those kind, and don’t let the stage one carrots that come in a jar spill on them. The stain the carrots have to cloth bibs are almost impossible to clean out!

I have recently come across bibs that are so easy to clean, they are called bumkin bibs…they are phenomenal!!!! they are light-weight, stain free, fast drying and extremely easy to clean!!! I strongly recommend these bibs and your clean-up time will be worth the while…

click the below link for your new bumkin bibs:

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0X0 HIGH CHAIR June 13, 2012

Hey there parents and caregivers,
In my 19 years of nanny experience, I have come across alot of various baby paraphernalia that work and some that just don’t.
When caring for children, i believe in products that are efficient and products that contribute in making your duties as a caregiver easy and hassle-free.
High-chairs are a necessity, the search for the right high chair is just as overwhelming as searching for the right car. There are some key things to consider when seeking out a high-chair, such as durability, safety, comfort, stability, longevity, multi-functionality, adjustability and it’s easy-to-clean feature.

I have come across this great high chair, that i believe addresses all the key needs when in search for a high chair. Its the high chair I currently use now and i must say it’s fantastic! I know it will bring you as much joy as it has brought me.

click this link below for your new OXO HIGH CHAIR

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