How to find a good nanny?
When searching for a nanny, most parents agree a nanny has to have a specific set of skills. That is right at some point. So, let’s list 6 skills that are essential based on parents'opinion:
1- First
Aid course: It’s the most essential item of the list. Kids
are usually playing, running around, and getting in trouble. When kids get hurt, they need someone who is prepared to deal with emergencies.
2- Experience: It
makes nannies more self-confident and independent, that means they won’t need
so much help from the parents to deal when kids are not behaving so well.
3- Driver’s
license: The longer she has it, the better. She will need to drive the kids
around eventually, and knowing she is a experienced driver, it makes
parents more comfortable.
4- To be
single or married with no kids: Being on her own, probably
will provide her more available time to work, besides that, busy parents
usually need much time.
5- Graduation.
It’s not a requirement but it’s a plus. (nursing and education are more
searched areas)
6 Suitable
personality: She needs to love kids, to be patient, careful,
kind, honest, hardworking, flexible, loyal, respectful, polite, and etc.
However, I have to say that only by looking for specific features doesn’t make the search safe and effective. I really believe,
that’s not enough to choose a good nanny. The most important issue a parent needs to
consider is the nanny recommendations. She needs to have a reference. What she
writes or says about herself is not enough. Parents have to hear about her from
who knows her better or who have verified her background.
Even though those issues can probably be checked
on an interview, and nannies can provide their reference by mentioning families
who they worked for before your family, I question myself: Will busy parents be
able to dedicate enough time to interview several candidates, to call the
referred families , check the criminal background of the nannies, rate them and finally find the right
one to choose? It is too much work for parents who really need to find the perfect
nanny as soon as possible. It takes time to find someone who is loving,
patient, kind, dedicated, hardworking, reliable, able to take care of kids, to
keep them safe, teach and discipline them.
So that’s the reason why I suggest them to choose
a good agency first of all. I think choosing a good agency is not hard, the
parents just have to check their work, how careful they are in the selection
process of the families and nannies, how much support they give and then, let the rest of work for the reliable agency you just pick. The agency will select exactly specific nannies whose profiles
match with the parent’s expectations. That way, they won’t need to talk
to several girls, plus, they will save time and go trough a quicker and trusty process.
Based on my opinion, considering that I have been
on the shoes of a nanny, the second import thing to be regarded besides
choosing an agency is “forgetting the nannies' skills for now”. I know that is kind of
confusing but considering that the agency already selected girls who fit those
requirements, you won’t have to worry about it. The fewer worries, the
better.
The best decision is to hire someone who you and
your family will get along with. Since your kids are going to spend a lot of
time with her, and you will have to give her rules which need to be followed,
that’s why I find that nannies work better when they have a good connection and
a nice and friendly relationship with the family they are working for. Both
needs to see each other sides and difficulties, so they can work it out
together thinking always about the best for the kids.
Children needs happy people around to be happy
too. Honestly, I believe that much experienced nannies are used to act and
discipline in their specific way, if that way matches with the families' beliefs, it’s fine, if not, that’s a problem. Because they would have
difficulties to change it in case their methods are not compatible with the
parents’ approach. I think experience is necessary, but it is not
decisive.
A nanny needs to be more adaptable than
experienced. When the girl are flexible and loving, I am sure it won’t be hard for her to adjust into the family's rules. In this case the parents need to be patient to
teach her, but if she is a perfect match, it won't take long until she is
completely adapted to your family. Agency is the best and safer choice for
families and nannies, because it assures that both sides are nice, reliable and
responsible people.
By Na. Almeida
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