We Found Our Nanny! Now What?

Congratulations on finding the best nanny to match your family's needs, that was no small feat! Your almost at the finish line for completing the hiring process, there are just a few more steps you need to take to make this new relationship a success for all. I know everyone is eager to begin the bonding process between the nanny and the children, which is definitely something worth looking forward to, but we have to make sure that our business relationship with our nanny is rock solid too.

                                      

                                                                              

 One of the first steps you can take after you have found your nanny that will foster respect, accountability and a positive relationship between you and the nanny is to create a Family Nanny Handbook. This handbook can be used as a guide, and will help to prevent any future misunderstandings. Include the nanny's job responsibilities and expectations, your parenting philosophy, how to discipline your children and emergency procedures with the emergency contact information. Make sure to address how sick days, and vacations days should be handled. For example.... How much notice will you need from your nanny to plan for back up care for when the nanny should requests vacation time? Also, what is the procedure for calling in sick (live out nanny)?  At the very least the contract should include the who, what, when, where, and how's of the business arrangement. How much are you paying your nanny per hour? How many hours per week will the nanny work? How often will the nanny be paid? Will you pay for when they are on sick, or on vacation? Will they be working on the holidays? Will a family car be available for transporting the kids? Or will the nanny use their own car to transport the kids? You should also outline how job performance evaluations will be done for future wage raises, and what is grounds for terminating the contract for both parties. 

After going over the Family Nanny Handbook it will be clear to your Nanny what their job duties include and your expectations, which will make the talk of a contract stress free. Having a Contract will be promoting job security for the nanny, and the family will now have a commitment that is legally binding. In your contract it should include at the very least the who, what, when, and the how's of the business arrangement. How much are you paying your nanny per hour? How many hours per week will the nanny work? How often will the nanny be paid? Will you pay for when they are sick or on vacation? Will they be working on holidays? Do you have a guaranteed amount of work hours for the nanny? Will a family car be available for transporting the kids? Or will the nanny use their own car to transport the kids? I highly suggest that somewhere in the contract there is acknowledgement that the Nanny has received, read and understands the Nanny Family Handbook. 

Now that you have a household employee you have to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS that is mandatory for tax purposes for employers of Nannies, also known as domestic workers. Will you be doing the nanny's payroll? Or will you be hiring a service like NannyPay to help with the payroll? It is important to note that if you fail to report a nanny as a household employee the nanny doesn't have a legitimate job, and you will be violating IRS Guidelines! So set a great example for your nanny and instill integrity into your interactions from day one.

                                                                                 

Create a schedule for your Nanny. This will help the nanny and the children to have smoother days in the beginning of this new relationship. Let the Nanny know what things on the schedule are non negotiable to change! Encourage your nanny to be creative with the schedule for those times that are flexible. Remember to share any transitions that may be difficult for your child, this will help the nanny to get to know your children better and will help the nanny to prepare better for those transitions. Remain confident that you have hired your nanny with the qualifications that matched what duties you hired them to do, so trust them and help them to be successful at their job in any way that you can. The relationship between a Nanny and their family is a bond that will last forever, they are family!

To keep open communication establish Nanny/Family Meetings. I recommend monthly meetings when you discuss progress of the children in a more detailed way, what is working well, what could be improved, and what lies ahead for the nanny and family as far as days off, family vacations, shift changes at work, etc. Communication is very important and we need to set aside this time to address any important issues as well, without creating emergencies within the business arrangement. The Nanny/Family Meetings are a wonderful way to get positive affirmations from both sides, and it shows respect to everyone involved. Many times we have personal things going on which makes having these built in meeting times with our nannies and families very important. If you feel that there are any personal issues going on with your family that is deemed important enough to share with the nanny the monthly meeting is the perfect time to share this, and also for the nanny to share any personal issues that may be affecting them as well. These meetings will help everyone to stay mindful of each other, and helps everyone involved to stay focused on your shared goals of keeping the children the top priority. 

We, The Geeked Out Nanny Agency offer supportive services  to families that are hiring a nanny. Our support services  include  providing the Family Nanny Handbook, creating the contract, doing payroll (which means the family doesn't have to get an EIN Number), working with parents if need be with the schedule, and setting up  the Nanny/Family Meetings that we are even willing to be a part of. We also help by offering substitutes for days when your nanny is ill or on vacation. When you hire a Nanny from our Agency you aren't just hiring a Nanny, but you are hiring a experienced TEAM that supports the family and the nanny throughout their entire time together.

When families and nannies don't have to worry about the business side of their relationship, they can then focus all of their attention to the excitement of being a family member to each other, and that is when the magic happens!💗