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A live in nanny’s space

Live in nannies offer great flexibility and be cheaper than a live out nanny, but do you have enough space for another adult living in your home?

Unlike an au pair a live in nanny is not part of the family. She (or he) will probably want to clock off at finishing time and spend their weekends independent of you. This means she may want to prepare her own meals at different times to you, use the bathroom after a leisurely lie in on a Saturday morning or have friends over. It also means she’s likely to be spending a significant amount of time in her room so it needs to be somewhere relatively spacious and comfortable.

If you’re reading this and panicking because you don’t like in a mansion, don’t worry. There are some simple things you can using your existing space to better advantage.

Bathrooms

If you only have one family bathroom then your nanny will have to share. If you have a room with an en suite consider giving that room to your nanny (unless it’s the only room that can fit a double bed), as you’re less likely to be disturbed and they can be more private. Otherwise you nanny can share a bathroom with the children but you need to uphold your end of the bargain and only use your bathroom, which if your en suite only has a shower may wear thin after a while.

Nanny’s bedroom

Be creative with your use of the space. You can get all kinds of bed/storage solutions – remember that you nanny will be bringing everything she needs for every season with her. Unlike au pairs she probably won’t need a desk, but she’ll appreciate a comfy chair. Most nannies these days have a laptop or tablet and watch their favourote shows or films on catch-up or using netflix so there’s no need to find space for a TV. A full length mirror is usually appreciated, and if you don’t want things stuck to the walls provide a pin-board. Keep decoration and linen fairly neutral so your nanny can easily put her personal stamp on her room.

The living room

However nice you make your nanny’s bedroom she won’t want to stay in it all the time. If your children have a playroom then offer her that space to use in the evenings, if not then set out your expectations about the living room. It’s reasonable for you to want to have some couple/family time too.

The kitchen

This can be the trickiest room in the house to share. Nannies often eat with their charges, but at weekends you need to decide whether you’re offering your nanny the option to eat with you or not. If not then it’s important to let her know when it’s okay for her to use the kitchen, particularly if you prefer to take over the entire room to prepare elaborate meals! Allocate your nanny a shelf in the fridge or freezer for her food, or better yet put a mini fridge into her room. You can also provider her with a kettle to make a cup of tea or coffee so she doesn’t need to come down in her PJs if she fancies a cuppa.

Before making the decision to have a live in nanny, first thing about how you’ll use the space to accommodate someone else living in your home. When you get the right person it can be a brilliant choice!

Puddle jumping

It’s springtime, it’s a tiny bit warmer but it’s still pretty darn wet! What better way to make the most of this than to go puddle jumping?

“There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappopriate clothing” – Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Many parents and nannies believe that every day, rain or shine, children can get out and about. With a good set of waterproofs, plenty of layers and some sturdy welly boots everyone can get out to play. If you do get wet then when you get home dry off, change clothes and warm up with a hot drink. Hot chocolate tastes even better when it’s going into a chilly tummy.

Jumping in puddles is just a natural childhood instinct. It’s also a way for children to see that they can have a big effect on the world around them. They can spend ages jumping in and out of puddles, watching the water fly everywhere and then return to its tranquil state or examining reflections or making water muddy and watching it settle again. This is the start of science, in a playful way.

Puddle jumping a universal game. There’s a little spark of childish glee in all of us when we see a puddle and we get to jump in it. Don’t hold back! Children thrive on experiencing fun alongside adults and are encouraged by adults participating.

“Childhood is a state of mind which ends the moment a puddle is first viewed as an obstacle rather than an opportunity” – Unknown

So what will it be? Obstacle? Or opportunity?

Last one to get their welly boots on is a banana!

Nanny Share — the Affordable Childcare Solution

Carla Whiting outline the economical way to enjoy professional nanny services

 

Nanny share is a fantastic way to make childcare affordable. The advantage is that the cost of a nanny is shared between two families under one umbrella agreement. This agreement covers the nanny’s services, tax payable, food, vehicle insurance and other items, depending on the arrangement. Care of the children can take place in the home of one family, or be split between the two homes. There may also be cases where the nanny cares for different children on different days of the week.

Often nanny shares are found through local acquaintance. Alternatively, using an agency can access an established pool of resources. An agency can then organise a family introduction, help clarify the terms of an agreement and find a suitable nanny.

A shared nanny ¡s recruited by an agency in the normal way. The agency can pass the candidate’s details to both families and ensure that the nanny is happy with the share agreement. Some nannies will expect a slight increase in pay, depending on the arrangement that is made.

At Brilliant Nannies we want to help more parents enjoy the benefits of personal nanny care and the more families who register, the more nanny shares we can establish. Today, many families need more than care from 8am to 6.30pm. Work schedules are increasingly fluid and a nanny offers additional flexibility to accommodate this. Furthermore, you benefit from a playmate for your child, childcare in the home environment and a cost that’s within budget! What could be better?

 

Carla Whiting is founder and CEO at Brilliant Nannies, a nanny agency based in the Richmond Borough and servicing London, Middlesex, Surrey and Overseas. Brilliant Nannies are experienced at setting up nanny shares. For more information, visit www.brilliantnannies.co.uk

Meet the agency: Brilliant Nannies

This month we’re meeting Carla Whiting, CEO and Founder of Brilliant Nannies

 

How long has your agency been established?

Over 2 years ago

 

What inspired you to start or work for this agency?

I’m the founder. I was inspired to set up my own business thinking that I could combine my vast experience as a nanny in and my previous and solid experience with recruitment.

 

What areas do you cover?

All London areas, Surrey, Middlesex and Overseas

 

What are the minimum requirements to register with you?

Nannies: Have at least 1-year experience with childcare (nanny or nursery), up to date DBS check, First Aid Certificate and good references. Candidates must be able to come in for a face-to-face interview with us.

 

What do you look for in nannies that come to register?

If they are punctual, if they look clean, neat and professional, knowledge of children development, First Aid, hygiene, cooking skills, their methods of discipline, commitment, their ideal job, potty training and weaning experience.

 

What do your clients expect to see in a nanny?

Years of experience and commitment.

 

How can nannies improve their chances of getting a job through you?

Having their certificates up to date, also doing courses and getting qualified. Nannies looking for a job must do their part which is keep an eye on our website and our Facebook page to be able to apply for new jobs as soon as they are posted. Childcares shouldn’t wait for us to call them as we rarely do. We sent out newsletter a few times a month only but we advertise daily on Facebook and Twitter.

 

What post-placement support do you provide?

We are an introductory agency but we try to help with everything we can. We send families a contract sample and we recommend options of payroll agencies. For nannies we tend to advise them and we are open to help if there is a problem.

 

What’s your top tip for nannies looking for work?

They should have their certificates up to date and have a good CV with their photo and all childcare experience in it. Children’s age and activities on their employment history must be done for each job as well as ‘Reason for Leaving”.

Travel first aid kit

Whilst being outside and exploring is a fun way for children to spend their time, sometimes these activities can lead to accidents. Common injuries that can occur include cuts and grazes, bumps to the head, sprains and foreign objects in the eye.

It’s always a good idea for parents and carers to be prepared by carrying a travel first aid kit. This means you can usually deal with any small incidents immediately, rather than having to find a first aider on site. Make up your own first aid kit or buy a small one to keep with you at all times.

Essential items include:

Small and medium bandages

Triangular bandage

Plasters

Antiseptic wipes

Nitrile gloves

Eye wash

It is also good to have a cold compress to treat bruising.

If a child has a more serious injury or you do not feel confident dealing with the injury, call the emergency services immediately to ensure they are treated correctly. Always have your mobile phone charged so they can be called should the need arise.

This blog was written by Train Aid, who provide paediatric First Aid courses suitable for registration on the OFSTED voluntary register. You can find upcoming first aid courses on the message board calendar.

Food allergens and nannies

As of December last year businesses providing food, which includes childcare providers, have to give information about the allergens in the food they provide. This applies not only to home-made food but also pre-prepared food bought and served when out and about. In practice children are unable to make their own decisions about avoiding allergens so it’s important to communicate with parents about foods to avoid, what you will be serving, and when their children have consumed allergens.

The legislation applies to 14 allergens:

  • Celery (this includes celeriac)
  • Cereals which contain gluten such as wheat, rye and barley
  • Crustaceans (eg crab, lobster and prawns)
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Lupin beans/seeds
  • Milk
  • Molluscs (shellfish, snails, squid etc)
  • Mustard
  • Nuts eg almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecan nuts or pistachio
  • Peanuts
  • Sesame
  • Soybeans
  • Sulphur dioxide/sulphites (a type of preservative) above 10mg/kilo or litre.

Nannies tend to cook food that parents provide, so the parents should be aware of which allergens are available for consumption. It’s worth noting down in a communication diary what allergens were contained in the food consumed that day. Similarly if eating out inform the parents what allergens were present in writing, so make a habit of noting down food information when out and about.

 

NB Self-employed nannies, as a business, do have a responsibility to provide this information, like nurseries and childminders.

Sensory bags

Fancy some sensory play without the mess ? Help is at hand in the form of sensory bags. Just fill up a ziplock bag, shut it and for extra security tape it shut.

Try:

Paint – either one colour or two colours in opposite corners of the bag so they can be mixed

Hair gel and glitter

Cornflour and water

Shaving foam and a few drops of food colouring

Oil and coloured water

Sand and water

Miniature toys or googly eyes and hair gel or water

 

You can also create windows in bags by taping over part of the bag and just leaving a few gaps. Children can manipulate objects until they can see them and watch them appear and disappear from view.

Questions to ask nannies at interview

Even if you’re an experienced recruiter thinking up questions to ask a potential nanny can be tricky. Here’s a list of useful questions for you!

 

Professional training and experience

What qualifications do you have? Why did you choose to study those?

Did you qualifications involve placements? How long did you spend on placement? What kind of setting were the placements?

What course/part of the course did you enjoy most? Why?

How long have you been working with children? How long have you been nannying?

What’s your experience with weaning/potty training/babies/toddlers/school aged children?

Tell me what you did with X family (look at their CV).

When did you last update your First Aid certificate? Have you ever needed to use your First Aid knowledge?

Why are you leaving your current job? Why did you leave your previous jobs?

 

Job satisfaction

Why did you decide to become a nanny?

What do you enjoy most about the job? And least?

What makes a job good for you?

What are your deal-breakers in a job?

 

Childcare style

How do you deal with temper tantrums?

What kind of meals do you cook for children? What kind of snacks would you feed the children?

What activities would you suggest for our children now? How would you encourage their future development?

What kind of books do you like to read children?

What are your views on TV for children? What are your views on electronic devices (iPad etc)?

What does a typical day look like for you?

How often do you like to go out? Attend groups? Organise playdates?

What do you consider is important for children to learn from a young age?

How do you encourage children to have good manners?

How would you react in an emergency? (Try to give a couple of scenarios e.g. choking, parent not arriving home)

 

Living in

Would you want to have guests to stay from time to time?

Are you a morning or an evening person?

What kind of food do you like to eat? Do you prefer to eat your evening meal with the children or later on?

Do you have any evening commitments? Do you plan to go to the gym/evening classes?

What do you like to do at weekends?

 

Living out

How far away do you live? How do you plan to get to work?

What would you do if we were delayed on the way home and you had to stay longer at work?

Are you occasionally able to start early or finish late?

Snow plans for families

Bad weather is going to hit most of the UK this month, and as we all know that can cause disruption to all sorts of arrangements. Planning ahead is key to minimising impact on you and your family. If you’re a nanny check out snow plans for nannies!

  • Prepare for schools to be closed. Most will take a safe rather than sorry approach. If you usually have a nanny before and after school check whether they’re free to work the whole day for extra pay.
  • Try to leave work early or at least on time. Remember that your nanny needs to get home too and it will be darker and colder by the time she leaves.
  • Offer your nanny a bed for the night if it’s looking risky. They may not take you up on it but if they do
  • Make sure you’ve got enough food, supplies and blankets. We don’t think you’ll be snowed in for days or that your heating will break down at the most inconvenient time but it’s better safe than sorry. There’s nothing worse than having to go out for milk or a pack of nappies in snow when it could have been prevented.

Hannukah

Image courtesy of digitalart at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Right now it’s the Jewish festival of Hannukah (or Chanukah). Tonight is the 4th night, when some people give presents. Others give presents only on the 5th night or every night. Hannukah lasts for 8 days and the symbol is a menorah, an 8 branched candle holder. The festival celebrates a miracle that happened after a small army of Jews known as the Maccabees defeated a much larger Greek army over 2000 years ago. When the Jews reached the Temple in Jerusalem they found there was only one small container of special purified oil to light the seven-branched Menorah, which needed to lit as part of the service every day. New oil would take eight days to make but the people lit the Menorah anyway and the oil miraculously burned for eight days until they had new oil.

The Hannukah menorah has eight candles, one for each day that the oil burned, and a servant candle that is used to right the others. The candle furthest to the right is lit on the first night. On the next night the candle to the left of the first candle and the first candle are lit, and it continues one new candle each night until the last night when all candles are lit. The candles are left burning for half an hour, but because today is Friday – the Jewish Sabbath – the candles will burn for half an hour. The menorah is supposed to be visible from outside and in Jerusalem there are special glass or plastic cases outside houses for it. In other countries the menorah is put in a window.

Because the feast is associated with oil it’s traditional to eat fried foods such as latkes (potato cakes) and doughnuts. It’s also traditional to play a game with a special toy called a dreidl. Long ago Jewish children weren’t allowed to study their religion in the open so they hid in caves. When soldies came by they hid what they were studying and started to play with the dreidl. It’s a game that you can play too using the printable templated from Enchanted Learning and some raisins or pieces of chocolate.

The dreidl has four sides with different characters and a pointed bottom. You spin the dreidl on the bottom and when it falls over the Hebrew character that shows tell you what to do. The characters are ש, ׁ ה , ג , נ .

 

The first character is ‘Nun’. You do nothing.

The second is ‘Gimel’. You can take everything in the middle of the table, and all the plays put a raisin or piece of chocolate in to make a new pot.

The third is ‘Hey’. You get to take half the goodies. If it’s an uneven number you leave the left over one in the middle.

The fourth character is ‘Shin’. You give a raisin or piece of chocolate to the pot. Better luck next time!