nannies – Page 13 – Nannyjob blog

Working overseas

Almost every nanny at some point flirts with the idea of nannying overseas. British nannies are sought after from Paris to Monaco, Dubai to Washington and salaries can be far more competitive than staying in the UK. There are several ways to go about finding a job overseas. One option is work as a ski or summer holiday nanny in a resort. The advantage of this is that you have a team of other nannies around you and everything is taken care of by the company. The disadvantage is that you often don’t get to experience local culture and you may find yourself also working in a creche or nursery setting as well as with a family. If you’ve never worked as a nanny before this can be a great transition. You could also work for programmes such as Camp America for a season which will enable you to work in the US.

Alternatively you can find yourself a job with a family either through an agency or responding to a private advert. As with all private adverts it’s very important to make security a top priority. Ask the family for references and be wary of scammers. Book flights yourself and be reimbursed rather than giving the family your personal details and look up the details for the consulate in your destination country. Hours can be long and expectations high, and if you find nannying in the UK isolating you may want to avoid cities which don’t have a large nanny, au pair or expat community. Most overseas jobs are live in and it can be easy to find yourself spending evenings and weekends in your bedroom skyping your friends or catching up on Facebook instead of getting out and making the most of a new country.

If you are young and single an ideal way to try out working abroad is as an au pair. Although au pairs are paid far less than professional nannies and do fewer hours it is much easier to find a job, and once you have a reference to prove that you coped working abroad once you will find it easier to get a nanny job overseas. One of the other big differences between nannies and au pairs is the type of visa required. If you are an EU national you can work anywhere in the EU without needing a specific visa, however some countries have rules about what an au pair can and cannot do and the maximum and minimum rates of pay. British nationals can also get working holiday visas to countries such as Australia which will allow you to work temporarily as a nanny. To go to the US, however, the easiest way is to go as an au pair on a J1 visa. Many nanny jobs in America wanting a British nanny are actually advertised as au pair jobs so talk through the job carefully and know what you are signing up for.

A contract is an absolute necessity, particularly if you don’t know the language of the country you are going to. It is much easier to get a translation of a contract in your language or your employer’s than relying on verbal communication. A contract also means you have legal protection for your hours, duties and pay. Most employers treat their nanny well and provide not only accommodation and food but also a local mobile phone, help with administrative formalities and introductions to other local nannies or au pairs.

Sleep Difficulties with Children – How a Nanny Can Help

Having a young child who won’t or can’t sleep can have a knock-on effect for the entire family.

Sleep problems for babies and young children are becoming more commonplace and routines can be extremely difficult to stick to, especially when you’re not around your child 24/7. That’s where a nanny can step in and help to keep the routine running smoothly so that everyone in the family stays fully rested.

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A Nanny’s Guide to Staying Healthy

Life as a nanny can be hectic and exhausting. You spend all day taking care of the family you work for, but who takes care of you?

If you want to do your job well, and more importantly, live a healthy life, it’s important that you take good care of your health and well-being to avoid getting ill or simply burning out.

Follow these 5 tips to help keep your health in tip top condition:

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Adapting to living with a family

Live in child carers, such as live in nannies, maternity nurses and au pairs, have to not only get to grips with demands of the job but also balance the dynamic of living in someone else’s house. The exact relationship depends on the job – for example au pairs are expected to be part of the family whereas nannies are more independent – but there are some things which almost every live in child carer experiences.

Household rhythms

Initially aligning times of meals and going to bed can be tough. Going to bed early, or being the last one up at night, may mean you feel a bit apart from the family you’re living with. If you don’t function until your second cup of coffee then negotiating the kitchen in the morning can be a challenge too.

Eating different food

Even when you come from the same culture every family has their preferred meals and cooking methods. Food is so important that not having your favourite meals can have a bigger impact than you would think, or even grilled bacon instead of fried.

Knowing where to go when your employers are having a private conversation

When you live with people it can be hard to have privacy, and conversations can’t always be schedule. Almost every nanny has walked into the kitchen only to have their employers stop talking. Nine times out of ten it’s nothing bad, just something your bosses may not want you to know (yet) such as their plans for another baby. Worse still is knowing where to put yourself when your employers have an argument.

Negotiating bathroom time, and hot water usage

If you don’t have your own bathroom there may be peak times to avoid, and even when you do the sound of running water may disturb others. A greater crime is using all the hot water. Nobody likes a cold shower, so be mindful of how much you use, especially when you have guests, and find out how to put on the immersion heater or boost the heating.

Hearing children in your time off

Whether it’s the middle of the night or the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning, if your bedroom is within earshot of the children you’ll probably get disturbed. Much as you may love them, if you’ve planned to sleep, their noise is a nuisance you could do without. Even in the middle of the day if you’re trying to read, watch TV or skype a friend those noises can be a disturbance.

Remember that it can take time to adapt to your new housemates, and communication is really important not just about your working hours but regarding living arrangements too. Before taking a job it’s a good idea to ask about household routines and how much they expect you to be around vs in your room so you can decide whether you’ll fit in comfortably.

10 reasons to hire a nanny

Thought about hiring a nanny but not convinced? Here are 10 reasons to take the plunge.

Beat the morning rush. You can leave your children to get up at their own pace and even you’re your nanny sort breakfast for them while you get ready. No more turning up to work with snot and porridge on your jacket.
Calm evenings. If you want, your nanny will do bath or dinner or both, meaning you don’t have to pick up the children from childcare, get home and do the whole evening routine.
No time off for sick children. Nannies will care for poorly babies and children that childminders and nursery won’t take.
A strong, secure attachment. It’s vital, particularly for babies, for children to form a secure attachment to a limited number of caregivers. A nanny provides consistent, loving attention.
Things done your way. Want your children to eat organic? Nap at certain times? Go to the library twice a week? You’re the boss.
They cook and clean, and tidy, and shop. Only for the children but they will prepare children’s meals, including dinner ready for you to reheat, do their laundry, clean their bedrooms, make sure you have bread, milk and nappies and generally leave the house in the state you left it that morning (if not better).
They bake. Seriously. Most nannies will happily bake with their charges meaning cake for you, we mean, cake for the school bake sale, saving you precious time the night before.
Cheaper for larger families. It might seem the pricy option but it’s about the same as two in nursery, or one in full time nursery and two in wraparound care. And no unpaid time off for you while you’re still paying childcare (see point 3).
You choose them. In a nursery you don’t get to choose who looks after your children, but with a nanny you have a great deal of choice. You can find someone who fits perfectly with your family or speaks a language you want your children to learn.
Extended hours. Arranged far enough in advance most nannies will agree to the occasional early start or late finish, which means you aren’t scrambling around to fill the gaps if you have a big business trip. Live in nannies are even more flexible and may regularly start early, babysit, or even work overnight.

Nannying for children in hospital

Most children will end up visiting the hospital at some point in their life. The lucky ones have a quick trip to A&E and go straight home but sometimes a longer stay is needed. This can be a very testing time for the family and you may need to step into the breach to provide support but it can be difficult to know what to do beyond keeping everything ticking over.

If there are other children in the family your job probably won’t change much athough you might end up working longer hours to allow your employers to spend time at the hospital. Ask whether siblings are allowed to visit and if the parents would like your charges to see each other. Bear in mind that some hospitals don’t allow children to go onto the ward so be ready to suggest other ways your charges can keep in touch, such as drawing pictures or speaking on skype.

You can support the parents by packing supplies for your charge ready to take to the hospital. Hospital food often isn’t appetising so if they are allowed to take snacks in then you can go to the shops and prepare a care package for them to take in. You can also keep up a stream of clean pyjamas and other clothes as hospitals can be hot and sticky places. If allowed, toys from home will help relieve some of the boredom of being stuck in a hospital bed, and for school aged children keep in touch with school in case they ask to do some homework! It’s a huge help for parents to be able to come home, empty a bag and repack it with everything that’s been laid out ready.

Volunteer to take a turn sitting at the bedside to give your employer’s a break and provide a change of scenery for your charge. Your employers will feel more relaxed leaving their poorly child with someone they know and trust too. Children’s development doesn’t stop when they’re in hospital so you can talk to the doctors and nurses about providing some suitable activities. Encourage them to play, talk and laugh with you as they would at home.

You also need to recognise that it’s a worrying time for you. Most nannies become deeply aatached to their charges and it’s difficult to see someone you love in distress. Look after yourself and don’t be afraid to share your feelings with your family or nanny friends.

When they come home from hospital your charge may have medication to take or specific care routines to follow. Make sure you’re clear on what these are and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Communication will be more important than ever and be sensitive to the fact that your employers might want to check in with you more often to see how everything is going.

If you’re a nanny and have some tips about working with a hospitalised charge don’t hestitate to share them on our Facebook page, Twitter or our messageboards.

Nanny review

Although a performance review can also be helpful at any time if there are problems with your nanny carrying out their duties they should not be neglected if everything is going well. A performance review is a chance to praise your nanny and let them know what a good job they’re doing.

It’s a good idea once a year to sit down for a more formal meeting with your nanny to review their performance, your children’s development and plan the year ahead. You may like to do this on the anniversary of them starting work with you, at the start or end of the school year or the start of the calendar year. We’ve put together some questions you might like to consider or ask your nanny to think about before the meeting so you can sit down prepared.

Many nannies expect a pay rise, or at least a pay review, at their annual review. If you don’t want to discuss finances then let them know in advance that the meeting is solely about their performance and you’ll set aside another time to discuss pay.

Schedule the review for a time when there are no children around. Children can be a distraction and it’s especially important that you are able to be honest with your nanny if either of you have concerns about the children or if you have something negative to say.

We hope you find these questions helpful in facilitating communication with your nanny about their performance and your needs!

The year just gone:

Is the nanny able to do everything on their job description? Is there anything they are doing which is not in their job description? Does the job description need to be modified?

How has your nanny coped with the workload? How do they feel they have coped?

What have been your nanny’s strong points this year? What are areas for improvement?

Have there been any problems? How were they resolved?

Are the any developmental concerns about the children?

The year ahead:

Are there any foreseeable changes to duties?

Are there any activities it would be good to introduce? How can the children’s development be stimulated?

Do any strategies for behaviour management need to be recapped or reviewed?

Are there any areas where your nanny would like to refresh or update their knowledge?

What are the goals for the year ahead? (These may be for the children, the nanny or you e.g. potty training, ensuring all laundry is up to date on a Friday night, ensuring the kitchen is tidy on a Monday morning)

Is your nanny’s salary competitive and a fair reflection of the job’s demands?

Explaining Terrorism to Children

As parents and caregivers, it can be extremely difficult to answer questions from children about terrorism. It’s a heart-breaking subject that you might wish you could push away or not discuss, but it’s quickly becoming a necessity due to the world that we live in.

The act of terrorism and the horror it brings is hard for even most adults to come to terms with and understand, which is why, following the terrible events occurring all over the world, we’ve put together some advice to help explain terrorism to your children.

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How You Can Help Your Nanny Family Save Money

Good childcare can be expensive and some families might find themselves struggling to balance the cost of their other living expenses.

As a nanny, you can help to ease the burden for your nanny family by looking for opportunities to save them money.

Here’s how you can help!

Coupons!

Couponing is HUGE, and people everywhere, particularly large families are hunting down coupons in a bid to save money.

The idea of cutting out coupons and vouchers might seem somewhat tedious, but it doesn’t have to be. The next time you’re sitting down while the kids are watching a movie or taking a nap, have a quick look through magazines and newspapers, cut out a few coupons that apply to you and save them for later.

Follow these top tips to help you stay on top of the couponing game:

Subscribe to your local paper – Check that the papers include coupons that are relevant to you and if the saving exceeds the cost, subscribe to one or two so that you can start building your coupons.
Check store policies – Does your local supermarket accept more than one coupon per transaction or item? Find out what each shop you visit allows so that you can save time and take advantage of every saving opportunity.
Save the junk mail – You know the wad of leaflets pushed through the door on an almost daily basis? Some of these will include coupons or special offers from your local shop or supermarket. Look out for them!
Pick up a magazine/leaflet – As you finish your weekly shop, look for a leaflet or magazine containing store offers and coupons that you can take with you. You’ll be able to plan your next shop in advance to coincide with new deals or sales.
Pay attention to expiry dates – There’s no point having a purse full of out-of-date coupons that you have to search through at the checkout in the hopes of finding one that’s valid. Try to use coupons sooner rather than later, and do a weekly purge of any that have expired.
Plan ahead – Use your coupons and information about sales or special offers to plan your shopping trip in advance. Make a list and stick to it so you know beforehand exactly how much your shop will cost and what you’ll save.
Look online – You can find a whole host of coupons online. Be prepared to spend a little longer searching for coupons you can use, but the savings will be worth it!
Follow your favourites brands on social media – Some brands will only post their best offers to their loyal social media followers so be sure to follow, like and connect with them on all platforms to stay up-to-date with the latest deals.

Loyalty Cards/Reward Schemes

Most shops and online retailers now have loyalty schemes that reward you with points or discounts when you shop. Things like the Sainsburys Nectar, Boots Card, even the Costa coffee card and many more can help you save money on things like; the weekly shop, clothes, pharmacy, soft play centers and fuel.

If you shop somewhere on a regular basis, it won’t hurt to ask if they have a loyalty card.

Multi-Buy Deals/Special Offers

Multi-buy deals and special offers can really help you in the long-term, particularly when they’re for frozen food or non-perishable items. Think about the future when looking at multi-buy deals and remember that spending a little more now could save you money next week.

Find the Freebies

There are plenty of online retailers and companies offering freebies of new products in exchange for something small. Some want reviews of their products, others simply want to spread the word. Some might want your email or home address for marketing purposes, so check the T’s & C’s before you sign up!

Shop Smarter

Resist temptation – When you start collecting coupons, or building points, it’s easy to fall into the trap of buying things you don’t really need. Just because something is buy-one-get-one-half-price doesn’t necessarily mean you should buy two, if you don’t need two. Don’t be tempted to buy something you don’t need and won’t use, just because you have a coupon.
Shop around – Don’t be afraid to shop at different places. Just because you can get everything on your shopping list from one shop, doesn’t mean that you should. Other shops may offer certain items cheaper or have offers/coupons that you can use to bring your overall cost down.
Consider cheaper alternatives – There are many different brands of items to choose from when you shop. Take a simple tin of beans for example. There will usually be at least two different brands of beans at your local supermarket. Compare them see what you might save by switching to a different brand or a home brand and give it a try.

Use our top tips to start saving today. Apply them to your own spending as well as your nanny family’s and you’ll both be saving money in no time.

If you have any money saving tips you’d like to share, get in touch in the comments!

Why You Shouldn’t Micromanage Your Nanny

Many of us are familiar with the frustration that comes along when your boss or manager constantly breathes down your neck telling you how to do your job. It’s undermining, infuriating and annoying, and if done often enough, it can make you hate your job.

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Now imagine how your nanny feels when you tell her exactly what time she needs to put your child down for a nap, how many grapes he can eat, which games she should play with him, even what shape to cut his sandwiches. Sound familiar?

Your nanny is good at her job. You checked her references, read her resumé and can see she knows what she’s talking about. Bear in mind that a great many nannies have more experience with childcare than most parents have at simply being parents. She’s been doing the job a long time, it’s her life, her passion, and you need to learn to let go of the reigns a little and trust her judgement.

It probably won’t be easy, especially if you’re a new parent, it can be difficult to relinquish control to someone new and to put faith in them being able to care for your little one the way you would. However, if you don’t do this, there’s really no point in hiring a nanny in the first place and all your micromanaging will result in a frustrated nanny, a tense relationship between you and your nanny (that your child will probably pick up on) and you’ll find yourself feeling tired and on-edge, when you should be more relaxed and confident that your child is in capable hands.

That’s why we’ve put together our top tips to help keep your micromanaging to a minimum:

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