Finding the teacher-nanny and house manager

[Anonymous]

I am due in May and definitely want to go the nanny route. I agree with the RIE principles of narrating and telling the baby before you do anything as well as the importance of reading at least an hour a day to a newborn, singing, movement and finger-play-song while facing the baby. The ability to do/teach baby sign language would also be a plus. I want the teacher-nanny type rather than the housekeeper-nanny type and hope to find a nanny with a college degree and teaching experience as well as nanny experience. Live-out and legal.

I would also like to find a nanny who was happy to manage the house - just ordering supplies for both the baby and the house and groceries (taking the baby to the grocery store when she is older but ordering until she is six months and vaccinated), keep up with her class payments and scheduling, paying our cleaning person, calling the handyman when repairs are needed, accepting and putting away deliveries, etc. Our nanny will only be responsible for cooking and laundry for the baby.

Do I need to go through an agency for this? I hate paying those huge fees! I heard that posting on care.com gets you millions of applicants who have nothing close to what you required and I hate the thought of having to read all those unqualified applications. I know exactly what I want - but not how to get it.

And yes, we are willing and able to pay well, include benefits - healthcare, vacation, PTO - and are a pretty nice couple. My job offers every other Friday off so the nanny will have that day off as well. The hours will be 7:30 to 5:30 so 50 hours M-F one week, with overtime and then 40 hours the second week.)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

No advice, just a comment:. You are crazy!

[Anonymous]

Just a suggestion. When you have your Friday off have your Nanny come and work half a day. That gives you 2 half days a month to get things done by yourself. Otherwise you are either at work or with a baby all week and as a parent I know how nice it is just to know you have 2-3 hours to yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No advice, just a comment:. You are crazy!

No, OP is not crazy. This is the future, PP. Now that we know how important the first three years of life are in shaping the intelligence of a child, the future is the educated, teacher nanny. As more parents are desirous and willing to pay for the college graduate in Early Childhood Development or Education, the more young women will move into the field and become nannies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No advice, just a comment:. You are crazy!

No, OP is not crazy. This is the future, PP. Now that we know how important the first three years of life are in shaping the intelligence of a child, the future is the educated, teacher nanny. As more parents are desirous and willing to pay for the college graduate in Early Childhood Development or Education, the more young women will move into the field and become nannies.

You expect all of this for $20/hr? Ha!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No advice, just a comment:. You are crazy!

No, OP is not crazy. This is the future, PP. Now that we know how important the first three years of life are in shaping the intelligence of a child, the future is the educated, teacher nanny. As more parents are desirous and willing to pay for the college graduate in Early Childhood Development or Education, the more young women will move into the field and become nannies.

You expect all of this for $20/hr? Ha!

Who said anything about $20 an hour?! OP here and we expect to pay on the $28 to $30 range.

Friends have a brilliant nanny who has a masters degree and a former career as a teacher and writer. She is 58, amazing health and energy, and became a nanny four years prior to being hired by my friend. We want someone like her. She is paid $28 an hour now (started at $27 two years ago) and my friends pay her healthcare insurance. Another friend has a good nanny, a recent college graduate in Early Childhood Education, who has nannied prior to her college education. She is in her 20's and is paid $28 an hour to start. She isn't as good as the first nanny I mentioned but still good.

Both were found on care.com but after long, exhaustive searches. Both not only placed carefully worded ads but also searched profiles to find these nannies. I was hoping not to have to go thru that but will if need be.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the poster who advised you to take a half day for yourself. Think: doctor's and dentist's apps, haircuts, groceries and errand done on Friday means you get the weekend to relax.

If you don't want to pay the agency fees, it's either care.com or your own network or ad. The nannies you mentioned might know other nannies like themselves. You can take your time since you are expecting. Yes, you will undoubtedly have many candidates who are not suitable, but it depends on how much $2000-$4000 is worth to you? When we had a child care crisis (i.e. interruption in care) is when we were willing to pay an agency for someone pre-vetted.

[Anonymous]

Reading an hour a day to a newborn... ok...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No advice, just a comment:. You are crazy!

No, OP is not crazy. This is the future, PP. Now that we know how important the first three years of life are in shaping the intelligence of a child, the future is the educated, teacher nanny. As more parents are desirous and willing to pay for the college graduate in Early Childhood Development or Education, the more young women will move into the field and become nannies.

You expect all of this for $20/hr? Ha!

Who said anything about $20 an hour?! OP here and we expect to pay on the $28 to $30 range.

Friends have a brilliant nanny who has a masters degree and a former career as a teacher and writer. She is 58, amazing health and energy, and became a nanny four years prior to being hired by my friend. We want someone like her. She is paid $28 an hour now (started at $27 two years ago) and my friends pay her healthcare insurance. Another friend has a good nanny, a recent college graduate in Early Childhood Education, who has nannied prior to her college education. She is in her 20's and is paid $28 an hour to start. She isn't as good as the first nanny I mentioned but still good.

Both were found on care.com but after long, exhaustive searches. Both not only placed carefully worded ads but also searched profiles to find these nannies. I was hoping not to have to go thru that but will if need be.

I kind of don’t understand why you are so hostile to looking through the care.com responses? They have their education info right on their profile page! I just see no other way to find what you are looking for other than a recommendation from someone you already know and trust.

[Anonymous]

The above PP doesn't understand how many responses you get to an ad on care.com. I got over 200 and about five had the education or experience I was clear that I expected.

Sorry, OP, there is no other way.

[Anonymous]

OP you're not crazy.

But you are right that these people are hard to find. Agencies don't have any magical recruiting tools so it might be worth at least starting with a $30 membership to Care. You can narrow your search by education and it's pretty easy to just cut and paste "Thank you but we've gone in a different direction" to the ones you don't want.

[Anonymous]

If you have that kind of money you may as well go through a nanny service and have them do the vetting for you. Also look for friend/neighbor recommendations. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anyone can go on Care.com & label themselves a “Professional” Nanny.

That is anyone who has Internet access (which IS everyone since public libraries offer it for free.)
They can create a free online profile and claim they have years of childcare education + experience, etc.

I would pay the extra $$ and go through an agency if I were in your shoes OP.
You will find someone who has already been pre-screened for many things and you are always welcome to do any add’l checks on your own.

Either this or get a strong referral from someone you trust a lot.

Care.com is like a glorified Craigslist of sorts.
Their commercials + advertisements make it seem that you have the creme de ‘la creme of providers available to you, but like I stated before......

ANY and EVERYone can post a free profile.

When it comes to your precious child, no investment can be too costly.

Hope this helps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Reading an hour a day to a newborn... ok...

NP here and I hope to God you are not a nanny.

Yes, we read to our newborn for over an hour a day - generally in fifteen minute increments. Now an very verbal two-year-old, she loves books and can recognize any of the 200 books in her bookshelf and recite the title. Reading from birth is one of the most important things a parent or caregiver can do for their child. Google it. The research is plentiful.

[Anonymous]

I found an amazing nanny on care.com - but I actually found her. I pages through the profiles myself. It was very, very time consuming but worth it as I have a nanny who is exactly what you describe, OP - and more. However, our nanny was also signed up with one of the top agencies. I just got to her first!!