Many new mothers today do not want or cannot afford to go on maternity leave. Life is getting more expensive, you need to work or run your own business. And “falling out of the loop” for a long time is fraught with danger for a busy person. Yes, and grandmothers today want to be active women, and not old ladies sitting on benches. Therefore, we have to choose - either quit our job or leave the child with a nanny.
A nanny is a stranger to the family. And she will be entrusted with the baby - the most valuable family member for her relatives. For this reason, it is important for parents to make sure that their child is safe, raised and developed properly. Only knowing that her child is calm will the mother be able to concentrate on her work and work calmly. Parents, leaving a stranger with their baby, should know how to choose a nanny for the child.
Main selection criteria
Any recommendations?
Take the time to spend one evening chatting with your potential nanny's previous clients. It is especially important to clarify how she treated the children and how they, in turn, reacted to her. And also the opinion of the adults themselves.
Do you have any experience?
It is worth asking her carefully about all her capabilities, and if she has professional certificates or diplomas, study them.
What developmental techniques can she offer?
Of course, care, lunch and walks are a prerequisite for a nanny. But no less important is her knowledge and willingness to use various teaching methods for the development of the baby. Look for a nanny who will care about your child, not the TV remote control.
Terms of payment
This point also needs to be carefully discussed and the best option for both parties selected.
Points worth clarifying:
- How do you pay.
- Is there payment for holidays and weekends?
- Will paid leave be provided?
Don’t be surprised, there are nannies who demand payment, for example, for the May holidays.
Is it mobile?
If it is assumed that the nanny will travel by personal transport, be sure to discuss whether compensation for fuel consumption is necessary. There are times when a nanny “suddenly” begins to believe that she needs to be compensated for the gasoline consumed, although this condition was not put forward when hiring.
With or without accommodation?
Sometimes a nanny is invited to live, permanently or for several days. Discuss whether the proposed work schedule and living conditions will suit her. You can also choose the condition that the nanny will be visiting, but you need to clarify whether she is ready to be at the appointed time without delay. It is important to immediately make it clear to her that the service she provides is work. And the work follows a schedule. Remember that your work day will depend on whether she was able to arrive on time.
Is there a vaccination certificate and a health book and is she ready to provide them?
Today there are many different diseases. Don't risk your child. Be sure to ask for her medical information.
How to choose the right nanny through an agency
Nowadays, many agencies provide services for the selection of various household staff, including nanny services. Self-respecting agencies will definitely provide you with recommendations and medical documents of their employee. It would be better if, when choosing an agency, parents visit it to make sure that it is a professional company with a certain amount of experience, and not a “fly-by-night company.” Clarify how the agency takes care of its subordinates and how it controls the performance of their work.
Nanny salary
First, I would like to discuss the remuneration process itself.
If you work through a recruitment agency, the work will be formalized. You will receive a “white” salary minus taxes and your work experience will be accrued. Every issue and every detail of your work will be specified in the contract - so that if something happens, you can protect your interests, counting on documentary evidence of your words. This option is good in cases where you have an option with a long-term job, but with strangers. And, as practice shows, even with a long-known family, it is still better to conclude a contract in advance. In it, be sure to indicate the duration of the work (it is best to conclude a contract not for several years, but for a short period - several months or a year), your direct duties, your responsibility, various emergency situations, sick leave, weekends and vacations. As for one-time and short-term work, there are practically no contracts, and the nanny receives a salary “in an envelope.” On the one hand, it's better - you don't have to pay taxes. On the other hand, it’s worse: seniority is not accrued, and all the conditions of your work are agreed upon in words, and in a difficult situation you will not be able to confirm them in any way.
Amount of remuneration. Specific amounts relevant for 2015
Major cities of Russia
- Work with permanent accommodation and meals in a country house. Constant care (assistance with learning, feeding, daily walks around the site, games) and supervision of a 4-year-old child: 35,000 - 40,000 rubles (with a contract).
- Work for 2 hours (17.00 - 19.00) from Monday to Friday. Picking up a 5-year-old child from kindergarten and delivering home, changing clothes, feeding, helping with homework: about 7,000 rubles.
- One-time “call”: hourly, depending on the nanny’s qualifications and working conditions. Minimum - 100 rubles per hour. On average - about 150-200 rubles per hour.
Kyiv, Ukraine)
- Same conditions: 35,000 - 40,000 rubles.
- Same conditions: 7,000 - 9,000 rubles.
- Same conditions: on average - about 200 rubles per hour.
Naturally, a nanny’s earnings directly depend on her qualifications. If you are an experienced teacher and have a medical education, have raised two of your own children and have a lot of positive reviews, you are unlikely to agree to work for 10,000 rubles. It all depends on the working conditions:
- If the employer provides you with housing and food (as in the option of staying in your own home), the salary itself will be slightly less than the usual payment for the same tasks.
- If your responsibilities include additional tasks (for example, medical procedures for a child or English tutoring), you can count on additional payment (although not too much).
- You can also ask for a bonus for an unscheduled call (for example, you agreed on the terms and hours of work, but they call you and ask you to babysit right now).
Moscow
The cost of nanny services at home in Moscow varies from 40 to 90 thousand rubles per month. Often here, for a good salary, people are looking not just for a nanny, but for a governess, whose main task is to teach children languages.
Moscow specifics are such that even wealthy women from the solid middle class - assistant managers, heads of departments, TV presenters with a salary of 120-180 thousand rubles a month will not agree to pay a nanny 80-90 thousand. If a Muscovite does not keep for herself at least twice as much as she pays the nanny, she simply will not go to work. As a rule, such clients are looking for women from the regions, and preferably Ukrainians and Belarusians, in order to pay less.
Thus, almost all nanny vacancies in Moscow with a salary of 80-90 thousand rubles per month are generated by the so-called “Rublev wives”. This means that you will communicate with the child under the vigilant supervision of a non-working mother, often these are ladies with character with all the ensuing consequences.
Your task here is to free the young mother from the annoying child so that she can calmly look through new shoe catalogs or do other important things. Naturally, such a salary implies good recommendations (preferably from other wives of rich and influential people from the same hidden cottage village), impeccable appearance, pedagogical and medical diplomas and perfect knowledge of 1-2 foreign languages. No, Ukrainian does not count.
Having decided on the choice of a nanny, you should prepare the following:
- A written contract with a clear set of responsibilities, work schedule and payment terms. Don’t forget to take her passport details (it’s better to additionally make a copy of your passport).
- Directly on the territory of the house (apartment) show the area of her responsibility. Be clear about what she should do and what she shouldn't.
- Show the child's room, explain where things and toys are.
- If the nanny prepares food, show the kitchen and all the necessary equipment.
- Be sure to notify her, preferably in writing, of all medical contraindications and possible complications for the baby (asthma, diabetes, allergic reactions, etc.).
- Be sure to write down and place in a visible place all the necessary contacts: your mobile and work phones, numbers of relatives, doctor, ambulance, police, firefighters. Even if some numbers seem to have been learned by heart since childhood, they should be on the list! When unforeseen situations arise, an adult may experience panic.
- Explain to her where and how long she should walk with the child.
- If there is a concierge in the house, introduce her to the nanny.
It would also be right if you and the nanny draw up a plan for the upcoming activities for the week. It indicates and selects the best ideas for teaching, entertaining and relaxing the child. You can create a menu for your baby, taking into account his age and preferences.
Ideally, mother, child and nanny should be comfortable. But you should not discuss all household problems with her; limit yourself to questions relating only to the baby.
Approach the choice of a suitable person with all responsibility, not only the development of the baby, but also his health will depend on this!
Top 10 pitfalls: notes for newbie nannies
- Language with the ward . If you were unable to get along with your child at the first meeting, then the risk that you will not be able to do this later is close to 100%. Look for another family.
- Understatement . Misunderstandings will be reduced to zero if you discuss all the nuances of the work and its payment right away.
- Underpayment of labor.
- Don't advertise that you are an absolute beginner. It would be better to “throw on” some experience for yourself.
- Perfectionism . An initiative (to wipe the dust, wash the dishes) is extremely rarely paid for by the customer, but it can cause dissatisfaction: they say, it hints at a larger payment.
- Role "2 in 1" . Before you become a nanny and a cook at the same time, weigh your strengths. Otherwise, poor quality work will result in dismissal.
- Excessive desire to help . You should not bring tea to the hostess who is lying down on the sofa. She hired you to work as a nanny.
- Pulling a blanket . You are a “second mother” only in the absence of your real one. When she appears, it is no longer your role to feel sorry and scold.
- You are not a friend . No matter how warm your relationship becomes, do not interfere with your owners’ lives with advice. This won't end well.
- Agency deception . Some recruiters may present you with a rosy picture of future employers, but in reality you will want to run away from them on the very first day. Therefore, agree on several trial days and payment for them.
- Having a colleague . Sometimes they hire two nannies: one goes to theaters with the children, the second teaches language. To remove the moment of rivalry, make your opponent a friend: spend moments of relaxation together.
Galina Shonorova nanny with 15 years of experience
“I understand well the fears and worries of parents who are forced to entrust their child and hand over the keys to an apartment to a complete stranger. I would also like to spy and eavesdrop on what is happening there. Therefore, I personally have a completely calm attitude towards cameras and voice recorders and am not offended if one of the parents suddenly returns home unexpectedly, allegedly forgot something, or grandparents are walking near the playground.
It happens that they deliberately leave money or valuables in a visible place. In my opinion, this is normal. Although some nannies are offended. In my experience, a child’s behavior speaks better than any recommendations or video recordings about a nanny’s work. What mood does he meet her with? What did you learn to do? How has his behavior changed?
To be honest, we are also afraid to go to work for an unfamiliar family. It happens that there is something they don’t like about the nanny, and the parents immediately put her on the “black list” or, even worse, they can accuse her of theft, for example, or of harming the child. Therefore, an interview and a trial period are important not only for parents, but also for nannies to understand whether we can work together.
What qualities should an ideal nanny have? First of all, a person must be kind, caring and attentive. If a child is crying, you need to be able to calm him down and caress him.
You can’t let the baby out of sight, because you don’t know where he’ll go next and what he’ll do.
I don’t understand colleagues who coo with their children in front of their parents, and when they are alone, they grab the phone, turn on the TV, or sit on a bench and chat with other nannies while walking. A good nanny will not be shy and fool around with the child and slide down the slide.
I always ask the parents how the child eats, what cup he drinks from, how he holds a spoon, whether he gives a hand, how he falls asleep, how often he goes to the toilet, what his daily routine is... Everyone has their own routines. If parents don’t like something, they have every right to tell the nanny what to do differently.
In my opinion, it is more convenient for the nanny and parents if an agreement is drawn up that spells out responsibilities and stipulates vacation and sick pay. If you hire a nanny for your baby, you have every right to ask her to take any tests, but future employers should pay for it in an amicable manner.
And you shouldn’t trust agencies and specialized sites that promise proven personnel. Nobody checked me personally. It’s better to double-check yourself, ask for a passport, medical record, talk to previous employers.
In the absence of parents, the nanny must...
- Feed, walk and put the baby to bed.
- Read books to him, develop the baby creatively (sculpting, drawing, etc.).
- Tell fairy tales, teach new games.
- Vigilantly monitor the child so that he returns to mom and dad as safe and healthy as he was left in the morning.
Additionally, the nanny's responsibilities may include:
- Cooking.
- Washing/ironing children's clothes.
- Cleaning the children's room (or the entire apartment).
- Visiting a dairy kitchen or purchasing baby food.
- Visits with the baby to the clinic.
- Accompanying the child to kindergarten or school, to theaters and museums, etc. (back and forth).
- Checking homework.
- Foreign language teaching.
- Training according to the school curriculum.
Etc.
Recruiting staff for a child: how to choose a nanny for a child
When do you need a nanny?
A child of any age needs maternal warmth and love
, this should not be forgotten.
Therefore, the nanny’s work
should be joint with the parents. Often, just when parents feel that they are having difficulty coping with raising a child (lack of time, a large number of children in the family, the need to often leave home), they invite such a specialist to work.
Psychologists have ambivalent views on this situation. According to them, children under 12 months should be under constant supervision with their parents. It was at this time that strong family ties and mutual understanding were established between them. This helps the child develop harmoniously from a psychological point of view.
Some parents believe that a nanny's job
will not in any way affect the favorable psychological climate between family members.
Again, it all depends on the age of the baby. The older the child, the more independent he is and can spend more time with a nanny
.
Therefore, experts advise inviting a nanny only in cases where it is really necessary. A nanny
is not a luxury, but a necessary help in difficult times.
However, there are several favorable factors in hiring a nanny:
- Parents have more time to relax.
It is in the first year of life that they devote almost all their time to the baby, without worrying about their rest and personal relationships with their spouse. It is often at this time that relationships between loving people enter a phase of stagnation, therefore it is extremely important to take care of their further development. In addition, hiring a nanny will help solve the issue of chronic fatigue, which can develop into various psychological disorders: failure to contain emotions, hysteria, depression, rapid weight loss or gain. Free time can be devoted not only to relaxation, but also to self-realization. - Socialization of the baby.
A nanny for a child is a person from another society with whom he is not familiar. It is she who helps him adapt to the external environment, transfers the necessary experience and skills. By meeting the nanny, the child takes his first steps to adapt to the world community. - Work issues.
Outside help allows parents to continue developing their careers. There are often situations when going to work is not a parent’s desire, but a necessity. In such cases, you have to seek outside specialized help. Of course, in any situation you cannot do without some disadvantages in hiring a nanny. Having entered the family, a new person will influence it in any case. Even with your everyday decisions, when and where to take your baby for a walk, how and at what time to feed him. In any case, the changes will be noticeable to parents and will be reflected in their lives. A change in the family’s usual lifestyle is a moment for which you definitely need to be prepared.
Another question is that while constantly staying with the family, the nanny will learn confidential information about her. The specialist will also receive any other information that family members do not want to disclose. Therefore, parents often have to discuss their personal issues while the nanny is absent, which creates difficulties for some couples.
Do not forget that any work requires a reward. What it will be like depends only on the decision of the married couple together with the nanny
. But it is worth considering that a new item will appear in family expenses. Therefore, you should initially be prepared even for unforeseen expenses.
There are situations when a nanny is needed not on a permanent basis, but for a few hours a day. For example, take a walk with the child and look after him while the parents are away on their own business. In such cases, you can invite even a person who does not have much experience working with children. The main thing in such cases is love and respect for the child, the creation of a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere on the part of the nanny for an hour
.
Where to find a nanny
If the question is whether a nanny is needed
, decided successfully, then the next question arises -
where to look for it
. It is worth agreeing that it is quite difficult to find a highly qualified specialist. But in the modern world of technology, such searches are greatly simplified. Experienced parents who have turned to such specialists for help more than once say that it is best to look for a nanny:
- — Specialized agencies.
This is one of the most popular ways to hire nannies. You can be confident in the candidate, because they all first undergo a check and a special interview. In addition, most of them have extensive experience working with children. You can also choose a specialist based on your personal preferences from a moral point of view, as well as taking into account the child’s age, his interests, needs, and inclinations. - — On the advice of friends
. Perhaps even a more effective method than the previous one, but rather not in terms of quality, but in the speed of finding a nanny. No one can guarantee that such a person will have a higher education, special training, or extensive experience working with children. But, on the other hand, parents are not always guided by exactly these rules. The most important thing for them is love for their child, full dedication to work and high moral qualities of the future nanny. - — Independent search and castings
. You can place advertisements about searching for a nanny in specialized publications or even on the Internet. After submitting applications, you can begin to study their personal files and select candidates. But you should take into account all the tips for choosing the right nanny, because if you do not take into account some facts, you can make irreparable mistakes.
Tips for choosing a nanny
First of all, what parents worry about is the professional and personal qualities of the nanny. This position is correct, however, it is worth taking into account absolutely all aspects, without highlighting any of them over all.
- — Professionalism
This includes both the nanny’s work experience and her education. Having an education does not always mean impeccable skill. For example, if the nanny is a psychologist, then you should not blindly assume that in any situation she and only she will be able to find the right way out and knows better than anyone how to behave with the child.
Having an education indicates a person’s meticulousness, ability to systematize and quickly process new information, and behave in society.
What else should you pay attention to? The candidate must have competent speech and be able to correctly express his thoughts; this is important when working with a child. Of course, having an education as a physician, psychologist, teacher, or educator will be more of a candidate’s advantage than a disadvantage. But you don’t always need to focus on this.
It is also worth checking your work experience. A woman with 20 years of work experience certainly has more knowledge and is guided by the already developed specifics of working with children. A nanny who has just started her career will not always be able to quickly and correctly guide the child in the right direction, but this is not a big drawback. After all, the most important thing is her love for the child.
- - Personal qualities
As psychologists say, if you initially don’t like a person during the first conversation, then he will never be able to gain trust in the future. Sometimes you need to be guided even by your feelings and intuition.
It is important to pay attention to the candidate’s appearance, because neatness and grooming are integral components. In addition, it is very important to clarify the health status of the nanny. You can ask to undergo a special medical examination, because when working with children, health and the absence of viral diseases are extremely important.
Bad habits – should you pay attention to them? Undoubtedly! Smoking and drinking alcohol are completely prohibited for nannies, at least during working hours. Special emphasis is placed on this.
An important question is regarding stress resistance, hot temper, touchiness and uncertainty. It is unlikely that a nanny who, at the child’s first whim, will begin to shout at him and morally “finish off” him, will be able to create a favorable psychological atmosphere in the house.
What to pay attention to. First distress signals
There are a number of alarming symptoms that will indicate to parents that it is better to refuse the chosen nanny
:
- - during a personal meeting, the nanny talks a lot about the past family, to the point of naming all the qualities of the child, his character. Thus, she shows that she is not yet ready to break away from her previous family and is more “there” than “here”
- - lisps with the child, indulges him in everything
- - flatters parents and tries to look perfect. Sometimes her job as a nanny turns into a maid's position, which is unacceptable.
- — if the nanny has met the child several times already, then you should pay attention to the following. If the baby runs away from her and cries as soon as he sees her, it means that the right person is not suitable to look after and raise the child. Also a signal will be the fact that the child, after communicating with the nanny, is tearful, anxious, capricious or phlegmatic
Nanny agencies: pros and cons
Nanny agencies
in the modern world they have become quite common things. Here you can easily choose exactly the candidate that your family needs, based on your personal preferences.
A considerable number of nannies from agencies
have special education. These are teachers, doctors, psychologists. They will also offer you to read reviews about them from previous married couples.
You should be sure that the agency will never offer a person who treats children poorly and does not know how to work with them correctly. After all, the good work of a nanny will, first of all, be reflected in the reputation of the agency. Some institutions independently train nannies, teach them new skills and may even offer to work with a psychologist.
Also, special institutions for the selection of nannies offer to sign contracts. This is a mutually beneficial transaction that will protect both parties from violating the agreements specified in the contract.
But in this situation there is only one drawback - the married couple will have to pay not only the nanny for her services, but also the agency for the work done by him. This percentage can sometimes be charged to the nanny or to the clients themselves, depending on the structure and characteristics of the agency.
Filipino nanny. Features of work
Are parents' fears when hiring Filipinas
? And why are such women extremely popular among Slavic families today?
It is impossible to separately highlight obvious pros and cons in their work, but it is worth clarifying what to pay attention to. This is a separate nation, a different mentality and completely different characteristics of working with children on their part. Their features may please their parents, or completely contradict their worldview.
The advantages of working with them are:
- Extremely respectful attitude towards the employer. But at the same time, such a woman will not flatter and pretend.
- Unlike women of the original Russian soul, Filipinas do not show much interest in the life of their employer; during conversations between spouses, they would rather leave the room than embarrass others, even if such conversations are not at all confidential.
- Women's hygiene is always at a high level, bad habits are observed extremely rarely, and even if they exist, Filipinas work hard to overcome them.
- They are kind and extremely attentive to children.
- They do not require high payment for their work.
On the other hand, significant disadvantages
It will be that such a nanny speaks excellent English, but does not understand Russian at all or only knows its basics. Therefore, helping your child with his homework will be impossible, as will going to the clinic with him.
When choosing a nanny, you should always focus on your personal preferences and her attitude towards the child. Even several positive recommendations from previous employers will not always be evidence that the employee is suitable for a particular family.
In any case, the choice always remains with the parents and they have the right to adjust her methods of working with the baby and make some personal additions and wishes.
Blacklist of nannies: getting on it is the end of your career
In the age of high technology, any news is no longer spread by word of mouth, but via the World Wide Web, which is much faster, and even “hangs” there forever. A beginning nanny should remember this if she does not want to lose her reputation, and at the same time her job, and even end up on the black list of nannies in Ukraine. Here are links to some similar resources:
- uaua.info,
- domforum.at.ua,
- homey.pro.
Related news:
The most popular part-time jobs for the New Year holidays
Training to become a nanny – do you need to study?
Of course, teacher education is an advantage. Especially if the nanny is looking for a job through an agency (they simply won’t hire you without education).
And then everything depends on the preferences of the parents. Someone wants a simple and kind “Arina Rodionovna” - without any special education, but with a broad soul and attentiveness to the child. And some require higher pedagogical education with an emphasis in foreign languages and additional medical education.
One thing is for sure - the more knowledge, the more job offers.
- In the absence of special education, you can complete special courses. They are often carried out by the agencies themselves that recruit nannies.
- Also, don’t give up the opportunity to educate yourself —the Internet can help you. Today you can find any materials that will help you in your work.
