Fox and Friends Interview: Tips to keep In mind before hiring your next nanny

Thanks Fox News for featuring Choice Parenting on Fox and Friends Morning Show!

Tips to keep in mind before hiring your next nanny

1. Know what type of nanny your are looking for and can afford: level of experience, educational background, what type of personality, child raising philosophies, physical activity level, and more.
2. What type of employment relationship do you hope to have with your nanny- strictly professional, trusted family member, or somewhere in between. Be clear about the style of communication and level of comfort you prefer to have with your nanny.  There is not a right or wrong but it can’t be hard to take a step back in the openness of your relationship once you have set a routine.
3. Write out the details of the job and employment expectations in a "Nanny Contract". What are the job responsibilities? What is the compensation? What parenting style do you want your nanny to uphold? What are the employment policies? Household rules? Privacy and confidentiality? Safety and emergency situations? 
4. Background check! A private Investigator is not as extreme or expensive as it sounds ( $200-$250). Unlike a cheap online background check, a licensed PI will be able to pull information beyond the public records and criminal conviction. Also don't forget to phone interview references AND previous employers- do not accept letters of recommendation. Do your due diligence and fact check. Be aware of family or friends giving fake employment references and question gaps in employment history.
5. Nanny Cameras are something I highly recommend having and telling your nanny about. Nanny cameras can and should be used for more than just preventing abusive behavior but also as a quality control check. You will be able to tell a lot about your nanny’s character, how satisfied or happy she appears, her attentiveness and relationship with your children and overall how she performs her job .  It will also allow you to communicate things that may not be wrong but not necessarily how you would prefer them be handled with the kids or household.
6. A written dress code: what type of attire should your nanny wear to work daily? Will you be comfortable with your 20-something year old nanny in a sexy two piece at the pool with your children and husband?  If she is a live in nanny what is or is not appropriate for her to wear after hours? Or is it simple things like you don’t want her to wear perfume with your infant or she needs to be prepared with clothes and shoes that she can play basketball and be active with your children.
7. Take inventory of valuables, medications, alcohol, and sensitive informations such as passports, financial records, social security numbers ( for your kids too!), credit cards and junk mail.

If you or someone you know is planning to hire a nanny I would LOVE to help!  I offer free phone consultation to discuss your situation and the benefits of my affordable childcare coaching sessions which can be done in person or over the phone.  I will give you the tools and teach you the best practices to find, hire and keep a nanny that matches your unique family! Call or email today!