3-5 signs or flyers to advertise your job opening, which you'll put up on a community bulletin board

1-2 months to allow adequate time to advertise, and to interview and select candidates

Time-out: a disciplinary technique that deals with misbehavior in a physically non-violent way. The child that misbehaves is lead to a quiet part of the room (away from the group, if the child was just part of one), an area sometimes taped off on the floor. The caregiver explains the misbehavior to the child, and they encourage the child to reflect on the action for a few minutes. After that, the caregiver returns and asks how the child feels, and discusses the incident. The child is then led back to join the group, or returns to the previous activity.

Beware of applicants that say negative things about former employers. "The last family I worked for were really strange (mean, strict, etc.)" Human Resource experts suggest that a negative comment about a previous employer can indicate a pattern of hostility toward employers in general. And besides, you want an upbeat, positive person, not someone who's negative and critical.

2torial #0819: Learn2 Find and Hire a Nanny Hire a nanny who does more than sit! You might be considering in-home, or nanny, care for you children. Many parents consider in-home care to be the best care for their child. You may be hesitant about putting infants in a child care center. In-home care can provide flexibility to accommodate busy schedules and children's after school activities. Some parents feel that in-home care is too expensive and worry about back-up care if the provider is sick. You'll have to weigh the benefits and disadvantages and make a decision. Talk to some other parents and see if you can get a feel for their experiences. Choosing an in-home provider can be a little bit simpler if you follow these steps. If you have a plan, you'll find a quality provider with whom you'll feel comfortable. So what's the plan? This 2torial will show you how to advertise, interview, check references, set household rules and make a contract. Weigh your options. There are three main types of child care: child care centers, family day-care homes (a person who takes care of several children in their own home) and in-home (nanny) care. Make sure that in-home care is the best decision for you before you get into a situation that's not suitable for you. Remember: you know what's best for your children. Following some simple steps will ensure that you have all of the information you need to make an informed decision. Advertise your opening You should advertise one to two months before you need care. You don't want to make a rushed decision. Places to advertise are: local newspaper, local college career services office and community bulletin boards. Your advertisement should specify: Hours and days needed.   Ages of your children.   General area in which you live (don't list your exact address).   Live-in nanny or commuting nanny.   Other duties, if applicable (e.g., housekeeping, laundry).   Car and license, if required.   Phone number and times to call (just list your first name).   No smoking or smoking household.   Experience wanted.   References required. Conduct telephone interviews With any luck, you'll have several phone calls in response to your ad. Your best bet is to do a preliminary interview over the phone. You'll save valuable time by screening out people who don't seem appropriate. Ask: Are you available the hours needed?   Is this salary acceptable? (tell them the salary) If those answers are yes, go on to the following questions: What interests you about child care?   What kind of work have you done in the past?   When might you be able to begin work?   Do you have a license and reliable vehicle?   What are your future plans? If you like their answers to these questions, go into some detail about what you expect of the person. Make sure to describe your children and their schedules. Let the applicant know of any special needs of circumstances. If you smoke, let the applicant know, as this may affect their decision.   If the applicant is still interested, ask for several references, preferably from other families the person has provided child care for. Ask for the name of their last employer, and you might ask for a resume, as well. Conduct in-home interviews If you're still interested in the candidate, invite them to you home for an interview. Make sure that your children are present so you can see how the candidate interacts with them.   Having a list of questions will help you stay on track. Don't just have a general conversation. Make sure that you get the information you need to make a good decision. A good conversationalist mightn't be a good caregiver (and vice versa!) A sample list of questions follows, but you should adapt it to suit your own family and situation.   What is your education and experience related to child care?   Why did you leave your last job? (Be wary of applicants with a pattern of changing jobs. Look for a long history with one family if at all possible.)   What activities might you plan with my child(ren)? (Look for a lot of excitement and enthusiasm here, perhaps a story about previous children cared for. These are signs that the applicant is an active child care provider, as opposed to a baby "sitter" who sits around and yells when the children get bored and misbehave.)   What hobbies do you enjoy?   Do you watch daytime television? What shows do you think are appropriate for children?   How would you handle a misbehaving child? (Listen carefully for references to physical punishments. A good answer will contain a desire to help the child understand the undesirable behavior, not just "punish" it.)   How would you handle the following situation: List a difficult situation that might arise (or regularly arises) with your child(ren).   Are you willing to cook? What might you cook?   What other time commitments do you have?   Do you have any health problems?   Do you have children of your own that you might want to bring over?   Have you been convicted of a crime? In general, when evaluating the responses, you are looking for someone who is excited about keeping your children and LIKES being with children, who has lots of ideas about activities. Be wary of tired, short answers. You want to find someone who enjoys child care, not someone who can't find something else or is "doing this in the meantime." Since your children are going to spend a lot of time with the person, make sure it's a positive influence on them. Check references Don't underestimate the importance of this step. It might make you uncomfortable at first, but you might find out something that could have a huge impact on your choice. Some employers do not like giving references and some even have a policy against it, but many will give you the information you want, especially if you tell them that you are not from a company, but are parents interviewing a nanny. Try not to ask "yes" and "no" questions! You want to get the former employer to say as much as possible. Ask: What were the employee's responsibilities?   What are the employee's strengths? (Look for traits like: responsible, dependable, energetic.)   Would you say that the employee has any weaknesses? (The most common negative thing that many former employers will warn you about is lateness or excessive absences. Think very carefully about such an applicant, as many continue such patterns from job to job.)   Was the employee often out sick? Late?   Why did the employee leave? If you're speaking with a family for whom the candidate provided child care, ask some specific questions:   What kind of activities did they do with your children? How old were your children then?   Were there any problems that I should know about?   Would you hire the applicant again? Setting the guidelines Decide on one or two applicants, and meet with them again. This time, state your expectations in greater detail, and specify which rules are negotiable and which ones aren't. If you don't ask direct and specific questions, you're setting the scene for future miscommunication and problems. Figure out what is important to you and your family. Below is a suggested list of points to bring up--consider providing a copy for the applicant to keep as a guideline. Television and music rules for the caregiver and children.   Personal use of telephone; message-taking procedures.   Personal visitors for the caregiver.   Off-limits areas of your home and possessions.   Transportation: Whose car is driven, who pays for gas, what are the seat belt rules, where can the caregiver take the children (park, mall, movies)?   Meal and snack preparation.   Does your family have special dietary restrictions (vegetarian, Kosher)? If so, set some guidelines on whether or not you want the nanny preparing foods like meat or pork for themselves in your home. Be very clear on what should and should not be fed to the children.   Discipline methods: Be clear on your position on spanking or the time-out practice (See Keywords). Communicate what you prefer to be done.   How to respond to emergencies (include a helpful neighbor, nearby relatives as well as work telephone numbers.) Make your final choice! This may be an easy decision. You may have an applicant you're just crazy about, or you may have a tough time deciding between a couple of candidates. Talk it over with your spouse and your children. Let the kids have some input in the decision. It will make them feel important and may alleviate some problems in adjusting to the new situation. Make a work agreement with the caregiver There should be a written contract describing the position and its responsibilities. This will help to avoid future misunderstandings. The agreement should be written and signed by both parties, and both should have a copy. A contract might include: Days and hours of work, including starting date.   Salary amount, payment schedule, overtime rate, form of payment.   Job responsibilities.   Benefits provided (at the very least include vacation and sick leave).   Important house rules.   Whether or not advance notice is required for absences.   Procedures for terminating the agreement by either party, including a minimum amount of notice.   Length of trial period of employment, followed by evaluation and renewal for a longer term. Take care of employee logistics The hard part's over! There are just a few details you'll have to take care of.   You'll want to check on your tax responsibilities. Questions regarding tax issues in the U.S.A. may be answered by the IRS at 800-829-1040. Publication number 926 gives tax information for household employers.   There are several other issues involved such as verifying employment eligibility, paying social security and unemployment compensation. These issues are best discussed with an accountant or lawyer due to regional differences in labor laws. Relax! Give yourself a pat on the back. Rest assured that you've made a good decision based on good information. You've put a lot of work into finding a caregiver. Establishing good communication with your caregiver is essential. Try to deal with conflicts and misunderstandings as soon as they arise, rather than allowing them to turn into more anger and resentment. -end- Learn More!