Baby has finally arrived and you’ve got your hands full. It’s okay to admit that you’ll need help. Maybe it’s time to go back to work after eight blissful weeks of maternity leave or maybe you just need a night out to remember that guy living in your house who looks like your kids. Whatever your childcare needs may be; if you’ve decided you’d like the convenience and flexibility of having an in-home caregiver, you still have lots more decision-making to do. Should you go with a nanny? How about an au pair or your sister-in-law, who offered a few days a week?
Unless your plan includes waiting for the wind to change, bringing a rosy-cheeked woman with an umbrella and big bag filled with magic to your door, you’ll need to start exploring the options available to fulfill your family’s in-home childcare needs. So let’s start at the very beginning. It’s a very good place to start.
Analyze your needs.
Start by creating a job description for your ideal care provider. Consider the following: Do you need full-time care, part-time care, or maybe just a date night every week? Will your candidate live in your house? Would you like someone young and full of soccer-playing, swimming, and puppet-show-staging energy? Or perhaps you are looking for a grandmother type who reads books and makes crafts. Would you like a “manny” to help care for your rambunctious boys? Will you want someone who can handle basic housekeeping chores beyond teaching kids to pick up toys? Will he or she need to travel with you? How flexible do you need this person to be? Do you often find yourself working late or attending last minute functions? Be sure to define the role of the nanny before you hire her.
Assess your finances.
Figure out how much you are able to spend. Be honest with yourself about your budget and remember this is no area to skimp. It’s okay to ask around and find out what friends or co-workers are paying, but be sure you are comparing apples to apples. Depending on your needs, the dollar amount is going to vary from nanny to nanny, family to family. In the United States, a nanny is paid about $12 per hour depending on previous salaries, experience level, educational background, and job duties. Finding a nanny through a referral agency will cost you a finder’s fee that varies from agency to agency.
An au pair can be a more economical option since they are paid a very low salary in exchange for room and board. However, the fees involved in finding and placing an au pair through a reputable agency can rival that of a nanny placement usually averaging about $7,000. Also, au pairs are required to attend college or university while in the country, at least six credit hours during their stay, and that tab falls with you — the family.
Even if you have a family member in mind for the job, consider the expenses involved during the day-to-day life of caring for your child such as diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, meals, a new blouse to replace the one the baby spit up on, and very nice holiday gifts.
Explore your options.
Now that you have a clear picture of what you are looking for, it’s time to start the hunt for that perfect someone. The major concern for most parents is safety. The idea of having a stranger come in to your home and care for your kids gives most moms pause. Luckily, reputable childcare referral agencies are just as concerned about the issue as you are. A reputable agency will have nannies certified in First Aid and CPR. Be sure the agency does extensive background checks, including the national criminal background check, county criminal records check, a driving record check, and verification of the social security to be legal to work in the U.S. These agencies can also provide you with reference phone numbers and letters from previous employers of each candidate.
There are few safety concerns when it’s a trusted family member interviewing for the position, but take care here as well. Does your mom know CPR? Are your older relatives up on the latest childcare safety issues? For example, do they know that the baby should not be put to sleep on his or her stomach or that you should never give honey to a child younger than 1?
The second most important concern for your family is whether you will like the person you hire. Compatibility is a huge issue when searching for childcare, especially the live-in variety.
You’ve found a match! Now what?
Make a work agreement—a contract of terms essential for harmonious employer/employee relationships for parents and caregivers alike. Carefully detail what is expected of your caregiver and what she should expect from your family.
The federal government regulates au pairs. They may only work up to 45 hours a week, no more than 10 hours per day. They are required one and a half days off a week with one full two-day weekend off each month and a paid two-week vacation during their year stay. Au pairs must be paid at least a minimum wage of $187 per week, as of June 2008. They are provided health coverage through their referral agency and must have representation through a local coordinator to resolve disputes.
The federal government does not regulate domestic workers, so it is up to families and caregivers to come to a fair agreement of terms. This should include expected hours and overtime hours, days off and vacation time, sick leave, healthcare, transportation expenses including gas, cell phone usage related to the job, and a petty cash fund for incidentals. Don’t forget to include a written acknowledgement of important items like allergies and what to do in case of an emergency.
Last but not least, don’t forget about taxes. According to a national tax and payroll service, employers should withhold 15 to 20 percent of an employee’s gross wages—and pay employment taxes that amount to 9 to 10 percent of the employee’s gross wages. There are tax breaks available to employers through the Tax Credit for Child or Dependent Care.
Once again, it’s just as important to have some kind of firm agreement when it comes to family help. Although it need not be as formal as a working contract with a nanny or au pair, some terms should be established if a family member cares for your child to prevent hurt feelings and family rifts.
Hopefully this long (or short) process has come to a happy completion. You may not end up with a beautiful songbird of a creature who can construct children’s garments from drapes, make a singing chorus of your family, and who used to be a nun—but really, who could live with that?