How To Choose A Good Nanny For Your Child

Your child’s wellbeing is always a priority even when you are away at work. Most mothers can barely get through the day without worrying a great deal about their child's safety, comfort, health, etc. This should not be a problem when you have a good nanny; of course, you will still think about that little bundle of joy back home, but if you know that they are in good hands, you will get on with your work without much panic.

You, therefore, need to do some thorough checks to ensure that your child will indeed be in good hands while you are away worrying about the bills (you don't need to skimp on somebody cheap, this isn't a clearance sale for apparel; this is your child we are talking about). Here are a few things to do when choosing a nanny for your child:

ANALYZE THEIR REPUTATION

It is advisable to find a nanny from a reputable agency that has trained and qualified caregivers. The nanny also has to have a good reputation, and you should be careful to see the reviews from previous clients.

Nanny agencies simplify the whole process for you by vetting the nannies and helping you draft a contract on the terms of employment, which is very important. 

CONDUCT A THOROUGH INTERVIEW

Gather some questions before the interview that will help you get useful information about the new nanny. Some questions to ask the nanny include:

1. Their family background
2. Why they chose to become a nanny
3. Their years of experience
4. Whether they can cook
5. Whether they are trained in first aid

These questions help you judge their capability to handle your child by their backgrounds, attitude (nice to get someone a tad funny), knowledge about childcare, their ability to handle medical emergencies and their willingness to extend their service to other chores related to your child such as cleaning.

FEW THINGS YOUR IDEAL NANNY SHOULD HAVE INCLUDE:

• Love for children

Your nanny’s attitude towards kids will significantly influence how they treat yours. They must genuinely love them and enjoy being around them for the whole arrangement to work - it might depend on whether you get a girl or a boy or the genders of your children. However, normally it's more about their character than their gender when determining their suitability.

• Patience

Children do throw tantrums that could drive anyone short on patience crazy. The nanny should be patient enough to weather them off.

• Gentleness

This refers to a lot of aspects including how the nanny physically handles the child, communicates to them and their general manner of doing things. You don’t want to come home to an ‘accidentally’ bruised ankle or hurt feelings.

• Child-development skills

Your child’s nanny should be well-skilled in child development, and you may need to see certification for that if you are looking to work on a professional level. She should know what activities to arrange for your child based on their age in a way that supplements their learning.

• Trustworthiness

You need to build enough trust in them to leave your most valuable asset in their hands; your child. You should also be comfortable enough to leave them in charge of your house and everything in it without the fear of coming home to an empty house or a missing child.