WELCOME TO OUR NEW NANNY RECRUITER

Our beloved nanny recruiter, Ashley Thrall, has gotten married, and now Michael has taken a position at a law firm in Durango, Colorado. Congratulations, Ashley and Michael!!!! We miss you both! We're excited to announce that Kristen Tourek has taken her place and is a quick learner!!  Kristen has a wide background in childcare plus administrative assistant skills. She's worked in church nurseries, and assisted in the children’s department organizing curriculum. Additionally, she spent a year as teacher at a preschool working primarily with two-year-olds, and as a one-on-one tutor for grade school students. She brings a love of families and children, and has a passion to build successful connections between the two.   Born and raised in Arizona, Kristen is currently attending school at Arizona State University, working on a degree in Graphic Information Technology, and when she’s not working, she enjoys drawing, painting, scrapbooking, and spending time with family. Kristen is doing nanny recruiting, reference checking, filing and is learning to do Temp placements. We're especially happy that Kristen is very techie, and is helping us with our social media. Welcome aboard, Kristen!  Beth

2015 STANDARD MILEAGE RATES ANNOUNCED BY IRS

Nannies and families, take note: The IRS has announced that the business reimbursement for business travel has gone up! Gas has been going down radically, and Costco's posted rate today is $1.65. We're all saving money every time we fill up. However, the IRS has announced that for business mileage, their rate has actually gone up slightly. Last year the rate was 56.5 and the new rate for 2015 is 57.5.  So you may be wondering why families will be paying more for errands their household staff run. Medical mileage as well as driving for volunteer work has stayed lower.  Beginning on Jan. 1, 2015, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck will be: 57.5 cents per mile for business miles driven, up from 56 cents in 2014 23 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes, down half a cent from 2014   14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations Moving use: 23 cents a mile The way the IRS sets the standard mileage rates is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of using a car, including depreciation, insurance, repairs, tires, maintenance, gas and oil. The rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs, such as gas and oil. The charitable rate is set by law. Why is the business rate up and the moving and medical rate down? The business rate adjustment takes into account all the costs associated with owning a car, including insurance and repairs, while the other adjustment primarily takes into effect oil and gas costs. There is another option. The standard rates are the simple option for taxpayers to use. The other option is to claim deductions based on the actual costs of using a vehicle. In either case, you need to keep records to prove how far you drove and when and for what purpose. Be sure to use these new rates to reimburse your nanny or household manager starting this month!   Beth

NANNY ONLINE SITES VS NANNY AGENCIES

What are the pros and cons of using an online nanny site vs a nanny agency? Your greatest concerns in life revolve around your children and home. When you need some extra help at home, a nanny or babysitter, how should you  go about finding the perfect one, the one just right for your family?  Should you go with a 'do-it-yourself' online site? Or hire a service to do the sleuthing for you. What are the pros and cons of using an online nanny agency versus a full service agency? We checked with some experts in the industry and have some pros and cons to help you decide which way is best for your family. Complete control. An online company gives parents complete control over  the process. Some parents feel that they know their needs and their family better than anyone, and want to do it all themselves. Price. An online service is much less expensive initially than an agency. Some online companies charge only $45 per month and a Phoenix nanny agency can be anywhere from $800 to $3,500.  Candidates. There are lots of candidates to choose from. There are outstanding, experienced candidates mixed in with others. Experience levels vary greatly. For example, Care.com requires candidates to have worked in three different homes at least one time each. Most 'brick and mortar' agencies require a minimum of one to two years experience outside friends and family.  Convenience. Since it's all online, a parent can do a lot of the work after hours. Cons of an online service  Time. Initially it may seem easy and some families find a great choice quickly and move forward, but others find it confusing because there are so many nanny candidates and it takes a lot of time to review resumes, interview candidates, call references, get quality background checks, get copies of Driver's Licenses, proof of auto insurance, First Aid, CPR certifications and validate the knowledge base of each candidate.  One family was successful, but recounts: "I found someone good but it wasn't easy. I spent a lot of hours interviewing and checking references...hours that I didn't have. I saved some money, but if I had it to do over, I would find an agency that does more of the work."  Another comment was, "I didn't realize all the stuff that ultimately fell on my plate." And again, "I had no idea that they don't even meet the nannies. They have a lot of resumes but I gave up after a while. It was like finding a needle in a haystack." Pros of a Full-Service Agency Streamlined Hiring Process: An agency has the ability to determine your needs and send candidates for interviewing within a day or two. Judi Merlin of A Friend of the Family Staffing Corporation in Athens, Georgia, tells us that her vetting process for nannies takes 15-20 hours. "We have found that only 1 in 10 applicants successfully complete our process," she adds.  There for you during and after the placement. One of the most valuable benefits of going with a nanny agency is being able to work with one person who will guide you through the process. One family in the Breedlove survey stated: " I liked being able to do a lot of the work online to save time. But I thought most of their nannies were un-hireable and I didn't have anyone to call when I needed help." Mimi Brady of Westside Nannies in Los Angeles tells us: "Most agencies always provide ears to listen, even after a nanny has been placed, and this can be extremely helpful in working on glitches regarding training your new nanny and miscommunications." Back-up help and support. If a family uses an agency, they can call for a last minute substitute sitter in case of an emergency. If a placement doesn't work out, most agencies guarantee the placement for three months. Cons of a Brick and Mortar Agency Price. It is definitely more expensive to hire a nanny or babysitter though an on-line service, but time and having a stress-free experience are more valuable to many families than the money they would save. Loss of control. Some parents prefer to be in charge of the whole process themselves. Pros of a Do it Yourself Website  Failure Rate. One out of three online hires results in a failed placement, according to a study by Breedlove, a nanny tax service. There is also the consideration of a failed placement and children who have grown to like a nanny or babysitter only to have them leave. There is also the fear factor of meeting a person in your home who may not be who they seem. Each family's budget, time constraints and priorities are what will determine the best way to go about hiring a nanny or babysitter. The bottom line for every family is the safety and well-being of their children. If you  have any questions about the process of finding just the right nanny or babysitter for your family, we're glad to help. You can give us a call at 480-946-3423 or fill out a Family Application to start your personalized search today. Beth

NANNY OF THE MONTH, CAROL

Every month, Caring Nannies likes to share one of the nannies who have taken a job with one of our wonderful families. This month, we chose Carol, who has faithfully been a nanny for one of our families for the past two years two days a week. Her new job is another two day job....read on...Meet December Nanny of the month, Carol

Carol is a warm, vibrant and highly dedicated nanny with over six years of nanny experience with three families! She started babysitting at age 10. With a medical degree, she was working at a very busy medical clinic as well as setting up specialty clinics in Minnesota until her family relocated to Phoenix. “It was very stressful and when we moved to Arizona, I just wanted to get out of the healthcare field and be able to play and just have fun, caring for children. No stress, no drama. I just love nannying-it's just the best,” she confided. In the Fall of 2012, we placed Carol as a nanny with a 3 year old girl two days per week, and just this week, she took an additional part-time nanny job for two days with a two year old and a newborn.

Carol loves children, and it shows! “They’re so much fun!” she shared. ‘Kids need to feel special. It’s a lot of work, but its so much fun. It’s about building a relationship with the children and the parents. If the children are happy, the parents are happy, and then I’m happy. it’s a win-win”. She’s fun-loving and active with children in all her nanny positions, diving into the pool for toys, playing hide 'n go seek, tag, bike riding, reading, walks, exploring, and encouraging independence as much as possible. “One key is letting them win games. It makes them feel so special when the parents come home and they say, ‘Mom, I beat Carol at ‘Pig’!’”

Carol is flexible, and has done extensive travel with past families. Carol's own family works around their schedule. Her current family flies her to Chicago frequently and once they brought Carol's 10 year old daughter along so her six year old charge would have someone to play with and they had a blast: "We went to the park, the zoo, we walked miles. My nanny job works so well. My employer is the kindest lady ever! She’s been so kind to me. This nanny position has been a really good thing for me. I don't look at it so much as a job. I love it and do whatever they need me to do.” 

With her young Kindergarten charge in tow, Carol can be found exploring on a Saturday with a backpack filled with water and snacks and no plans. “Its’ an adventure and we see where we end up. I like to come up with fun things, like: ‘Today we're going to see how many parks we can play at’".  They call it park-hoping and found 6 parks in one day. “She’s so smart for her age,” remarks Carol about her charge. We're always cooking and baking, and doing tons of crafts. We go to Michaels, pick up craft items, do painting, or make cards. The parents went off for a weekend and we put paint on her hands and feet and prints all over a paper and we hung it up with the words: 'Happy Birthday, Dad.'” 

Carol is compassionate, patient, adventurous, cheerful, and her medical background makes her extra safety-conscious. She loves teaching sports skills like hitting a ball with a bat or swimming. A favorite memory was a little fellow who loved basketball. Carol lowered the net so he could be successful. Carol is experienced with infants through school age, and is a pro at potty training. She’s happy to help with homework, do family laundry, straighten up the house, menu plan, grocery shop, run errands and is a gourmet cook! 

Carols own daughters are 10, 15 and 18 year old and her husband travels a lot. “My kids are pretty self-sufficient, and normally I’m home by 4-5 in the afternoon. Her family loves to go camping and travel in their motor-home. This summer she took her paraplegic cousin on a month long motor-home trip, and cared for him 24/7 with her 10 year old. Her close-knit family loves any kind of outside activities, camping at Lake Pleasant, and other favorite places. Thanks for all your great work, Carol, and congratulations on your new position!

Beth

WHERE HAVE ALL THE AFTER-SCHOOL NANNIES GONE?

Nanny agencies around the country have been turning away requests from families for the traditional after-school nanny. What's happened to the traditional college students?

This fall, Caring Nannies had nine After-School Nanny positions available. We were unable to place any of them! Nanny agencies around the country are no longer even accepting these requests. Where have all the traditional after school nannies gone? For the past 31years we’ve been able to source students from ASU and the surrounding community colleges to fill these crucial positions typically from 2 to 6 pm. The nannies have their traditional classes in the mornings, drive to pick up the  school-aged children, take them home for a snack, and then get started on homework. They transport them to appointments, dance, soccer or Karate practice with socks, tennis shoes, tights and mouth guards. These hardworking nannies  throw in a load of laundry and prep dinner or at least get a salad ready or feed and bathe the kids. They're typically paid $15 to $16 per hour and it’s worked out great. But now they’re just extinct. They don’t apply for these jobs. The truth is, they need full-time hours to meet rising costs of school, and they're doing online classes so they can do it all. Or, according to Daryl Camarillo at Stanford Park Nannies in Menlo Park,  they're seeking positions that will compliment their resume or matche their career paths.

Caring Nannies has a few suggestions. 

1. Keep your child in an after-school program and try to utilize Saturday sports and dance options.

2. Give an after-school nanny a higher wage, like $18-$20 per hour.

3. Give the nanny longer hours. Give her 30-35 hours per week and expand her duties. She may cook 2-3 family dinners per week. She can grocery shop, do family laundry, iron shirts, make travel plans, research summer camps, or do full housekeeping. Over the course of a week, she can focus on 1-2 areas of the home per day and clean the entire house within a five day stretch.

4. Another suggestion from Daryl is to be satisfied with semester-long placements, as college students change classes, since students change teachers sometimes each semester. You can have the outgoing nanny help hire and train the new one.

5.  By the age of 12, many families allow a child to stay home alone. Clinical psychologist Angela Bowers feels that children ages 10 and over have the ability to stay home for a couple of hours occasionally, but that it shouldn’t be overdone, since they can begin to feel lonely and isolated. Determining factors are how responsible they are, who their friends are, and if they know how to handle emergency situations.

It’s frustrating, we know. Spring is right around the corner and our recruiting staff is walking the campuses at the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers college in Northwest Phoenix, Grand Canyon University, Paradise Valley Community College, Scottsdale Community College,  Mesa Community College and ASU main in Tempe, talking to career services, posting on job boards and still not getting quality experienced applicants. We want to help in any way we can. I hope some of these suggestions help if you’re searching for after-school help after the holidays.

Beth

7 SECRETS TO KEEPING A GREAT NANNY

Some families keep their nannies for years, while others go through a string of nannies, leaving children confused. It's a lot of work finding your dream nanny, but the hardest part is after the hire, developing a strong ongoing relationship. Think about your own work environment and how your boss treats you. Realize that she's a professional in her own right. 1. Does she know you appreciate her? Express your appreciation to your nanny out loud frequently, and give her respect and support, especially in front of the children. Don't allow your children to be disrespectful to her and never speak unkindly to her. Zoe from Unnecessary Wisdom tells the story of her own part time nanny job and a boss who hosted an executive company Christmas party. She invited Zoe to attend and hired a sitter for the event. She raised a toast and asked her husband and Zoe  to stand, announcing: “To my husband and Zoe – the two most important people in my life. Without you, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do.” Zoe recounts her undying devotion to this family for years afterwards. 2. Are you really Communicating? Take time to establish regular communication routines with your nanny, daily, weekly, monthly and annually. Take 15 minutes weekly to review her plans and schedule for the following week. Share developmental goals, ideas for the household, your frustrations, and listen to hers as well. Initiate a Nanny Log and ask her to make notes daily and actually read them, occasionally leaving notes of your own or give written praise for a job well done. 3. How do you resolve conflicts? Think before you speak. Focus on creating a win-win solution, not on being right. How can she effectively play with your children, dance with them, sing to them, cuddle with them, put them to sleep if you yell at her or give her the cold shoulder? The fingerprints on the microwave may be bothering you. You know it's silly and not worth mentioning, because you're OCD, and you don't want to rock the boat because she's home with your baby all day. She already knows something is wrong, but can't get you to tell her. The baby knows too. It could be something more serious, and I know it's hard for you to bring it up, but after the first time, it gets easier. The process of resolving conflict will actually bond you both closer together when done quickly, before it festers. Take care of it the same day it occurs, or as soon as possible. 4. Are you micromanaging? If you've done your homework and found a nanny you can trust, then trust her. It's not fun being under a critical eye. A  good parent draws forth the qualities they envision for their child. Likewise, your faith in your nanny, knowing she'll do well, creates confidence and a desire to please you even more. 5. Are you adding more duties and hours? Don't keep adding more chores or hours without additional compensation. 6. Is she bored? Encourage her to get out and go on playdates, trips to the zoo, the park, the Children's Museum or the Butterfly Wonderland. Being a nanny is isolating. The interaction and stimulation will benefit your child. 7. Is your pay and benefits package competitive? If you're able, are you giving her raises when you get a raise at your job? Beth

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW WHEN HIRING A BABYSITTER

We love spending precious time with our children, but you want and need to get away for a date-night, a wedding, or just a ‘mental health break’. But you can only enjoy your time away if you’ve done your homework and have a trustworthy sitter giving your children an equally enjoyable time too! I’m the preferred sitter for my grandchildren, but I can’t always be there, so they’ve had to find outside help.

Choosing a sitter can be a very intimidating task and there are several aspects to evaluate. Get a list of possible candidates, and start phone screening.

1. Even if the referral is from a friend, follow your gut level feelings during the first phone call. Does she come across as cheerful, friendly, and confident? A babysitter’s most important job is to be a good role model, and if you’re not feeling totally comfortable, move on to the next person.

Call her references, asking behavioral based questions. How do the children feel about her? Does she hug and kiss them? Is she timely, safety-conscious?

Does she live close-by, so if you like her, she’ll be more likely to return? Has she had recent experience with the ages of my children? You don’t even want to bring someone into your home unless they have passed this much screening.

2. When she walks through the door, does she come prepared, with a book or simple activities for older children? Does she get down on the floor to connect with them? Does she ask pertinent questions?

3. Before leaving home, go through the house rules and define any out of bound areas. Jenny, our Family Coordinator, never leaves home without reviewing the Heimlich Maneuver, since she's personally had so many close calls. Show her how to turn off the water main in case of a busted pipe. Show her where the First Aid Kit is and flashlights in case of a power outage. Leave your cell phone phone numbers plus one or more alternates who live nearby - a neighbor is perfect - as well as your Pediatrician and where you’ll be.

4. After the sitting, do more sleuthing.
What did she do during your absence? Did she bring some creative ideas or crafts  that ware age appropriate? A favorite book? Or did they watch TV?
Do the children like her and want her back again?  Even an infant can tell you a lot. Was he tense or relaxed? Older children can tell you if she was on her phone or texting.
Was she able to get the children to bed on time without too much trouble with teeth brushed and baths or faces washed?
How did the house look when you walked in?
Did she give you a report of how the evening went including any snags?

5. Find a sitter before you need one. Perhaps you don’t need a sitter right now, but when you do need one, you want to be prepared so you’re not neglecting any steps in the process.

A good sitter is a valuable addition to your family. Getting out and alone for adult conversations strengthens your marriage and gives you a balanced perspective on who you are. We Moms quickly find our significance in our Mothering, but that’s only a part of who we are. Surprisingly, it also gives children immense security when they see you walking out the door hand in hand, even if they fuss a bit the first time.

 If you’re in need of a good babysitter, feel free to contact our office. The babysitters we send out on Temp jobs are candidates who we’ve already placed in permanent positions, so we know them well. They have current CPR and First Aid as well as an up to date full background check. They’ve filled out a five-page application, had extensive interview in our office and detailed references checked, which are open for you to peruse. We also have 24/7 phone access for after hours and weekend last minute needs.

Beth Weise