BOON FOR THE WORKING PARENT: THE AFTER-SHOOL NANNY

An after-school nanny can be the perfect solution for working parents if children are in sports, have appointments, music lessons or just need extra help with homework. She can help the entire family, having the homework, shopping, dinner, laundry and errands completed by the time the parents walk in the door. A nanny can provide a customized solution and quality family time at day’s end.

Follow these key steps to make sure you get a perfect fit for your family and a long-term solution. Give some thought to what your needs are and bring a detailed list of expectations and needs  to the interview and ask each candidate the same questions.

What qualities and skill sets are most important ?

Does she need to be able to do algebra or go on the internet and monitor school assignments?

Is she a good role model? Find out what her values are, and during the interview, ask to see her Facebook page. School-aged children are very alert to the values of their nanny and tend to admire them because they are closer to their own age. Nannying is different from all other childcare positions in that the nanny is largely unsupervised. Look for someone who will make the right choice when no one’s looking.

What household chores is she willing and able to do well?

What were her responsibilities in her last position?

Involve your children in the interviewing process

Do they like her personality?  They’re old enough to voice their opinions now.

Does the nanny agree with your parenting style?

How would she settle sibling squabbles? A dynamic and energetic leader with a good sense of humor helps

Does she show a preference for one age or sex over another?

Can this be a long-term match?

Frequently a college student makes a good choice, since they'll have similar school holidays and can help in the summer with longer hours. Is she able to keep her job her top priority and work her classes around the family schedule for a year of two? Usually a freshman or sophomore can give a longer commitment than an upperclassman.

How’s her Driving?

Is she a responsible driver? Ask for her three-year Motor Vehicle Record.

Is she mature enough to handle an emergency?

Has she driven children before? Ask her last employer about her driving. During a trial week, have her drive to the children's school and back and see how carefully she drives.

What's the cost of an after-school nanny?
$15 per hours seems to be the going rate for an after school nanny working 20 hours per week in the Phoenix area. Caring Nannies follows the recommendation of the IRS to reimburse nanny mileage at the current rate of 56.5 cents per mile. If you're paying a household employee over $1800 per year, the IRS requires that a 1040-ES is filed along with a 1040 tax form and a W-2 form. Best to pay via check or direct deposit and not cash so that you have accurate documentation. If both parents are working, your cost should be a wash.

Seven Overlooked Opportunities for Bonding With Your Children

Most families will tell you that their first priority is the family, but their actions don't always reflect their goals. Why not use everyday moments to full advantage? When you're driving together, for example, you have a captive audience. These are prime times for bonding as well as transmitting family values.

1. Do household chores as a team. Work together to clean up their messes when needed and invite them at an early age to learn how to fold laundry or put away silverware and plastic dishes from the dishwasher.
2. When driving with children ask questions about how they are thinking or feeling, the highs and lows of their day, or sing together.
3. Reading bedtime stories together. Use a dramatic voice, make animal noises and use gestures to heighten interest
4. Enjoy wash up and bathtub time together.
5. Standing in line at the store? Use this moment to ask questions to draw out their intellect and understanding, like, what's this made out of? Metal or plastic?
6. Take a walk together. Point out the beauty and amazing details of nature. Ask questions.

7. Play a game together.

We're in a society where family members may be too busy for their own good. It's crucial that we utilize those overlooked moments that fly by so quickly. Right now you may feel the drudgery, sleeplessness, dirty diapers or soccer practices are overwhelming. But blink your eyes and those kids will be packing for college. You have just a few short years to instill your values and to produce mature, respectful, responsible, service-minded adults. So reclaim those daily for your well thought through long term goals, because down time is largely the stuff of life.

Beth

7 POOL SAFETY TIPS TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE THIS SUMMER

Being at the pool or the beach in the summer sun is definitely fun, but it comes with some risks. We've made it through half of the summer and there have been several toddler pool-related deaths already. The leading cause of death for children four and under after birth defects is accidents. After auto accidents, drowning is the leading cause of death for young children.

     Here are 7 key safety tips to take into the last weeks of summer.

1. Like the amazing 16 month toddler in the video, teach your children water safety as early as possible.  Some gyms have indoor pools and teach lessons year round.
2. Take a CPR class.
3. The main cause of distraction is needing to run into the house for food, sunscreen, a towel, answer the phone or door. Take the child with you.
4. Assign one person to be the lifeguard, who has no phone or magazine, and is preferably in the pool with the child. In 46 percent of drownings, a child was under supervision of both parents.
5. Don't depend on floaties. They give a false sense of security, but can pop or slip off. Use them sparingly.
6. Clean up all floating toys every time you're done swimming and do not use chlorine floating dispensers that look like toys. Children are attracted to them.
7. Emphasize pool risks to the babysitter and remind her of the need for continual watchfulness

Beth Weise

4 Ways to Have A Great 4th of July With Your Family

Make plans today to not let this July 4th be just another day. Create a memorable celebration for your family.

1. Plan a 4th of July party. Invite another family over or a bigger crowd. We found some fun crafts and simple desert recipes online.

Find a patriotic movie to watch together while you're waiting for the fireworks to start.

2. Share your feelings of gratitude for living in the USA, like many families do at Thanksgiving. Go around the table and ask each person to share two reasons why they’re grateful for America.

3. Find a story from history to share with the children, or if they’re older, give each one an assignment and ask them to share a picture and some facts about their hero for your Independence Day celebration.

4. Use what you have on hand, like hands and feet, to create this 4th of July flag as a team effort.

Our favorite traditions for the 4th were homemade ice cream, watermelon seed spitting contests, and sitting on the roof to watch the fireworks. From our home in North Tempe, we could see the big fireworks from ASU, SRP Pera Club, and three to four other locations.

Have a wonderful 4th of July with  your family this week!

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READING TO BABIES AND TODDLERS: OUR FAMILY’S FAVORITE BOOKS

JUNE 27, 2013

In our family, we started reading to our children from the time they were babies. It created strong bonds, sped them towards academic excellence, accelerated their speech and communications skills, logical thinking, and increased concentration and discipline.  NPR recently reported that high school student’s reading levels are stuck in 5th and 6th grade levels and older students are not tackling more difficult material. Reading to children is by far the best way to help children be successful in school and in life.

Why do some books stay popular for generations? George McDonald, the 19th Century Scottish storyteller, said that the best children’s books are the ones where parents are looking over their kids shoulders.

When your toddler  is at the stage when they want the same book read 12 times a day, it had better be fun for you to read!

Here are a few of our all time family favorites that met that test.

PAT THE BUNNY
This classic book is so interactive that neither babies nor their parents ever tire of touching the bunny, feeling Daddy’s beard or trying on Mommy’s ring.

GOODNIGHT MOON

This classic book delights every child and they never tire of it’s sparse words at the end of the day. It becomes their cue that it’s bedtime and they settle down and easily slip into sleep and parents enjoy it just as much as the babies.

WHERE IS BABY’S BELLY BUTTON?

This is newer than the books I enjoyed with my own children, but my grandchildren love it.

Babies and toddlers don’t realize that things exist when they’re hidden, so they are surprised every time you uncover a hidden belly button or toes.

THE VERY HUNGRY CATEPILLAR
After finding a huge green hornworm as big as my finger, eating our pepper plants last Spring, I brought him in a jar to show my two year old grandaughter. We made a green catterpillar and  fruits and vegetables out of playdoh and re-enacted the story.

GREEN EGGS AND HAM
The wonderful Dr Seuss rhymes and outrageous stories and pictures is one most parents were raised on and continue to enchant toddlers today.

CORDUROY

The lonely teddy bear that had to live in a department store until a young girl was able to save up her allowance and bring him home is endearing to parents and children alike and makes children feel loved and cared for.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Maurice Sendak died just last year and he left a wonderful legacy of his love for children with this book. We read this book over and over as our children were growing up and they love the wildness of it and that it was all peaceful by the time bedtime came.

THE SNOWY DAY

Great for reading this summer-Kids get out of school for a day of frolicking in the snow. Another Caldecott Award winning treasure.

CARS, TRUCKS AND THINGS THAT GO.

All of Richard Scarey’ books are favorites. Children enjoy the detailed pictures with so many interesting things going on.

MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL

This book proves that we all do better when someone’s watching and cheering us on. It subtly shows how times change and how our great grandparents lived.

THE LITTLE HOUSE

This wonderful book is by the same author, Virginia Lee Burton,  and shows how a lovely farm  home becomes encircled by the big city. The granddaughter finds it and rescues it and moves it out to the country. The detailed pictures show the seasons changing as well and the countryside, families growing up. Another award-winning book.

Our family spent many hours reading books together, and now they are buying these favorites for their children. All five of them have loved reading and are lifetime learners.

Beth