Interviewing someone that will take care of your child is stressful. Here’s a helpful tip sheet.
Schedule
Live-in? Live-out? Days off? Hours? It’s important to tell potential candidates that tardiness is unacceptable. 8am is 8am. Is she willing to work an occasional Saturday night for additional pay?
Responsibilities
Cook? (For the family or just for the child/children? School Lunches?)
Housekeeping duties? If you have a newborn, it may impossible to expect a nanny to have time to clean the house. If you have children in school, she should be able to help around the house. Be specific. If you want her to keep the kitchen clean, for example, say that it includes dishes, floor, countertops, cabinets, trash. Child’s room/bathroom/playroom. Child’s laundry? If live-in, own room is to be maintained.
Child’s Schedule
Go over your child’s daily routine including school schedule, outside activities and non-school days. Be specific in your expectations. If you want her to read to him, play outside, spend time drawing and coloring, daily walks to the park, mention it.
Rules Specific to Your Home
If you don’t want your child watching more than two hours of television a day, mention it. If you don’t want her watching spanish telenovelas when the baby is in the room, mention it.
Other Info
Does she have papers? Can she travel out of town or in-state if needed? Does she have a driver’s license? A car? Make sure to make a photocopy of any official documents.
Last, but not least:
Go With Your Gut
I interviewed a nanny once who’s reading glasses were so full of dirty fingerprints, I was surprised she could even see through them . Would this woman possibly keep my child and his things or my home for that matter clean if she couldn’t even clean her own reading glasses? I sent her away. A great tip submitted by a Mafia Mommy, is to ask her to write out for you a grocery list. How is her handwriting? Can she write in English? She may be able to communicate with children, but how does she communicate with adults? In an emergency situation, will she be able to communicate with 911 operators?
Good Luck!
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