Training Nanny

Do I need to stay home the first day or two with my new nanny ?

What kind of safety issues should I discuss ?

Should we send our Nanny to school ?

Are there any good training videos or other materials on the market ?

How do I check up on her?

Does Nanny Training Really Matter?
An article by Anne Merchant

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Do I need to stay home the first day or two with my new nanny ?

It is probably a very good idea to stay home a day or two on your Nanny's first days.   Let her do the lion share of the work  Run errands so she has an opportunity to go it alone.  Any questions Nanny has can be jotted down if you're not there.

It is also a nice idea to take her to meet any neighbors you are friendly with.   This way they will know her by sight and she will know who the normal faces are in the neighborhood.  You could also go for a drive to point out the parks, pizza joints, grocery store, pediatrician, etc.

Employer Input: "When my nanny started, I was at home with her for 2 days so that she could familiarize herself with the house, the baby's routine, find where everything was kept, etc. I wanted to make sure she was well-prepared before I went back to work. Also, I wanted to watch how she interacted with the baby. She actually wanted it that way, too. "

Employer Input "In the first few days after our nannies have arrived, I have gone over the contract in detail. I have an attachment to the contract that explains the responsibilities. Although we've gone over it on the phone, it reinforces expectations in person. I show her where things are and talk about a schedule for accomplishing things like I would like my son's  laundry done on Thursday or Friday. I also tell her she can adjust the schedule if it would work better for her, but let's talk about it. After a week, I set aside time to go over how did the week go. If something isn't getting done, I'll talk about it and work with her on a solution. This is only for the big stuff. I feel some of the little things start to happen after the nanny has been there for a few weeks and becomes comfortable with the job.   After one month, we go over the contract in detail again. Identify what is going really well and what things need to be worked on. "

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What kind of safety issues should I discuss ?

Alarm System:  If you have an alarm system, teach you nanny how to use it.  If there are features that could help her in case of an emergency i.e. a panic button, etc.  make sure she knows how to use them.  If you want her to set the alarm when she leaves, teach her the code and have her try to set it.

Answering the Door    You may think it paranoid, but your Nanny should never open the door for anyone she doesn't  know.  Tell your Nanny that she can blame you in her explanation to the stranger. For instance, "I'm sorry, my employer does not allow me to answer the door.  Please call them later or leave a note and I will be sure they know you stopped by."  Anyone who tries to argue with this is suspect and the Nanny should warn that if they don't leave she will call the police.  If they don't leave, she should call the police.  If you are expecting a delivery, make sure your Nanny knows this and knows what company truck she should expect to see.  If you do not have a way for Nanny to talk to a person on the other side of the door, you can install an inexpensive intercom system. If someone at the door is claiming to need assistance, instruct your nanny that she can call the police or an ambulance on behalf of the person, but never open the door.  This should also be the policy for any children in your house who are old enough to answer the door.

Driving Safety:  Teach your Nanny how to install your child's car seat and how to make sure it is tightly fastened.  If she will be driving your car, familiarize her with how it works and with all its features.  Show her each little dash board light and what they mean if they light up.  Also teach her what to do if a light goes off. If you have power breaks, make sure she knows the proper way to break if she is skidding.   If you have a car phone, instruct your Nanny never to talk while driving.  Be extremely adamant about this.  It is a terribly risky behavior and in some experts opinions should be outlawed.  Let Nanny drive and take a nice long ride with her.  Try to make it a drive to somewhere, not specifically to "test" her since she will then be on her best behavior and more conscious of how she's driving.  Go to a shopping center with the kids in the car.  Show your Nanny how to safely get the kids out and in the car while keeping her eyes and ears open for danger.

Fire Safety:  Many of us haven't studied fire safety since Fireman Bill came to visit our first grade class.  Don't count on your Nanny to remember what to do in case of a fire.  Go over the basics with her.  Your local fire company should have some pamphlets if you could use a refresher too.  Show her all your smoke detectors and where you keep the batteries in case she starts to hear that annoying low battery "beep."  If your children are old enough include them in your fire safety chat.  Make sure they know to listen to your Nanny and to tell her immediately if they ever see or smell smoke.  If you have a two story house, make sure you have an exit route planned from both floors and run a fire drill including everyone in the house.

Self Defense:  It is not a bad idea to buy your Nanny a bottle of pepper spray to keep on her key chain.  This can come in handy not only against menacing people but also if a dog ever attacked her or your child.  If you have never taken a self-defense class, this might be a nice bonding idea for you and your Nanny.  It may be the best gift you ever give her.

Water Safety:  If you are like me and you live in a town where almost everyone either lives on the water or has a swimming pool, water should be a major concern in your family.  Map out your water safety policy with your Nanny and make sure she sticks to it.  If you live on the water or have a pool, you should have safety policies that your children and nanny live by i.e. the children can not be unsupervised in the back yard for even a second.  If the phone rings, let the machine pick it up.  If you have a dock and your kids love to play around it, lifejackets are to be worn at all times or they aren't allowed on the dock.  If a friend has invited your child over after school and you know the friend has a swimming pool, make sure an adult will be home with the children at all times.  The more your Nanny knows about water safety the more she can teach your children about it.  The LifeWithNanny website has more information on Water Safety as well as Plant Safety and Library Safety if you or your Nanny want to know more.

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Should we send our Nanny to school ?

If you would like your Nanny to learn more about early education and you think she might be interested, by all means offer.  Parents with nannies who have studied early education have indicated that their nannies seem to know more age appropriate activities and seem more interested in the different developmental stages of their children then nannies who have never taken these courses.  Look into what classes your community college has to offer.  There are also some early education classes, discipline technique courses, and safety workshops offered through hospitals and adult education courses sponsored by your town or county. And it never hurts to have some good parenting books and magazines around the house.  I relied heavily as a new mom on the "What to Expect" series and "Parenting Magazine."

 

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Are there any good training videos or other materials on the market ?

Yes, you may purchase the Shaken Baby Syndrome video "Portrait of Promise" from The Midwest Children's Resource Center at Children's Health Care-St.Paul, 360 Sherman St.,  Suite 200,  St. Paul, MN 55102 (612)220-6750 I believe the video cost $18.95.   There is also another video out there that costs ($65) and is called "Crying, What Should I do?" produced by SBS Prevention Plus. Their number is 1-800-858-5222.

Many months ago a friend purchased a book for me called "Mom Central".  Its a workbook, spiral bound, that you complete. Its got preprinted pages/forms for everything you can imagine - phone numbers, groceries, birthdays, daycare, etc. You can even send away for additional forms if you want them.

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How do I check up on her?

The first week is a great time to perform some spot checks.  The first day back to work make sure you call several times during the day.  Listen to background noises, is the TV on?  Where are the children?  How does your nanny sound (cheerful, flustered, bored.)  Also enlist the help of a neighbor or grandparent.  Ask that they drop by unexpectedly to check on things.  Of course, make sure your Nanny has met this person and feels comfortable identifying him or her at the door.

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Does Nanny Training Really Matter?

PART ONE OF A SERIES ON NANNY EDUCATION


A Love of Children + Childcare Experience =
Quality Childcare…Right?….Wrong!… Not According
to the Current Research.


In the past, quality childcare was something that parent's
didn't give much thought to, especially since when childcare
was needed, there was usually an available aunt, grandparent,
or someone such as the daughter of a trusted neighbor that had
experience caring for children.


Instead of knowledge, quality was measured by the "familiarity
factor", or how well we knew and liked the person caring for
our child. The notion of "childcare skills" or the caregiver's
knowledge of growth and development simply wasn't a common
consideration when choosing who would care for your child.


Things began to change in the 1980's as mothers entered the
workforce in droves and it became clear that the trend wasn't
going to change. Economically, households that had become used
to earning two incomes weren't able to do with anything less
while at the same time, the demographics and the media had
increased society's awareness that a nanny or a daycare center
were a necessary part of modern life for two-income households.
During this same time period mothers became more educated than ever before and as many of them spent eight to twelve hours a day apart from their children, the issue of quality childcare became more and more important. That, combined with the (quality childcare) research, plus the fact that our society believes
in "value for the dollar" and "getting what we pay for" created
a shift in the way parents view the credentials of those that
make a living caring for other people's children.

The media, the human resource offices at the workplace and the
research has all influenced the way parents evaluate the
"quality" question. The "familiarity factor" as well as other
paradigms once held as true, no longer matter. Now quality
childcare is measured by the education of the person caring
for the child. The research is telling parents that those
without early childhood education are less likely to
provide "quality care". That is not to say that there aren't
innumerable nannies and even sitters that have warm, nurturing
relationships with the children they care for, but alone this
will not lay the groundwork for the child's capacity for future
learning.

Today's nannies, just as the nurses of the 1900's, will have
to adapt, grow and develop as their profession matures. When
Florence Nightingale started caring for the sick, there were no
training requirements. Today, there are no nanny training
requirements. Anyone can call herself a Nanny. This is
changing.
 

Part II

There is a growing national trend for child caregivers to become more educated. The research has made clear that the education of child caregivers will have a direct, positive impact on America's future economic strength in addition to improving the quality of life for children that spend their days with a childcare provider. Advocating for more education for childcare providers does not imply that those currently caring for children are in any way inept, or not doing the best possible job. Some are effective in spite of the fact that they do not have the advantage of a higher education because they possess certain key personality charactistics. Among them; above average sensitivity to others, empathy, and not just the ability, but a stronger than average desire to nurture. These are essential caregiver characteristics that cannot be learned in a college classroom. Once these traits are paired with a solid working knowledge of early child development we expect that children that spend their days being cared for by a nanny, or in a daycare setting will be prepared for kindergarten as well as for the challenges that come after that.

In just the past 25 years, the American family has been restructured as the number of women in the workforce has nearly doubled. The American family has become economically dependant on two incomes. Consequently, it is estimated that currently 12 million American infants, toddlers and preschoolers are cared for by childcare providers that are not their parents and the majority of these children spend close to 40 hours per week in these settings, many starting when they are only weeks old."[1]. That factor, combined with the turn-over in daycare centers, the influx of au pairs from other countries that are hired before the parents have met them, and the nannies hired via newspaper ads without being fully screened have led experts to believe that the problem with childcare in America is that the majority of those providing care lack the education so vital to optimal child development. While no one would disagree that an educated child caregiver is an essential component if a child is to receive quality care, and with all due respect to what the research says, I believe that "the problem with childcare in America" primarily has to do with an underlying value system that has historically done very little to improve childcare - which is a statement that children are not important in our society. As a result of the value system that has placed children last, those that have chosen childcare as a career path receive inadequate pay and typically go unrecognized for the valuable work that they do. Under such circumstances it is not surprising that many childcare providers do not pursue higher education. This is beginning to change however as educators and public policy-makers have come to the realization that America can no afford sub-standard childcare and have begun to help streamline the educational process for those that care for children.

Sub-standard child care is not reserved for only the economically disadvantaged. Many children born into economically privileged families do not succeed as well as children from underprivileged families. This is an important distinction since both economically advantaged and economically disadvantaged children routinely spend their days in sub-standard care settings. Researchers believe that sub-standard care is directly related to lack of caregiver education. Early childhood education is cited in all of the recent research, as well as in studies conducted in past decades as being an essential factor in quality childcare. The 1994 Carnegie Task Force report "Meeting the Needs of our Youngest Children, states, "Research shows that (childcare training) is an effective strategy for improving quality, particularly if training initiatives are linked to career development, with trainees receiving credit toward associate and bachelor's degrees".
 

In the 1980's Dr. Jay Belsky, Professor of Human Development at Pennsylvania State was also part of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care, an ongoing $100 million survey of 1,100 children. Dr. Belsky was "excoriated for using bad science to criticize working women" when he showed that children spending long hours in childcare setting had higher levels of aggression than those raised by their mothers,. He was later quoted as saying; "What if, kids experiencing long hours in childcare are more likely to use drugs, are less ambitious and have trouble with relationships? Parents will say, 'How come no one warned me?' It is our scientific responsibility to tell people what they may not want to know." (1). As it turns out, Dr. Belsky was right on the money. Policy-makers and regulatory agencies are taking notice now that the research has been validated. Unfortunately the validation has come in the form of a generation of children that have had to struggle socially and academically most of their lives, and are now struggling economically because in their earliest years they were cared for in sub-standard childcare settings. Now that there is evidence that America's future economy will be adversely impacted if children do not receive quality care, there is a flurry of social and political activity to provide children with the quality care they need.

People say that the kids today are a lot smarter than their parents were at the same age. Instead of learning penmanship in grade school, or sitting in a high school typing class, today's school-age children use their home computer to turn in polished, well-researched, and grammatically correct papers that look like what their parents produced in college. Technology has impacted children's homes, school systems and social lives just as it has impacted the way businesses plan and function.

Research shows:

~Custodial care is inadequate. The term "custodial care" is defined as care that keeps children safe, warm, and fed. Custodial care is sub-standard care that does not consistently include planned age and/or developmentally appropriate social, physical, cognitive and psychological care.

~Children require quality care. Quality care provides developmentally appropriate social, psychological, physical & cognitive activities and stimulation for children that allows them to become healthy, competent, and productive members of our society.

~Child caregivers must participate in early childhood education college classes to learn child development theory and care-practices in order to be able to meet each child's need for developmentally appropriate social, physical, psychological, and cognitive care.

~Children that do not receive early quality care are not prepared for kindergarten, have difficulty reading, often fall behind and find it nearly impossible to catch up.

~Current statistics predict that 33 - 50% of today's high school students will drop out of high school before they graduate.

~In an effort to cut costs, American corporations that once provided jobs to unskilled workers are now "outsourcing" those jobs to other countries where minimum wage laws and unions do not existent. There are fewer jobs for unskilled American workers that have not completed high school.

~Adults that have not finished high school have fewer job options than ever before and find it more and more difficult to support themselves or their families.

~Research shows that children that do not receive early quality care will not be prepared for school, and many will drop out before they graduate. Children that do not receive quality care are more likely to be arrested at least once before they are fifteen years old. Those that are incarcerated, or on welfare inflict a huge economic cost on society.

~Current statistics on the state of education in America suggest that unless major educational reform takes place the country will not be able to compete in the global marketplace and will suffer economically.

~The single vital factor for the healthy development in children is the caregiver. Caregivers that provide high quality care function in supportive work environments and possess the characteristics listed below.

Quality caregivers are:

1) Educated in child development. Their education is demonstrated by planned curriculum (activities) that provide focused and consistent enrichment in each area of children's development including: cognitive, social, physical and psychological development according to each child's individual needs.

2) Able to read children's cues, seek to understand children's feelings & emotions, and develop and maintain nurturing bonds with children. This care is demonstrated by the caregivers' level of responsiveness to, and empathy for, each child in their care.

3) Valued by their employers. Quality child caregivers work in environments that have adequate resources (including adequate staff if a daycare), low turnover, learning opportunities, and highly competitive salaries that include benefits. These values are demonstrated in environments that are safe and cheerful, where both children & teachers are enthusiastic about what they do there everyday.

Neuroscientists, researchers and social scientists have concluded that brain development & early learning experiences are intrinsically connected. Scores of reports conducted by social and neuroscientists have consistently documented the relationship between quality early child care and brain function. By "brain function" we mean the ability of children's brains to continually develop, understand, reason, extrapolate, investigate, experiment, process information and learn. Researchers now believe that certain nerve pathways are “hard-wired”, or formed in the brains of children that have received certain types of healthy stimulation in their earliest years. These pathways are part of the nervous system in the brain and are the actual physical connections that make it possible for the child to learn, understand, process and build on information in order for the child to grow and to develop cognitive, physical, psychological & social skills.

Compare the root system of a young rose plant that has not yet bloomed with that of developing child's nervous system. The plant's root system is still developing, just as the child's nervous system is still developing. Like a child, the rose plant contains within it all of the potential to become a perfect example of the species. The plant's ability to become perfect and to bloom depends on how it is cared for and treated. If the gardener provides the young plant with an ideal environment, protects it from disease, trims it, feeds it properly, waters it, the plant will grow, flourish and bloom. If the gardener has too many rose bushes to care for, or if the gardener doesn't know how roses grow and develop, or what roses need to be healthy and strong, the flower may never bloom.

Children that receive substandard childcare do not develop the same neurological pathways as children that are provided quality and developmentally appropriate care. Children that receive substandard care have difficulty learning to read, tend to fall behind academically and lack the social skills of children that receive quality care. [2] Children that can not freely interact and play, or are rarely touched, develop brains 20 percent to 30 percent smaller than normal for their age.[3] Neuroscience confirms the important link between early childhood experience (first five years) and subsequent achievement in math & science.[4] In addition, children cared for by educated caregivers have better language skills, score higher in school-readiness tests, have better social skills, fewer behavioral problems, and more are likely to become literate, gainfully employed and enrolled in college.[5] Gone are the days when experts believed that all an infant or toddler needed was someone to nurture them. As important as it is to cuddle and love children, if children are to reach their full potential, they must be nurtured and receive developmentally appropriate cognitive, social, physical and emotional stimulation.

Due to these important findings, some American states are making dramatic overhauls in the regulatory agencies that oversee childcare. In July 2005 the State of Massachusetts responded to the need for higher quality childcare in Massachusetts by replacing the former Massachusetts Office for Child Care Services with the Massachusetts Department of Early Education & Care. Massachusetts is investing millions of dollars to educate childcare providers. From an economical perspective Corporate America is getting involved too. More & more businesses are lobbying for higher quality care for our youngest citizens as well as funding educational programs for childcare providers. National longitudinal studies that have shown that high quality care for children can return more than $7.00 to society for every dollar initially invested in caregiver education. These savings are realized by reduced costs on special education, welfare dependency, and crime.[6]

To reduce turn-over rates and increase job satisfaction childcare providers must be paid higher salaries & receive better benefits. Regulatory agencies, educators, researchers & businesses know that better salaries and benefits for caregivers are vital factors in the childcare reform that is taking place in America. If quality caregiver salaries and benefits are not increased over the next decade substandard childcare will increase. As we become a nation of specialists and as unskilled labor continues to be outsourced to other countries, we predict that the childcare profession will join the ranks of the more prestigious careers. Additional early childhood education for caregivers will become a mandate.

The earliest and most important teachers for children are the people that spend the majority of a child's waking hours with them. These first teachers create an indelible mark on children's lifelong potential. The purpose of The Childcare Textbook, for Teachers, Nannies, and Daycare Providers and the tuition-free, college credit, online, early childhood education programs; Teachers College for Professional Development and Professional Nanny Online is to provide an efficient, affordable & convenient way for child caregivers to pursue their education and develop a career advancement plan in collaboration with program faculty and advisors. Undoubtedly childcare providers that invest in their education will advance more rapidly than those that do not. Childcare providers that pursue their education will be the ones that receive the highest salaries & will ultimately redefine the image of the nanny or provider to that of early childhood educator.[7],

1 Stanley Greenspan, George Washington University child psychiatrist, Heidi Lang, Psychology Today, May-June, 2005

2 ~Shankoff, Jack P. & Phillips, Deborah A (eds). "From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Child Development. National Research Council, Institute of Medicine, Washington: NAtional Academy Press, 2000

3 ~Nash, M.J., "Fertile Minds: From Birth. Babies Brain Cells Proliferate Wildly, Making Connections That May Shape a Lifetime of Experience". Time Magazine. February 3, 1997

4 ~Kotulak, Ronald, "Inside the Brain: Revolutionary discoveries of how the mind works." Kanas City, KS 1997

5 ~ "Long-term Effects of An Early Childhood Intervention on Educational Achievement and Juvenile Arrest", Reynolds, Judy A, Temple, Dylan L., Robertson & Emily A. Mann, The Journal of the American Medical Association, May 9, 2002

6 ~"Early Childhood Development: Economic Development with a High Public Return", 2003 Rolnick, Art. Grunewald's report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.

7 ~"Fostering Human Capital" Heckman, James (Nobel Laureate & University of Chicago Professor of Economics) 2000

8 ~ "Investing In a Productive & Just Society" 2000 Trustees of the Committee for Economic Development, a national, nonpartisan, organization of business and education leaders.

It has been my experience that the most effective child caregivers possess certain personality traits. These caregivers have empathy and are sensitive to the needs of the children they care for. Many have not just the ability, but the desire to be nurturing