Letter from the Editor

As a nanny, most of your work is done in the field – which means in your family’s home! Connecting with other nannies, however, can be a wonderful experience. Not only can you share tricks of the trade, but you can spend time celebrating this rewarding line of work.

Top Nanny: Sarah, IA

This month’s top nanny wrote to us from Iowa. Sarah’s story stood out to us for several reasons. For starters, she’s passionate about education and professional enrichment, and we couldn’t agree more. She’s also a mother herself, and fully enjoys a career path that allows her to spend more time with her own little one, in addition to her charges.

Thanks, Sarah, for being one of America’s Top Nannies!

Sarah’s Story:

My name is Sarah, and I graduated from the English Nanny & Governess School in Chagrin Falls, Ohio in 1994. Since then I have worked for 6 wonderful and diverse families, and I've been with my current family for almost five years! It will be hard to move on when the time comes! 

I'm one of those rare Nannies who is also a mother. I take my son to work with me and it has introduced a whole new area of professional questions, concerns, and flexibility. Over all, it has worked out wonderfully. What more can a mother like me ask for than to raise her own child?

When I started out, I was the oldest of six and looking for a way to use my childcare knowledge to start living my own life. I also thought it would be a great job to work while continuing my education. I found the Nanny School in a newspaper ad by accident and decided to attend so that I would be better prepared for the job. I am so glad I did that! While knowledgeable, there was still so much I didn't know. The school gave me the beginnings of some great skills that I still use today.

Obviously, I do this job because I love children. I have a special interest and an exceptional skill with infants. I am also CPR and First Aid Certified, of course. It's one of those essential job skills you really need to learn for this profession. In addition to my certification from the English Nanny and Governess School, I am about finished with an AS. I'm a bit of a gypsy and have gone where employment and interest has taken me. I hope to keep working on my education and obtain the designation of Governess.

Overcoming obstacles. Making an impact in a family that really needed help. We know you're out there, Nanny Superstars, and Nanny Net  News wants to hear your story. Follow the link below and tell us why you're a real-life super nanny.

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Are you a member of local or national nanny association? Are you active in the community as a volunteer or part of an organization? Tell us a little about yourself and your life as a Nanny!

Photos are encouraged, but not required. Each month, we'll publish our favorite story in the newsletter – and if we print your story in an issue of Nanny Net News, we'll send you a free nanny sweatshirt or tee-shirt of your choice!

Summertime, and the living is easy, as they say. But when the demands of work and day-to-day life are added to the round-the-clock demands of having the kids home for summer, the result can be a hectic season, indeed!

Many families strike the perfect balance during the school year, concocting an ideal weekly schedule of activities that allows the children to be home when the parents are home, and occupied when they’re not.

Then that final school bell rings, and families who have not planned ahead can find themselves scrambling…but it doesn’t have to be that way! There are plenty of positive ways to allow your children to enjoy their hard-earned summer vacation, all while meeting your own responsibilities…which most likely don’t come with a seasonal respite.

In cases like these, a summer nanny can be a great solution.

Your summer options

There are many ways to approach childcare during the summer months, and different solutions work for different families.

A fixture in many a’ summer reminiscence, summer camp is just fine for some children – but this goes on a case-by-case basis. The more social the child, the more prepared they’ll be for all-day recreation at camp. But as we all know, some children dread the very idea.

In cases like these, some families find that hiring a summer nanny can be a great way to enrich their children’s summer experience, ensure that parents can meet their demands at work, and maintain a relative level of normality throughout the out-of-school months.

What to expect from a summer nanny

Like all nannies, summer nannies have different backgrounds and levels of experience. One common scenario is the college student looking for summer work experience, with a secondary aim of traveling to a new place. (In other words, to wherever their employer family lives.)

In this case, it is important to be clear about your expectations, and also to be considerate of your summer nanny’s time off the clock. Much like you expect some time away from the office (and even away from home!), your nanny deserves some time to unwind when not busy with their duties. If they’re new to the area, show them around. Give them ideas of places to explore. The happier the nanny, the happier the family.

Other summer nannies have regular jobs during the school, year, but have the summer off and are looking to supplement their regular position. Many are teachers. Some are healthcare workers. Most have interesting experiences to share and creative ideas that can open new worlds to your child during their months off from school.

It’s something to think about

A summer nanny can be a great addition to the household, providing that you do the appropriate amount of research and take the time to find the right match for your child and family.

In short, they’re a great option for families that need full-time summer childcare and prefer an in-home option.

2008 International Nanny Association Conference

Now in its 23rd year, the International Nanny Association Conference offers something for everyone – from nannies specializing in infant care to those looking to brush up their portfolio. This year, the event will also offer a healthy dose of sunshine, courtesy of the city of Orlando!

Register now and enjoy career-enhancing sessions, networking opportunities, receptions where you can meet other nannies, and a chance to learn from some of the top experts in the field. You can also register in advance to take your INA credential exam.

Here are just a few of the sessions you can look forward to:

• Nanny Power: The Three T’s of Redirecting Children’s Behavior
• Successfully Navigating Through High Conflict
• Preteens and Teens: The Highs, Lows and Everything In-between
• Guerilla PR

The conference will feature a host of experts, including many from our panel, who will offer valuable tips and insights to help you overcome challenges, create new opportunities, and advance in your career. As a member of the INA board, I can vouch for the value of this conference personally – you will walk away enriched, revived, and armed with new knowledge.

Ask the Experts: Retirement Benefits for Nanny

Question: I'm investigating retirement options for my nanny/household employee. Are there cost-effective 401(k) plans with low administrative fees that I can offer? Can household employees contribute pre-tax dollars? I've found references that say only post-tax dollars to an IRA are allowed. I'd like to give my nanny the option to contribute $3,000.

Answer: Yes, you can offer a savings plan to a nanny. A 401(k) is not available to an individual. The plans available to you are those that are structured for individuals, and you have several options:

• Roth IRA: This plan is after tax, and only the employer contributes to the plan. Although there is no tax savings for you, it is very simple to setup and administer. And because taxes have been paid at time of contribution, there is no deferred tax payment to make at time of withdrawal.
• SEP IRA: This plan allows both employer and employee to contribute with pre-tax dollars. A deferred tax payment is made at time of withdrawal. This plan is more complex, as it is tied to the payroll process.

If you are familiar with savings plans, how to contribute correctly, and how to administer them, you can setup a plan with any investment company, such as Fidelity, online.  If you are not well-versed in this area, I suggest you use a broker. Any bank or investment company can provide this service, and the administration fees are very low for these types of savings plans.

Stephanie Breedlove
Breedlove & Associates, L.P.

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