|
---------------------Nanny Net News------------------------
A newsletter for Parents, Nannies and Agency Owners
-----------------------------------------------------------
Vol. 2, No. 3 February 2001
-----------------------------------------------------------
Deborah Smith, Editor
Parents With Nannies, Inc.
Deborah@4Nanny.com
This newsletter is distributed by subscription only. If you
wish to unsubscribe, you can find instructions at the end of
this newsletter.
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
-----------------
> A Note from the Editor
> February Sweepstakes
> New Nanny Classifieds Affiliates
> "Empty Your Hands, Open Your Heart"
An excerpt from Hidden Messages
by Elizabeth Pantley
> Interview Ideas
Jane Jacobs
> Ask the Experts Q & A
Advice on preparing a resume
> A Nanny Classifieds Success Story
> MUST SEE SITES
> GREAT DEALS
------------------------------------------------------------
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:
Hi everyone,
Boy, what a month January shaped up to be. Is everyone
looking for a nanny or a job right now or what? Our hits on
4EverythingNanny doubled and our hits on Nanny Classifieds
practically tripled. We now have close to 900 subscribers
to this newsletter. The pressure is really on me now. It
better be good, right?
We have a lot of exciting things happening on the website
this month. Be sure to enter our sweepstakes for a chance
to win an adorable Towel Buddy Prize Package sponsored by
Towelbuddies.com.
We also have a wonderful excerpt from Elizabeth Pantley's
new book, Hidden Messages. I chose the excerpt because
it really hit home for me. I have a very chatty little
3 1/2 year old son at home who seems to always, always want
my full attention. Balancing the responsibilities of my work,
(You're looking at it) and home life has become an every
increasing challenge for me. This excerpt really reminded
me of what is important and what is not. I hope it does
the same for you.
We have two new affiliates who will be carrying our Nanny
Classifieds ads. So for all your advertisers out there, your
ads are now being seen on 10 different nanny and parenting
related websites.
Don't miss the terrific article submitted by a Mom from NYC.
She has put together a must have list of interview questions
and advice that any new employer, or seasoned for that matter,
will benefit from.
And finally, don't miss our GREAT DEALS section. Club Mom is
running a promotion where you can get a year subscription to
Working Woman Magazine just for signing up as a member at Club
Mom. It's Free to sign up. No strings. I'll be doing it
you can be sure of that.
Enjoy,
Deborah Smith
Editor
---------------------------------------------------------
FEBRUARY SWEEPSTAKES
Win a FREE Towel Buddy Prize Package*
Sponsored by TowelBuddies.com
Adorable Hooded Towel Critters for Kids
These adorable hooded towel Critters™
are big, thick and absorbent. They are
made from 100% cotton terry cloth
towels and will keep your critters warm
and dry. They make great gift ideas for
babies, toddlers and preschoolers and
are perfect for baby showers.
ENTER NOW
http://www.4nanny.com/Sweepstakes.htm
---------------------------------------------------------
NEW AFFILIATES
We are excited to announce that 2 new
affiliate websites will be carrying the Nanny
Classifieds. This now makes 10 different websites
where our ads are viewed by prospective employees
and employers. Please take the time to check out what
a fabulous job they've done in incorporating the ads
on their sites.
OUR-KIDS.COM: Activities & resources for families in
the Washington, DC metro area. The Washington Post
called it "One of the Best Local Parenting Web Sites."
http://OUR-kids.com/childcare.htm
NANNY SPOT: Nanny Spot is a Website created
by a nanny for nannies.
http://nannyspot.homestead.com/home.html
---------------------------------------------------------
BOOK OF THE MONTH
Hidden Messages by Elizabeth Pantley
Empty Your Hands, Open Your Heart
"First thing when I got up, there she was," Becca began,
"Savannah, my five-year-old journalist-to-be in her full
question mode. The interrogation started: 'Why are you
putting on makeup? What is that pink stuff? How do you
learn to put contacts in your eyes?' I suppose I should try to
explain things, but most of my answers sounded like variations
of the word "because." My mind was on other matters; I had a
busy day ahead of me.
"As she followed me to the kitchen, her prattle continued.
'Why do we have pancakes for breakfast? Angie's daddy makes
them too, but she doesn't live with him all the time. I
wonder if she has pancakes at her mommy's house too? Since
I was concentrating on making breakfast and making plans for
the day, I admit it: I met her often long-winded, meandering
comments with that two-syllable acknowledgement - 'mmm hmmmm' -
that says, 'I know you're there, but I'm too busy to even
feign interest right now.'
"My little chatterbox was relatively quiet while she ate
her pancakes, so I had a few minutes to return a phone call
and make a shopping list. Soon, though, her mouth was empty
of food and open for business. She was chattering about
everything and anything - and I marveled that just a few
short years ago, her vocabulary was limited to a handful of
words! As I went about my morning routine, it seemed that
she was popping up around every corner. I was immersed in my
daily chores and granted her a few 'mmm hmmmms' along the way.
"I traipsed down to the kitchen to clean up, and there she was
too, standing beside me as I washed the dishes and tidied the
kitchen. My mind was wandering, when I realized she was being
pretty persistent about telling me something. I felt her
little hands tugging on my shirt as she intoned, over and over,
'Mommy, I want to tell you something. Mommy, listen. Mommy,
Mommy.' Finally, in a frustrated huff, which I know was not
warranted, I threw down the sponge and knelt down in front of her.
In a tone a bit more clipped and a voice quite louder than
intended, I looked her in the eye and demanded, "What?!'
"Not noticing - or perhaps not caring to notice - my short
temper, my unflappable little one was breathless with excitement.
She exclaimed, 'Mommy, Mommy, I need to tell you something.'
"I couldn't decide if her delight stemmed from the urgency of
her message or from my sudden interest, but it didn't matter
anyway. She stumbled over her words in her haste. 'Mommy, this
is so exciting...' And as she screwed up her mouth to blurt out
her news, she unexpectedly stopped in midsentence, taking on a
look of puzzlement and intrigue. She stared at me as though
she'd discovered the New World. 'Wow, Mommy, your eyes are really,
really pretty blue!"
"My shame hit me like a brick; how little eye-to-eye listening
could I have been doing for her not to have noticed the color of
my eyes? I tell you, my blue eyes filled with tears as I hugged
my little girl. I really do need to spend more time just listening."
To read the hidden message behind this story, go to:
Hidden Messages by
Elizabeth Pantley
----------------------------------------------------------
MOM'S ADVICE ON INTERVIEWING AND THE FIRST FEW WEEKS
by Jane Jacobs
Jane is the mother of two girls, who are 6 and 2 and a half,
and also a labor and employment attorney. She and her family have
the greatest nanny in the world and she hopes that she never has to use
these questions herself again.
-Make up an application form asking for personal data and a
complete job history, including ages of the children in the
families that the applicant worked for. (This also will tell
you whether the applicant can read and write English.
I actually did this, and although it was good, it's amazing
how many people who can read and write English can't follow
directions). Have them fill it out at the beginning of the
interview, then write your notes of the interview on the same
piece of paper. Also make some note to remind you what the
applicant looks like or some other distinguishing characteristic
because if you interview a lot (we interviewed 35+ people),
you'll never be able to keep them straight afterwards.
-Ask what the applicant intends to do with the baby during the
day. I got vague answers ("play with them") and wonderful
answers ("start a playgroup" "I love art and we would spend
a lot of time drawing and painting"). The applicant should
have some ideas about how to entertain your child.
-Does the applicant know infant CPR? If not, would she be
willing to take a class at your expense?
-Can the applicant drive a car?
-Ask about the applicant's ideas about starting solid food.
What would she feed the child and when? While your pediatrician
will tell you what and when to feed the baby, the answers to
this question will give you some idea of the applicant's experience.
-How does the applicant feel about spanking? If her beliefs are
different than your own, can she abide by your wishes? Also,
if the answer is that she does believe in spanking, follow it
up. When would she spank? I don't believe in spanking, but there's
a difference between someone who believes in it strongly and
someone who would spank only if a child did something like run
into the street.
-Is the applicant flexible about her hours? Often we are home
earlier than our nanny's quitting time, and she leaves early.
If she is late once in a while (unavoidable on the subway) we never fuss.
By the same token, if I am 10 minutes late getting home, I need the
same courtesy in return. I am very conscientious about not being late,
but it happens.
-Is the nanny willing to babysit on weekends occasionally (for extra pay)?
Again, this isn't a disqualifier, but it's nice to have the option.
-How will the nanny get to your home? Is her transportation reliable?
-How would the applicant help potty train your child? This and the next
question are really to test experience more than anything else.
-When the baby has a full set of teeth, what would she make for lunch?
-What situation would make the nanny call you at work? While you no
doubt will check in during the day, what would be important enough for
the applicant to call you about?
-Has the nanny ever organized or participated in a play group? Were
the other adults all nannies or nannies and mothers? This is a fairly
important question. Some nannies and mothers are comfortable only with
others of the same group. Your baby's first playmates will be the
children of other parents/caregivers with whom your nanny is friendly.
If your nanny is comfortable only with other nannies, that limits your
child's playmates. Also, if the applicant doesn't have an overwhelming
number of references, other parents and caregivers in a playgroup can
be references.
-What kinds of classes has the nanny taken with other children? Which
ones were worth it and which weren't? Why?
-Be specific on what you expect the nanny to do -- give the baby her
bath, make her lunch, prepare formula for the night, etc. Let her know
about any special needs (expressed breast milk, cloth diapers, allergies).
-If you expect the nanny to do housework, be specific.
-Also give a lot of thought to the nanny's hours. Leave yourself 30
minutes to get dressed after the nanny gets to work and be sure that
you can be home by her quitting time.
-One question I asked was what the nanny would do with Jordan when
she went down the hall to do laundry. Most said that they would take
her with them, but a few said that they'd leave her in her crib.
I thought that the answers to this question told me a lot about the applicant.
-I handed Jordan to every applicant. I wanted to see how they'd handle
her. Obviously no one ignored or mishandled her, but some of them were
gentle and softspoken while others were in her face and loud.
-You should discuss specific pay and benefits. A surprising number of
applicants wouldn't give me an amount that they wanted. I wanted
someone more assertive than that. We told applicants what we were
offering for paid holidays and vacation. You may want to ask if
the nanny will need any time for religious holidays.
-I also showed them around the entire apartment.
I agree that choosing a nanny is a gut level decision. When you find
someone you'll know it. It's also an enormous leap of faith. It's funny
in retrospect, but on our nanny's first day at work she took Jordan for
a walk. As the door closed behind them, I suddenly was sure that I'd
never see Jordan again. They were gone for the longest hour of my life.
You also should have the nanny start a few weeks before you go back to
work. That way the baby can get used to her while you're still there,
you can show her what you want her to do, and if there's a problem,
it's possible to find someone else. The first week or so is weird for
both of you because there's someone else in your house and because she
can't get into her own routine. For your sake and the nanny's, try to
step back and let her do things on her own. After the first day or two
I also left the apartment for increasing amounts of time.
Finally, you should check criminal records and driving records for the nanny.
Any private detective agency can do this for a few hundred dollars,
at most. You need her full name, maiden name, date of birth, Social
Security number and driver's license number. Some parents also install
hidden cameras to watch the nanny. It's legal to do this if you turn the
sound off (in some states you can leave the sound on). I don't recommend
this because I think parents overreact to what they see. No one devotes
every ounce of his or her attention to a baby 24/7, and it's silly to
think that your nanny won't talk on the phone, or turn on the TV to clear
her head, just as you do.
----------------------------------------------------------
ASK THE EXPERTS: Q & A
Q: Can you give advice on preparing a resume for someone who has
been a nanny for the past four years.
A: It is important to have a resume, but it is equally important
to have a portfolio. A portfolio is simply a book or an album
that contains your resume, letters of reference from not just
former employers but also people who know you in other capacities,
child hood friends, your pastor, a neighbor, etc. that show what
kind of person you are on and off the job. It should also
include pictures of activities you have done with your charges,
art projects you have done, outings, etc. In can also include
articles that go along with your philosophy of raising children,
discipline, etc.
What you want to do is give the parents a look at who you are,
and what you are like as a person and as a nanny. Your interaction
with children, etc. You would also want to include any certificates
you have from classes or conferences or workshops that apply to
your profession. I hope that helps, if you have more questions,
please feel free to ask. If you need a resume template you can
find some online at the Microsoft Template gallery. Here is the url
http://cgl.microsoft.com/clipgallerylive/default.asp
You can also find sample resumes on the website.
http://nannyspot.homestead.com/sampleresumes.html
Glenda Propst
Co President/Co Founder-NAN
Please visit our website!
www.nannyassociation.com
--------------------------------------------------------------
SUCCESS STORY
"When I unexpectedly found myself looking for a job in December,
I posted to your web site. It is now Jan 23, and I have just
come home from an interview in Phoenix with a family who
found my resume and contacted me. We have signed a
contract and I could not be more thrilled!
I start in about 3 1/2weeks, and I just wanted to tell you
thank you for all the hard work that you put into this sight
and for helping me find a great job.
Tonya
Nanny to Ethan (nearly 3) and triplets on the way!"
************************************************************
T-SHIRTS FOR THE NANNY AND KIDS IN YOUR LIFE!
Check out our adorable T's for the Kids too
***Nanny T's are now available in Navy.
I had to share this great note we received from a mom who
purchased one of our shirts for her nanny. It says it all!
"Got the shirt today. Love it! Thanks for your promptness.
But most of all, thanks for a truly unique gift that I
can give to one of the most important people in my child's
life (and mine!)!!!!!"- Deborah, Nanny employer
http://www.4nanny.com/products.htm
------------------------------------------------------------
MUST SEE SITES
MyMamaSaid.com has advice and tips for all moms. Chat, find
bargains, grabrecipes, read parenting articles and more!
Sign up for MyMamaSaid eNews and win a T-shirt! Promote
your mom-owned business at the MamaShop at MyMamaSaid.com!
Look, mom, we went and gave you your own planet! You
will find all the latest for the work at home mom, stay at
home mom and the office moms! Plus find out more
information about raising infants, preschoolers and teens.
Be sure to enter our contest while you are there!
http://www.momplanet.com
Ask The Preschool Teacher
'Cause it's hard teaching them alone.
http://www.askthepreschoolteacher.com
Keep informed! Sign up for our newsletter
http://www.askthepreschoolteacher.com/newsletter.shtml
------------------------------------------------------------
GREAT DEALS
FREE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO WORKING WOMAN MAGAZINE
Rewarding and Celebrating Moms--Every Day--is the goal
of ClubMom.com. Join now and receive a free one-year
subscription to Working Woman magazine (no strings attached).
http://www.4EverythingNanny.com/pwn.html
Get $20 in FREE Gifts for Your Child from Brighter Vision
Learning Adventures (TM) that Child Magazine highlights as
a "gotta-have 'em, can't live without 'em" parent product!
Brighter Vision invites you to try out the LEARNING ADVENTURES
program with a free shipment of educational books and activities
that are worth over $20. Get fun, educational, and age
appropriate activities designed to prepare your child aged
1 through 6 for success in school. Click here for this free offer!
http://www.learningadventures.com/4nanny-DXT4
------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you have enjoyed this month's issue of Nanny Net News.
Spring is coming, I promise! Hang in there all you cabin fever
heads.
************************************************************
Copyright - 1999-2000 Parents With Nannies, Inc.
(www.4EverythingNanny.com)
Please feel free to pass this e-zine along to your friends.
However, we ask that you keep it intact and forward it in its
entirety.
To unsubscribe send a blank email to
NannyNetNews-unsubscribe@egroups.com
To subscribe send a blank email to
NannyNetNews-subscribe@egroups.com
|
