How to Find the Perfect Nanny

Having a nanny can make your family life so much easier but finding and hiring the perfect nanny can be difficult. Depending on your children’s needs and work schedule, finding the right person for your family can make such a difference in your everyday life. Keep in mind that when you start the process to find the right person for your family, it can take a while to find a nanny that you love and works well with your children’s needs. Read on to find helpful tips and questions to ask when searching for a nanny. 

(Tip! If you are looking for a Boston Nanny Agency, look no further. Sugarplum will help you find the perfect nanny for you and your child’s needs, making the process easy and enjoyable!)

Starting Out

Naturally, most parents start by asking friends and family for recommendations for someone that they have loved. While it can be helpful to get first-hand accounts from people that you trust, your needs aren’t always the same as your friends and families. For that reason, we recommend using a customized nanny placement service, like Sugarplum – a Boston Nanny Agency. 

Using a Boston Nanny Agency that provides listing options of prescreened nannies is a great way to see important information about potential nannies, like experience, background information, salary requirements, and references. It cuts out a lot of the research that you will have to do. It will make your hiring process much quicker and give you peace of mind knowing that you are hiring someone who meets your needs. 

If you are using a family or friend’s recommendation, be sure to get a background check on any potential nannies you want to hire. As a precaution, be sure to check their references to ensure that their facts and dates match up. Knowing this information will let you confidently hire the right person for the job. 

Things to Think About

It’s essential to think long term when researching nannies. How long will you need a nanny? Is your potential nanny available for an extended period? It can be hard to fall in love with a nanny and find out they can only work with your children for a short period. It’s a challenging process and can be devastating for little ones to reintroduce a new nanny to them a few months down the road. 

Think about your child, how old they are, and where they are in their growing stages. As they get older, they will learn to crawl, walk, and before you know it, they will be running around your home! It’s important to have a nanny that understands that and can help them learn and grow as they get older. 

Interviewing

If you are going through the hiring process on your own, you’ll want to be very diligent on what questions to ask. If you are using a nanny placement service, like Sugarplum, we will host pre-interviews, screen all potential nannies and only introduce you to nannies who we feel would be a good fit. During the interview, it’s important to ask questions about their experience, discipline styles, and teaching practices. Don’t be afraid to step outside of the box and ask “what if” questions as well. Knowing their answers to potential emergencies will help you better understand how your nanny will react in challenging situations. Thinking clearly during an emergency is essential when taking care of children and will give you peace of mind knowing your children are in good hands. 

When it comes to discipline, it’s essential to know what their strategy is. Ask questions like what they would if your child hit them or broke something important. You want to make sure your children are in good hands and that their discipline strategy matches yours. It can be difficult to discipline them differently from the nanny because it can cause confusion and frustration. 

Kids love activities and getting creative. Does your potential nanny have a high energy level? Can they keep up with your little ones? Find out what kind of activities the nanny enjoys doing with kids and what they dislike. Knowing this will give you a better idea of if they will be a perfect match for your little one.  You want someone who will actively play with your children and let their imagination run wild. It will help your children grow and develop! 

How to Find the Perfect Nanny

Important Questions to Ask

Here are a few of the questions we ask during our initial interview:

• How long have you been a nanny? 
• Why did you become a nanny? 
• How long are you available?
• What hours are you not available?
• Are you open to last-minute hours in case of an emergency? (or work emergency)
• What has your job caring for children been like? 
• Why are you looking for a new nanny position? 
• What was your last position like, and why did you leave?
• What is a typical day like when nannying? What would a typical day be like for you and my child?
• What kinds of activities do you plan on doing to encourage learning and growth?
• What is your favorite part of nannying? 
• What is your least favorite part of nannying? 
• What would you do if my child got hurt?
• What would you do if my child was upset about something? 
• How would you discipline my child? 
• Do you have any child care or nanny training? 
• Are you CPR or first aid certified? If not, are you willing to be? 

 

Be sure to have your children around the day you interview the potential nanny. Letting them meet will help each familiarize themself with each other, and it’s a great way to see the interaction between them. Watch how they talk to your children and vice versa. You want to trust your nanny when you leave for work entirely, so this is an easy way to see a bit of interaction beforehand. 

Background Check & References

Be sure to run a background check on your candidate and talk to references. It’s a great way to see how other families worked with your potential nanny and what they liked and disliked about them. Doing this will give you peace of mind, knowing that what your nanny says is accurate and that their background is transparent. Sugarplum Nannies background checks ALL nanny applicants prior to introducing you to them.

Hiring

Once you’ve interviewed, completed a background check, and talked to references, you are ready to hire! Remember, this can be a long process to find the perfect nanny for your family’s specific needs and situation. Don’t get discouraged. Using a nanny agency can help speed up the process, and they do most of the work for you – making it much easier on you and will give you peace of mind knowing you are hiring the right person. 

When you’ve hired your perfect nanny, it’s important to remember that every child is different. Their routine and needs will differ from the nanny’s last family.  Don’t be afraid to take the first few days to show the nanny the ropes of your everyday life. Explain what your typical schedules are like and what she can expect for the first few weeks. 

Ready to find the right nanny for your family? Let us help connect you with qualified nannies. Get in touch with us asap! 

 

Answer Your Child’s Christmas Questions

We’ve all been there… our eyes open to the sound of our child upset because they’ve crawled out of bed, only to discover that their elf hasn’t moved. We scramble to come up with the reason why, in the same way, that we answer most of their questions about Santa fitting down the chimney, reindeer who fly, and how toys are made at the North Pole. So, we’re here to help. Here are a few answers to the questions you may be facing this year.

WHEN YOUR ELF DOESN’T MOVE AT NIGHT:

He fell asleep waiting for you to go to sleep…

I think that I heard the TV last night- I bet he was watching a show and by the time it was over, he heard us waking up and couldn’t move.

You woke up too early.  This is why I ask you to stay in bed until 7:00 because he doesn’t get home from the North Pole until just before 7.

You’re right, he didn’t move, but I see crumbs on the counter, so I bet that he had a snack and then went back to his spot and forgot that he had already been there!

Source

HOW OLD IS SANTA:

No one knows for sure, but we do know he is very old. Luckily, Santa’s magic lives forever, so even though his hair is white and his beard is very long, he will still be able to fly with his reindeer and deliver gifts to kids forever.

IS THE SANTA A THE MALL THE REAL SANTA:

The Santa at the mall is Santa’s helper. All of Santa’s helpers report back to him, just like your elf does, so you can still tell him what you want for Christmas, and he still knows if you’ve been naughty or nice. The reason the real Santa can’t come to the mall is that he’s very busy preparing for Christmas Eve, getting the reindeer ready, ensuring his sleigh is working well, and of course overseeing the toy making.

WHEN THEY ASK HOW REINDEER FLY:

Only very very special reindeer who are from the North Pole can fly. All of the reindeer who pull Santa’s sleigh are the most well-trained reindeer in the world.

HOW DOES HE FIT DOWN THE CHIMNEY, AND HOW DOES HE NOT GET BURNED?

Magic of course!

WHY DOES SANTA HAVE THE SAME WRAPPING PAPER AS MY PARENTS?

Santa sees everything, so when he finds out which wrapping paper your family is using he likes to match the gifts he’s bringing to you with it. This not only helps him keep everything organized but also helps keep his magic a secret!

We hope this helps you with a few of the most commonly asked questions around this time of year. When the questions stop from the little ones, you may want to turn it around and play a little game of holiday-themed trivia with them. There are a number of sources of information and questions on the web that you can search for to create your own game and rules, but here are a few of our favorites.

Sample questions:

1. What color is Rudolph’s nose?
2. In the song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” how many turtle doves are there?
3. According to the song “Jingle Bells,” what is it fun to ride in?
4. What type of animals pull the sleigh that Santa uses?
5. In the song “Frosty the Snowman,” what made Frosty come to life?
6. What’s a common drink at Christmas time?
7. Who is the Character who “stole” Christmas?
8. What is a well-known Christmas-themed ballet that premiered in Russia in 1892?
9. What is the best selling Christmas song of all time?

Here are a few sources for you to find more:

Christmas Trivia Questions for Kids

Christmas Game Questions

If you’re looking for a more detailed version of the legend of Santa Claus and how the story evolved into shopping mall Santas, flying reindeer and so much more, take a look below at history.

“The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholas. It is believed that Nicholas was born sometime around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey. Much admired for his piety and kindness, St. Nicholas became the subject of many legends. It is said that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick. One of the best-known St. Nicholas stories is the time he saved three poor sisters from being sold into slavery or prostitution by their father by providing them with a dowry so that they could be married.

Over the course of many years, Nicholas’s popularity spread and he became known as the protector of children and sailors. His feast day is celebrated on the anniversary of his death, December 6. This was traditionally considered a lucky day to make large purchases or to get married. By the Renaissance, St. Nicholas was the most popular saint in Europe. Even after the Protestant Reformation, when the veneration of saints began to be discouraged, St. Nicholas maintained a positive reputation, especially in Holland.

Activities to Teach Kids Gratitude

Gratitude allows us to celebrate the present and cultivate a higher sense of self-worth. It doesn’t just feel good, but it’s also good for our well-being and our children’s well-being. Now, more than ever, we are all fighting so many negative, stressful situations, and having a positive, grateful mentality can boost our ability to learn and make good decisions.

Here are a few of our favorite ways to instill a sense of gratitude in your children.

A THANKFUL BOARD OR WINDOW

Create a chalkboard wall, or buy some window paint and let your kids enjoy the activity of writing what they are thankful for. You can erase after the activity or leave it up for a “Thankful November” or even a Thanksgiving week of gratefulness. Seeing the words (literally) written on the wall will be a reminder of happiness at each glance.

CREATE A GRATITUDE JAR

Creating a gratitude jar is a simple activity that can make teaching your little ones about thankfulness and gratitude an easy task. Start with a simple mason jar, grab your crafting materials, and let the kids have fun decorating it. Once the jar is decorated, let the fun begin. Sit it somewhere accessible along with pieces of paper, pencils, and crayons for the younger kids. Then encourage everyone to fill the jar—be it with words, drawings, or both—with things they’re thankful for. At the end of the week, month, or whenever you see fit – pull out all of the notes and read them together as a family.

WRITE THANK YOU NOTES

The best part about thank you notes is that it doesn’t only need to happen over the holidays. This age-old tradition may not be as popular as it once was, but it’s an excellent way for kids to show their gratitude and say thank you to their friends and loved ones. Best of all, in a world full of online connections, your kids will love sending or receiving handwritten notes. When you drop the note in the mail, ask your child to picture how happy this person will be reading this special letter.

CREATE A GRATITUDE JOURNAL OR COLLAGE

Whether your kids are old enough to write or just to draw pictures, give each person a notebook and encourage everyone in the family to write or draw in it every day. Beyond simply entries, let them have fun creating collages with pictures from magazines, items from nature, or anything else that sparks a feeling of thankfulness or gratitude. This idea works well for kids who might not want to share their thoughts out loud all the time, but still have a lot to “say”.

GRATITUDE GAMES

You can turn any game into a game of gratitude. Starting with the simple board games or card games that you already own, just stick a simple rule in where you see fit. For example, when you’re playing Uno, make a rule that when you’re skipped you say something you’re thankful for. Or when playing a game of match or memory, make a rule for the winner to announce something that makes them happy. The point is to find a game that’s developmentally appropriate for your children and makes expressing thankfulness an interactive experience.

SERVING THOSE IN NEED

One of the best ways to teach gratitude is to show your children what they have to be thankful for, and how great it feels to serve others. As with most intentional gratitude challenges, this doesn’t only have to be during the holidays, you can regularly find opportunities to serve together as a family. As your children get older, have them offer ideas for ways or people to serve—such as collecting canned goods for a food bank, making a meal for a family in need, or raising money for a nonprofit.

THANKFUL LEAVES

This one is for the parents to teach gratitude and warm the hearts of the little ones all at the same time. Start by cutting out fall leaves, or hearts, or anything else, and sticking them on your child’s door every day. This will become an exciting activity for them to wake up every morning and read the new leaf or heart that you added with a sweet note on it. Not only will they feel appreciated and loved, but they’ll also see how happy it makes you to see them smile.

CREATE A FALL CALENDAR

Advent calendars aren’t just for Christmas anymore. Create gratitude notes and a daily countdown to thanksgiving. Each day before dinner, or even before the family starts their work and/or school day – spend a couple of short minutes connecting and reading it out loud. Starting the day off showing gratitude or ending it on a positive note can make a huge difference in your daily outlook on life.

Even if you don’t have it in you to pull off a full-blown activity in these stressful times, here are a few things you can do to incorporate gratitude into your everyday life:

• Have everyone share something they are thankful for at dinner each night
• While riding in the car or on a family walk encourage everyone to talk about what they see that they are grateful for. This will encourage your little ones to appreciate the small things.
• Pick a day of the week and have everyone specify one nice thing they will do that week.

Does this all seem a bit overwhelming with everything you have going right now – we can help. Contact Sugarplum Nannies to discuss your childcare needs and options.

Fall Family Activities in Boston

This year has been a challenge for many parents to juggle the safety of family members, continued work responsibilities, and new children’s stay-at-home needs. Here at Sugarplum Nannies, we want to provide a COVID safe environment while continuing to cultivate creative, educational, and interactive activities for our client’s children.

To encourage some family fall fun inspiration for Boston parents, we’ve put together a list of family fun.

 

Fall Photo Session
Fall photo moments are a blast because you get to celebrate the start of the holiday season while documenting your children’s growth. A simple tripod, photo self-timer, and cute fall styling is a safe COVID practice, plus the kids will love throwing up the leaves and playing around during the pumpkin season.

 

Scavenger Hunt in Boston
While the weather is a little bit more brisk this time of year, bundling up the family for a scavenger photo hunt around Boston is perfect with the fall leaves changing color. Giving the kids a disposable or Polaroid camera, depending on their age, will allow them to learn about their city with fresh eyes.

 

Build a Castle
Depending on the children’s toys, building a castle for their favorite stuffed animal, American Girl doll, or Lego creature is a creative way for them to reimagine, cherish, and play with their current belongings. It can also double as a great storage tool for clean-up time.

 

Halloween At Home Party
Making some spooky, Halloween themed treats and decorations are two ways for the children to prepare for the stay at home Halloween party. Once the preparations are complete, the whole family can put on their favorite Halloween movie to enjoy the season.

 

Pumpkin Carving & Painting
We imagine the traditional pumpkin carving with sketching out the pumpkin face with a pencil and then sharpie. For younger ages, utilizing an edible paint set is something we love to implement. If you’d like to skip the carving part altogether, permanent markers and some pumpkin attire will keep the tradition alive during the long activity of pumpkin carving.

 

Decorate Holiday Items
Pumpkin carving is a must, but you can go a bit further with it. Let’s think about contributing to the Thanksgiving table decor with turkey origami, quote place cards, or chair decor. You could even start a little early Christmas decorating with some special ornament family creations.

 

Mask Decoration
Specifically, around the fall time, the colors can inspire some stylish arts and crafts with kids. What better way for kids to feel included in this new age of mask-wearing than to make their own? Creating masks to go with their favorite fall outfits would be fun for them to express their own style. A trip to a Boston fabric store, shopping online for fall fabrics, or even repurposing some clothes and a sewing machine are all sources to craft some mask masterpieces.

 

At-Home Aquarium & Zoo Visit
While you can do this at any time of the year, it’s amazing to learn about animals and create connections with nature even from the safety of your home. An at-home aquarium or zoo (whatever your children’s preference) can teach them facts about animals they may not learn at a typical aquarium and zoo. The questions that pop up from their own research can double as art activities such as their favorite animal pop-out book or making a full aquarium or zoo visual mock-up.

 

Yoga & Meditation

With the chaotic environment of 2020, kids are very receptive to the emotions and cultural events going on. A relaxing and intentional yoga and meditation session will not only promote the mental health for your family but also physical well-being. This is an amazing way to wind down the kids for nap-time as well.

 

Make Your Halloween Costume
One option is to go through your family’s wardrobes and find funky clothing items to start brainstorming Halloween costume ideas.

We hope you enjoyed this list of Fall Family Activities in Boston!

Looking for childcare assistance? Contact Sugarplum Nannies to discuss your childcare needs and options.