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Reason #3. One or both parents work from home or are home during the day and they do not “back up” the nanny when it comes to setting limits with the children. As the owner of Safe and Sound Nannies for almost 15 years, it’s vitally important to us that a nanny stays in her […]

Reason #2: The family frequently gives their full time nanny the “day off” without pay, OR pays her for the day but takes it out of her vacation days, OR gives the nanny erratic hours when the nanny expected consistent hours upon hire. No matter how much your nanny loves your family, she needs consistent […]

Understanding Nanny Taxes Tax Obligations When you hire a nanny, you are considered by the IRS to be a Household Employer. As a Household employer, you have both Federal and State tax liability. Your nanny also has the typical tax liability that comes with being a wage earning employee. As an employer, you are required […]

Nanny Applicant Overload If you’re using a database to conduct your own nanny search, you’ll probably be inundated with candidates. That’s the easy part. The time-consuming part is figuring out which ones are reliable, experienced, patient, have good judgment, and truly love children. The last thing you want is a revolving door, or a nanny […]

Families Frustrated with Nanny Databases Families frequently come to us seeking an excellent nanny after they’ve already tried to find a nanny themselves on a database or Craigslist. Most of the time they tell me some version of the following: “The nanny we found on our own changed her mind the day she was supposed […]

Nanny Databases Nanny databases have allowed families to find nanny candidates on their own. They’re the electronic equivalent of placing an ad in a newspaper. They provide a low cost alternative to using an agency, but as with any low-cost alternative, they come with pitfalls such as requiring extensive time and effort to find the […]

Buying into the Big Holiday Set-Up I hate to admit this, but the minute I think of the holidays my immediate response is: stress. I flash on all the things I’ll have to do and all the people I’ll need to please. This is embarrassing to admit. Because if I really think about it, the […]

Professional Hiring Tips for Keeping A Great Nanny: Once you’ve found a good nanny, and she and your child have formed a healthy relationship, you probably want to keep her as long as possible. But sometimes a nanny decides to leave unexpectedly. This is can be very unsettling for a family, especially for the children. […]

A nanny has a broader level of responsibility than a babysitter, and requires different personality strengths. This is an open letter to any family hiring a nanny. Taking the time to find and hire the right nanny the first time is an investment in your child’s future. Unlike a babysitter, who entertains a child for […]

Full Service Nanny Agencies There are two main alternatives when it comes to finding a nanny: full service agencies and nanny databases. Full service nanny agencies are by far the easiest alternative but the most expensive. The good ones are likely to survive even during a recession, because they provide a lot of value. Good […]