Most parents hire a nanny to help assist in balancing their work and personal lives. Working parents want to know that their children, home and pets are being cared for so they are able to focus on their careers. By hiring a nanny, a family is able to cultivate a lifestyle of convenience, peace of mind and freedom.

Deciding on Household Help

When it comes to hiring a nanny to assist with childcare and household operations, it’s important to ask yourself the following questions:

• What problems am I trying to solve?
• Who does this benefit?
• What will I accomplish in the short term?
• What will I accomplish in the long term?

By asking yourself the four questions above you will better be able to map-out a successful plan for hiring help for your home. In many households, one of the biggest pitfalls parents can make is not taking the time necessary to be a proactive employer and home manager. A well-designed game plan is imperative for your nanny and family to be prepared for day-to-day issues. If you do not have a plan in place you could very well be pulled away from your professional work day to attend to matters in the home when your housekeeper or nanny could likely handle situations as they arise.

Types of In-home Childcare

There are different types of household help. When it comes to the home and children there are a variety of titles which can be related to these professionals which include: Nannies, au pairs, after school nannies, mother’s helpers, and babysitters.

Nanny

A nanny, specifically, works in the household and may live within the home or outside of the home. A nanny has the job of undertaking all tasks related to the care of the children in the home. Typically, duties are restricted to child care and domestic tasks that relate to the children’s care, such as laundry and preparing meals. Some nannies undergo formal training while other nannies have only a good deal of hands-on childcare experience or some form of education in child development. A nanny’s workweek usually ranges from 40-60 hours and she usually works unsupervised. Pay is dependent on geographic region as well as duties assigned to the household employee. Rates cover a wide spectrum, from $250-$1500 per week.

Au Pair

Not to be confused with a nanny is the au pair. An au pair is a foreign national living in the United States as part of a host family. In exchange for babysitting and help with housework this home employee receives a weekly stipend. An au pair is legally authorized to live and work in the United States with the host family for up to one year, in order to experience American life. Typically, au pairs are given a stipend calculated as the federal minimum wage, less room and board. (A typical rate is $280 per week, pending the hours worked). 

After School Nanny

After school nannies specialize in assisting parents with children, post-school, until the parents or parent arrive home from work. After school nannies typically have the responsibility of picking up a child from school, preparing snacks at home and attending to homework. Easy meal preparation may be required, per an employer’s guidelines. After-school employees are scrutinized as highly as full-time nannies. Reference checks and background screenings are a priority. As with full-time nannies, after school nannies are required to be dependable, tidy and loyal. Typical hours for after school nannies are 3:00-6:30 pm. Pay rates vary, from $60-$300 a week.

Mother’s Helper

Essentially, a mother’s helper provides assistance to a stay-at-home parent or family, based on daily needs that arise. A mother’s helper works under some supervision, assisting in all aspects of child care, errands, easy meal preparation and light housework. The main difference between this role and that of a nanny or after school nanny is simply the fact that a parent is in the home. This job is usually quite flexible and can be part-time, full-time, live-in or live-out. Hours vary for a mother’s helper and pay range is usually hourly or salaried, depending on the family’s needs and the caregiver’s personal qualifications.

Babysitter 

A babysitter is a dependable childcare resource who is hired, occasionally, to look after children, usually in the evenings so parents can have an evening free. Babysitting is not limited to the evenings, but might also include afternoon hours, pending the employer’s schedule. Many families first conduct a babysitter search within the parameters of close family friends, grandparents and trusted relatives. If no family member is close-by, families must then turn to agencies, online posts and other “wanted” ads. A babysitter’s primary duty is attending to matters of childcare. Light maintenance of the home is often a second priority. Babysitters are often requested to be at least 16-years of age, due to regulations regarding abuse and neglect. Hours vary widely, for babysitters, as well as pay range, which varies from $5-$12 an hour (depending on the sitters qualifications and the number of children being cared for).  

The Reality of Household Employees

It’s important to keep in mind the reality of hiring help to work in your home. It is not an easy decision, and there is not a more important hire. In doing so, you are making a difficult decision that will ultimately affect not only those living within the home, but also extended family members, neighbors, coworkers and friends.  Once you choose an individual, the process for fairly maintaining that person’s workload and livelihood is always the same: You must learn, prepare, plan, communicate, gather feedback and revise your plan (every few months or when necessary). If you follow these steps, you are on your way to gaining and maintaining a vital member of your household team, who will help you to attain your goals and assist in achieving work and life balance.