Justifying the cost

When a family in search of a nanny goes to an agency, they are required to pay a "finders fee" for that service. This eliminates the hassle of doing any of the searching themselves. No background checks, licence checks, drug tests, fingerprinting, blah blah blah. This fee that they pay to the agency can be between $1000-1500. Usually half at first, to get the ball rolling, and get potential nannies sent to their home to interview, and the remainder 30 days after a proper nanny has been placed.


The nanny just has to fill out the extensive application, sit through a face-to-face interview with someone from the agency, and pass all tests. Then, wait for a family to find her application acceptable enough to come in for an interview with the family. If that interview is successful, they might set up another interview/playdate (paid) to see how the nanny will interact with the children.


Let's address the application. The one I'm working on now has eleven levels of questions, ranging from basic information, household staffing, and self-assessment.

??Business Management/Support - managing/training support staff, computer abilities, errands, scheduling meetings and travel, knowledge of hotels and facilities, packing, organizing, and household budget

??Specialty Care - how to care for fine furnishings and fabrics, cleaning and disinfecting, cleaning and organizing storage areas, drawers and closets, cleaning product knowledge

??Repairs and Preservation - create list of/maintaining inventory, securing hazardous areas, upkeep of appliances, childproofing

??Entertaining - expertise in entertaining etiquette such as formal table service, table manners and protocol, event planning

and my favorite

??Create a paragraph which gives your mission and vision of your career and what you have to offer a future employer

Yes, this is my chosen career path right now. And yes, I do feel that it is a worthy job, I'm just finding it a challenge coming up with a mission statement. This application is pretty exhausting, which I'm sure is part of the process of weaning out possible candidate.

Seeking new nanny position leads to all kind of things

As stated before, my family is moving to Dallas/Forth Worth Tx in the next couple of weeks. I'm currently exploring the options of becoming a nanny in the area, and have made a couple of phone calls to inquire if the market is big enough to support a nanny career.

First off, a simple Google search resulted in 2 agencies. If DFW is big enough to have 2 agencies, then they certainly have enough jobs to support a career. I speak with one agency, and play 20 questions. How many families do you have?? How has the economy effected jobs?? What is the current rate of nannies. Just trying to get an overview of what I'm going to walk into once I arrive.

Then, I start fill out the online application. Simple enough, at first. Job history, references, licence number, and now onto the deeper stuff. "What is my mission statement?" "what is my overall philosophy on childcare" ???????????? These questions require some additional thinking. I save my app, and start looking up phone #'s for my references.

I call an old phone number off my last resume, and get a recorded message. I leave a voice mail explaining why I'm calling and what I need. When the call is returned to me, I learn that my boss I had for almost 3 years, back in 2003, sold her company, and has recently learned she has breast cancer. This is the woman I've been contemplating on contacting, just so I can see the kids, and touch base with her. Now I learn that she has had cancer!? I'm shocked. I'm going to be in her area tomorrow evening, but don't want to appear to be a stalker. So, I do what we do now when you're looking for someone, I find her on Facebook.

In the meantime, I've emailed my last boss, asking her for our job description/nanny agreement. She sends me it, and also comments on how she's surprised to hear that I'm looking for another nanny job. "I thought you wanted to spend more time with ds". Uggg, this is so like her. Like I need to explain to HER why I'm nanny searching.

Trying to explain moving to a 4year old

We've decided to move to Dallas for Dh's job, and made the big announcement yesterday. We knew that ds was not going to be too excited about this, as his world is very important to him. He's always liked to think he's in control over his surroundings. Very comforted by the same story over and over again, needs prep time to get ready for anything.

Last night, Dh started to pack up a his toy tractor collection, something that doesn't need to be out in a house on the market. These are special toys that Dad and Ds get to play with together only on special occasions. Ds was watching, and his bottom lip started to quiver,
"Why are you doing that Dad?"
"Well, I need to pack these up so they stay safe" -Dad
"I don't like that, you need to put those back" -Ds
"You're not in charge. Some times things have to change" -Dad
"I don't like change" -Ds

Ds and I went upstairs to read our first of a couple books about moving. He declares, "I'm not moving to a new house, I like this one".

So this is my challenge over the next couple of weeks. Not only getting him used to the idea of moving, but EXCITED about it, and looking forward to starting our new chapter

The Reality of Kid Birthday Parties

Birthday parties, a time to celebrate yet one more year completed, and another to go. Cake, punch, games, a pinata, noise makers, add children and you've got a party! Correction-you have crazy may-ham on your hands!

I've only been to a couple of parties, and this is ON PURPOSE. I know that if you have more than 3 children together your child will morph into something you have never seen before. The most active, and loudest child takes over, infecting the other children with this energy, and suddenly, you have a mob on your hands. Screaming, running around, blowing on those noise makers, climbing on things that not designed to be, and THEN, let's give them something to HIT at. Ahhh....this is a celebration right? There are no rules that apply here? Other than, let's scoot back a little so we don't whack our friends.

Ok, crazy mob scene, now lets add candy, cake and ice cream! whoo hoo! Let's see how many pieces of candy your child can stick in their mouth at once. My son can finish a lollipop in 3 crunches, and be digging in his bag for another in about 2.5 seconds. Then, give them all a slice of over mixed, super dry sponge cake (that everyone thinks is AMAZING) covered with icing dyed shades of colors using our favorite ingredient, Red Dye 40. Their teeth get coated in this goo, and if you're lucky, they'll get some on their best shirt they wore to the party.

Do you dare to open presents?? Well, I hope not, but if the child insists.. enter craziness that is usually exhibited at the toy store, when you tell your child that "No, they may not get the super-douper-crazy-cartwheel delux speed racer that includes 8 feet of track". Those asiles make great stages for the ultimate meltdown, and the ceiling echos so nicely. Back to the party, now all of those children are surrounded by the coolest toys, and which one are they going to bust out of it's plastic clamshell to play with first? "No, we can't? Aww man!"

Alright parents, time to leave, here's a goodie bag, wait -- another bag full of candy -- that you have to wrestle away from your over stimulated, crabby, too hot child on the way home, to wait out the sugar high. Ahh, the celebration....