Are You A Nanny? Know A Nanny? Survey of Nannies

Do you employ a nanny? Are you a nanny? Have a friend of a friend of a friend who is a nanny? Have them fill out the survey!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2017SurveyofNannies

Goal? To know what life as a nanny is like and to help guide people to be better employers.

Nannies in Brooklyn (or beyond) please take a minute to fill out this survey. At the end of the survey you'll be taken to a page where you can enter your email to win a $50 gift card. Please note that your answers are CONFIDENTIAL so you can tell us exactly what you think and feel!

THANKS in Advance!

Susan Fox
The Nanny Survey Team

Nanny Notes!

Hi All,

SS here.  I thought it might be helpful to have some of our Nanny's share some "Helpful Hints".

What are some of your best practices?  

ie: easiest way to get a child to eat their meal?   get them to sleep?  share their toys?

What are your Nanny Notes?

BAD Parent Sighting - A Tragedy Waiting To Happen ( We Hope Not)

A woman who seems to be the mother of 2 kids, a 3 year old girl and a very young infant, endangers them on a regular basis at 610 and Beechnut in Houston. The woman uses the kids to get attention for panhandling. Reports by witnesses say that the little girl runs into traffic and has caused a fender bender. The girl and mother ( we assume ) are regularly picked up by a man in a late model white SUV. They seem to do well on the money. Witnesses  say they have called the police and CPS to no avail. (Pics are coming)

Best way to give notice?

Hi! Just wanted to hear suggestions on how to give notice. I've been with current family for two years. I have been through really rough time. I've recently burned out. I got sick about 5 times in the last four months. I have zero energy. I think I'm completely zapped out. I live near NYC and they only paid $14.50 for two kids. No TV. Not type of entertainment and drop off and pick ups'when oldest is in school.

Now, starting next month the youngest is going to school. They offered part time and only $15.50. I have to commute by either driving or public transportation. They're only offerinf about 20 hrs a week too. So I decided to look somewhere else. I did get offered a position at a preschool. I'm going to take it because I just felt like these people took advantage of me and want to be cheap. I always went above and beyond. The kids are ok, but hit and abused me for a while. The mom wanted me to always have them outside and take them to various things A DAY. She couldn't stand see me home sitting down. She purposely took nap time away because they would fall asleep too "late". A MESS. Most of the days the job was OK. I just feel like I need change and be appreciated it more. Especially since I am college educated and it shows on how much the kiddos know.

I'm thinking of giving three weeks notice at the end of the week. Thanks !

Question from a Nanny.

Hey guys, I have some questions. I just got offered a position as a nanny for $10/hr for 50 hours a week, after quitting a hospital job 4 months ago. I'll be watching 1 toddler and if i have to watch the other kids (2 more) it will be $13/hr. The family is paying cash off the books. Has anyone else worked off the books? If so was it short term? Did you ever have issues with IRS? If I try to work with an agency later on will they hold it against me that I have no proof of employment, besides the parents' word?

Gift Ideas Please!

My son has been with his current nanny for 3 years. She just had a baby in October and due again in November! Plus she has a toddler. We mutually decided my son should head to a PreK program and I would like to do something wonderful for her to thank her for all she's done for my son and I. What are some gift ideas? We have done spa items, gift cards to movies and restaurants.... I would love to find a sentimental children's book about friends forever or something to that effect and flowers? Any ideas?

QUESTION OF THE DAY!! How do you get a child to sleep?

How do you get a child to sleep?


Here are some answers from a mothers group.

We have been dealing with this and FINALLYYYY solved the problem. 30 minutes before bedtime we give him LUNA Melatonin pills and we reversed the lock on his door to face the hall! Took a week before he quit! But it worked!

Lavender in a diffuser... And lock the door. My friends daughter did the same thing and would fall asleep at the door for a few nights until she realized that she wasn't going to win the fight to get out of the room.

Yep- we give melatonin before bed too. Really works. Also- when you are putting her back to bed- do not interact with her. It's time- says it's time to go to bed, every time after that, just put her back to bed and say nothing. I also take away their favorite blanket, stuffed animal etc and that seems to help.

I started tart cherry juice and diffusing lavender or Doterra serenity in her room over melatonin option.

Cut down on nap and lock the door. I had to or mine wouldn't ever fall asleep! We unlock after he's fallen asleep just in case he needs us

We use an app called "Calm" and they have sleep stories. At first that helped but now she wants me to lay with her. I give her a time limit or if she gets up I leave. Lately we have been telling her to listen to the story and tell me the ending tomorrow. That has been working so well this past week. I remember this phase with my son and looking back it was short lived. Good luck!

Tell us your tips and tricks!

 

Bad Nanny siting Riverside Park

Nanny dark skinned )Jamaican?)blue shirt and small girl pink top in riverside park. Nanny was very aggressive with the child for no reason. Loud yelling and physically abusive

Nanny need advice!

Hello, I hope I receive some advice. I provide childcare for 2 families. It's a part time job and receive payment in cash from both families. I am being audited by the state of Maryland. They are requesting that I provide address and social security numbers from these families. I asked them if they are willing and of course they are very hesitant to do so. I have never gave them my social security number. Thank you!

Regards,

Not Good Child Sighting - with John Quinones

" What would you do? " just had an interesting episode in which a child actor pretended to talk down to and even threaten the nanny. In the toy store the actor said things like " You have to do what I say, I pay you" and " You're just the nanny, you don't mean anything, buy me this toy or i will have you fired " etc. They showed a mother telling the child actor "How would you feel? She is a person."  And one patron cried for the nanny's hurt feelings, another lady tracked down the child's "mom" another actress and discussed it. Has a child ever crossed the line from just being a child into really wrong/demeaning behavior? What is the best way to handle it?


What would you do?