A Flood of Applications, With a Trickle of Approvals - NYTimes.com

A Flood of Applications, With a Trickle of Approvals - NYTimes.com:

"Justino Mora had been checking his e-mail several times a day for weeks to see if there was any word from a federal immigration agency on his application for a reprieve from deportation."

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10 Things Nannies Should Do Every Year to Be Proactive in Their Careers

No nanny wants a job to end on short notice, however sometimes nothing can be done to prevent it from happening. In addition to having to quickly wind down emotionally from a position, jobs that end abruptly can leave a nanny strapped for cash. Whether you’re a seasoned nanny or just starting out in the field, there are 10 things you can do each year to help keep your nanny career on track.

1. Update your resume. When the time comes and you need to update to your resume, gathering all of the necessary information can be a huge hassle. Keeping your resume current can save you tons of time and energy, plus when you do it’s readily available in a moment’s notice.
2. Get a new photo. Most agencies and online nanny recruiting cites encourage, if not require, nanny candidates to have a headshot to include in the information they present to families. Have a friend take a photo of you outdoors (the natural background will not only look nice – it won’t be distracting) or invest in a professional headshot from a portrait photographer. Presenting yourself as a polished professional can make a real difference in the job search.
3. Update your CPR and first aid training. While your formal certification may not expire every year, it’s a good idea to take an annual review course online or in-person. If you received an instruction book when you took the class, reviewing that is a good idea too.
4. Ask for a written review. An annual performance review is typical in most nanny positions. Asking for a written evaluation to accompany an annual review is a good policy. Not only are you able to document your job performance, should a job end on a sour note or the parents are unable to provide you with a written reference in a timely manner, written reviews can be included in your portfolio as proof of employment and a job well done.
5. Get a flu vaccine. While certainly not required by all employers, some will request that you get a seasonal flu vaccine to protect yourself and the children from the season’s anticipated strain. While you’ll need to decide for yourself if you’ll get one, The Center for Disease control recommends that caregivers of children aged younger than 5 years get a seasonal flu vaccine.
6. Continuing education. Whether you attend a nanny conference, enroll in continuing education courses at your local community college, or take an on-line child development course, staying current on childcare trends and best practices is essential for every nanny.
7. Send a holiday card to former families. You never know when you’ll need to call on a former family as a reference or be in the area and want to stop by to say hello. Sending an annual holiday card is a great way to keep in touch with families that you worked with several years ago and don’t regularly keep in contact with. Even if they don’t remember much about your time together, they’ll surely be able to tell whoever calls for a reference that you faithfully send a card each year.
8. Reach out to your placement agency. If you secured your position through a placement agency, it’s always a good gesture to send a note and update them on your status. Even a simple “three years later, I’m still here and loving my job – thanks again for the referral” keeps you at the forefront of an agents’ mind, should the need arise for you to utilize their services again.
9. Get a TB test. Most agencies and families require their nannies to be in good health and, as such, require a TB test prior to placement. Since young children are at a high risk of contracting tuberculosis if they are exposed to the bacteria that causes it, child care workers are typically encouraged to be tested every one to two years.
10. Check the IRS mileage reimbursement rate. If you are using your vehicle to transport the children in your care, you should be reimbursed for the travel you do while on duty. The IRS mileage reimbursement rate is updated each year and reflects the standard business reimbursement rate per mile.

Being proactive can lessen any downtime should you find yourself out of job and in search of a new one. Prepared nannies who are ready to tackle a job search as soon as necessary can increase their employment options as they are able to start their job search sooner.

Taken From 4 Nannies

10 Tips for Keeping the Kids Safe on Halloween

Halloween is traditionally a time of good-natured mischief, mild trickery, and wild fun for kids. In today’s world, however, parents are forced to be a bit more cautious regarding kids’ safety than their parents were. Provided that you teach your children to adhere to certain safety rules and take the recommended precautions yourself before a trick-or-treating expedition, Halloween hijinks can be as fun, and as harmless, as they were in days gone by.

1. No Trick or Treating Alone – No matter how old your child is or how much he insists upon being allowed to go out by himself, it’s best to insist that he at least be accompanied by a group of friends. While it’s not practical to accompany your young teen personally, ensuring that he’s with a trusted group of friends can help to keep him out of harm’s way and do wonders for your peace of mind.
2. Integrate Reflective Materials into Costumes – One of the biggest hazards for children during the Halloween festivities are drivers that cannot see them. While your child should understand that walking or playing in the street is never acceptable, it’s still best to take every possible precaution by integrating reflective materials that will glow in headlights and make your child easy to spot.
3. Keep Props Flexible and Blunt – Regardless of how hard your pirate tries to bargain for a more realistic-looking cutlass, you should make sure that all costume props are flexible and have dull edges to prevent accidental injury. Kids can be hurt during make-believe jousts, and can also fall on their own “weapons,” should they lose their balance as they scamper across the neighborhood lawns.
4. Teach Safe Pedestrian Behavior – In order to reduce the chances of your child being struck by a passing vehicle, it’s imperative that you help them understand the rules governing pedestrian behavior. Even if you plan to accompany your child every step of the way, he should still have a basic idea to prevent accidents.
5. Opt For Makeup Over Masks – Masks are a perennial Halloween favorite, and often the scarier they are, the better. Despite their popularity, however, masks aren’t always the safest choice for a costume. Unless your child has particularly sensitive skin, opting for gentle, non-toxic makeup or face paints is a far better option. The construction of most masks creates a situation in which the wearer’s peripheral vision is obstructed, which can increase your child’s chances of being involved in an accident.
6. Glow Stick Safety – Some parents opt to give their children glow sticks to boost their visibility to drivers. While this is a perfectly safe and quite effective option for children old enough to handle them properly, the chemicals can be hazardous if glow sticks are handled improperly. Before handing these luminescent items over to your little ones, be sure that they understand never to puncture the plastic casing and to promptly discard any glow stick that is leaking.
7. No Risky Treats! – Candy and other treats that have damaged packaging, look as if the wrapper has been tampered with, or are unfamiliar should not be eaten. Kids with food sensitivities and allergies should also hold off on eating any of their haul until they get home to make sure that they don’t accidentally come into contact with a dangerous allergen.
8. Skip Costumes That Fit Improperly – While your little princess may want a train that trails behind her for three feet or the Dracula in your midst a long, flowing cape, these costumes simply aren’t safe for children. These long, draping materials can be tangled, caught on moving objects, or cause your child to trip.
9. Stranger Danger – While it’s not a good idea to instill a blind terror of all strangers, your child should understand that some strangers can be dangerous, and that they should never enter the home of anyone they don’t know very well and trust completely. It’s also Halloween etiquette to not approach houses with the outside lights off.
10. Zero Tolerance Vandalism Policies – Though much of Halloween mischief is largely harmless and in good fun, kids need to know that a zero-tolerance vandalism policy will be enforced before they walk out the door with their friends. Toilet papering, shaving creaming, and egging, among other destructive acts, can lead to serious trouble and should never be tolerated or condoned by parents.

Much of your approach to child safety on Halloween will depend upon the age and maturity level of the children involved. While very young children are likely to be content with a trip around the neighborhood, a modest haul of treats, and the chance to show off their costume, older kids will likely insist upon having a bit more autonomy. It’s also wise to have a candy policy in place before the first piece falls into your child’s trick-or-treating bag to avoid gorging on sugar or fighting over the subject.

Taken From Nanny Care

10 Tips for Parents of Kids Who Resist Having Their Teeth Brushed

Chasing a defiant toddler around with a toothbrush is more likely to end in smears of toothpaste on the furniture and a tiny mouth that refuses to open than an effective lesson in oral hygiene. For parents that have attempted to plead, bargain, and even threaten their way into their child’s mouth with a toothbrush, here are ten hints and tips that might make the experience a more productive one.

1. Model Good Oral Hygiene Habits – It’s no secret that children love to mimic the adults that they love and trust, so letting your child watch you brush your own teeth can be an effective way of encouraging them to form good oral hygiene habits as well.
2. Encourage Independence – While a toddler might not do the best job of brushing their teeth, they are generally quite talented when it comes to asserting their independence. Letting your child attempt to brush her own teeth will help her form the habit. Depending on your child’s individual temperament, it may also be easier to finish the job properly if you’ve allowed her to begin the task herself.
3. Make the Process Fun – Singing a silly song, making a point of brushing teeth to attack fictional “sugar bugs”, and maintaining a playful, upbeat attitude can make a world of difference when it comes to convincing your child to let you brush her teeth. Rather than fighting for dominance with a child that’s just learning to assert her independence, make it a point to keep the entire hygienic process as fun and exciting as possible.
4. Establish a Routine – When your child knows that brushing her teeth is part of her routine at certain points of each and every day, it will become progressively less difficult to handle. Keep in mind that introducing a change to the schedule you’ve previously established is almost always difficult in the beginning, and try to be patient until your little one adjusts.
5. Enlist Your Dentist’s Help – Whether she’s offering a plaque-disclosing rinse that turns your child’s teeth a different color until they’re brushed properly or simply advising you on the best methods of establishing an oral hygiene routine, your dentist is a great resource for all things related to your child’s oral health. Don’t be afraid to approach the subject of dealing with resistance to brushing teeth at your next visit, if you feel that the situation is not improving.
6. Let Kids Choose Their Own Toothbrush – While many parents shy away from commercially licensed products, a toothbrush with your child’s favorite princess, hero, heroine, or cartoon character may be just what she needs to get excited about brushing her teeth. Allowing her to choose her own toothbrush also gives your child a measure of control over the process, which can also make brushing her teeth less of a battle.
7. Consider a Xylitol Toothpaste – The naturally-occurring sugar alcohol xylitol is not only appealing to kids due to its sweetness, but is also recommended by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry for cavity prevention in children due to its efficacy in preventing tooth decay. Using flavored toothpaste that features this helpful and appealing compound may make your little one more receptive to having her teeth brushed, especially if you let her choose a flavored brand.
8. Offer an Explanation – For some stubborn children, simply explaining why brushing their teeth is essential may be enough to convince them to relent. Harried parents often have a tendency to focus solely on accomplishing an unpleasant task, rather than providing the explanation for why it’s necessary to baffled kids. Talking about cavities and tooth decay in a way that your child will understand may help to end the struggle.
9. Use a Musical Timer – Making a game of brushing your child’s teeth by using a musical timer provides the fun aspect that kids are looking for, while also ensuring that little teeth get the attention they require for the prescribed amount of time.
10. Stay in Control of Your Temper – It’s easy to lose your temper when you’re forced to fight the same battle on a daily basis, but shouting at your child because she won’t comply is likely to make her dread having her teeth brushed even more. Try to be patient with your little one, and work through the initial rough patch.

Many parents opt to forgo the struggle of brushing kids’ baby teeth, reasoning that they’ll be falling out soon anyway. While this is essentially true, having dental work on baby teeth can be a traumatic experience and often requires the use of general anesthesia. Furthermore, the habits that you help them establish during toddlerhood and the preschool years will also determine how well they care for their permanent teeth when they get older and oral hygiene becomes more of their own responsibility.

Taken From Nanny Needed

10 Things Parents Do that Drive Their Nanny Crazy and What They Can Do About It

While a lack of respect will surely drive most any nanny crazy, there are a few other things parents do that could also cause their nanny to bang her head against the nearest wall. Fortunately, for everything a parent does to drive her nanny nuts, there is a simple solution or two that can be used to stop the problems that are occurring.

1. Come home late. While nannies understand that things come up at work or on the commute home that may cause their employer to run late occasionally, when coming home late becomes a chronic thing it can become a real problem for most nannies. While a nanny employer may be scheduled to leave work at 5 pm, if that rarely happens the employer should consider their realistic work ending time, rather than their ideal one, and adjust the nanny’s schedule accordingly. If an employer is running late, they should let their nanny know as soon as they realize they won’t make it home on time and update her with an accurate expected time of arrival as necessary.

2. Have poor communication. Clear communication is the key to a successful nanny and employer relationship. When the employer doesn’t adequately communicate child related updates or address concerns she’s having with the nanny, a volatile situation is bound to follow. Keeping a daily logbook helps ensure that key information gets passed on, and holding a weekly meeting gives the nanny and employer scheduled time to check-in, assess, and reassess, when needed.

3. Forget to leave her paycheck. Come the end of the workweek everyone is in weekend mode, but forgetting to leave the nanny’s paycheck is problematic on many fronts. When an employer forgets to pay their nanny it sends the message that the nanny’s work isn’t valued and payment for her services isn’t a priority. Setting up a reoccurring direct deposit or using a reputable nanny payroll company like www.4NannyTaxes.com can ensure that the nanny always gets paid on time.

4. Don’t reimburse for expenses. From grabbing lunch on the go, to visiting a local museum, nannies often use their own cash to pay for their own and their charges meals, admissions, activities, and entertainment. And while they may expect to be reimbursed, it often doesn’t happen because there is no reimbursement system in place. Parents are responsible for paying for their children’s expenses, and any expenses the nanny incurs as a direct result of caring for the child, which includes the nanny’s meals and admissions if she’s out with the child. Parents can set a budget with their nanny and provide a petty cash fund or a credit card in the nanny’s name to ensure that the appropriate expenses are being paid for by the parents.

5. Undermine her authority. There’s hardly a thing worse than when a nanny finally gets her charge to stop a behavior successfully and mom swoops in and says there is no need for the behavior to be stopped. Children thrive when there is consistency in the expectations their caregivers have for them.

Parents should be careful to choose a nanny with similar parenting styles and philosophies and clearly explain to their nanny what they constitute as acceptable and unacceptable behaviors, as well as acceptable discipline strategies. If the parents disagree with their nanny’s approach, they should discuss it with their nanny when the children aren’t listening in.

6. Ask the nanny to do non-nanny related tasks. Most nannies have no problem going above and beyond the call of duty when needed, but parents who consistently ask their nannies to do things outside of their responsibilities are asking for nanny trouble. Having a written work agreement, and reviewing and amending it when needed, can ensure parents and nannies understand the employment arrangement they’ve agreed to and understand the responsibilities that are expected of each of them.

7. Don’t provide feedback. Nannies often wonder if they’re performing up to par. They want to know if their employer is satisfied with their performance and where there is room for improvement. In addition to offering positive, purposeful praise and corrective guidance when needed, having an annual review provides the perfect opportunity to give feedback and even to offer a rate increase as a reward for a job well done.

8. Expect the random acts of kindness to be new duties. Chances are if a nanny is doing her charges’ laundry and the parents linens are in the wash, as a courtesy she’s going to transfer them to the dryer and fold them once their dry. All too often when a nanny does something once, it becomes the expected norm. When a parent notices that their nanny has done something out of the ordinary they should thank her and let her know while it’s not expected, it was greatly appreciated.

9. Don’t pay for extra hours. To a parent, showing up 10 minutes late each evening may not be a big deal, but to a nanny that equates to nearly an hour of additional work time by the end of the week. If the nanny provides childcare when she was not scheduled to, she should be compensated accordingly. By law, nannies are entitled to be paid for each hour worked. Live-out nannies, and some live-in nannies, depending on the state, are required to be paid overtime at the rate of 1.5 times their base hourly rate for any hours worked over 40 in a 7-day-period. Keeping a logbook for documenting the nanny’s starting and ending times can ensure the nanny is getting paid fairly and in accordance with labor laws.

10. Refuse to pay legally. Although legally nanny employers must pay their nannies in accordance with labor and tax laws, some choose to ignore the laws and pay their nanny under the table and off the books. Doing so not only cheats the law, it cheats nannies out of benefits such as documented employment and eligibility for unemployment benefits. Other times parents simply don’t know what their responsibilities are and how to comply with them. Using a nanny tax and payroll service, like www.4nannytaxes.com, makes doing the right thing easy. If employers are doing things right, they won’t end up with back taxes and fees should they get caught paying illegally.

Taken From Live-Out Nanny

10 Common Items That Make Great Toy Organizers

Cutting the clutter in your home by paring down and organizing all of your own belongings isn’t always easy, and it often seems even more difficult to accomplish these same tasks in a child’s room. The sheer volume of toys that children manage to collect over a relatively short period of time can be overwhelming, making it hard for little ones to keep their rooms clean without any extra help and presenting a challenge in logistics after gift-giving holidays and birthdays. These ten common items can, with a bit of creativity, become interesting and effective toy organizers. Thinking outside of the toy box can help you keep your child’s room inviting and clutter free.

1. Baskets – Woven baskets are functional storage items that can also become whimsical decorative items, stashing away toys and lending a polished air to the room. For even more ornamental power, line baskets with fabric that coordinates with the color scheme of your child’s room.
2. Storage Benches – There’s often a shortage of seating in kids’ rooms, which can begin to present a challenge as they get older and start to have friends over. Solve the seating problem and your toy organization woes by stowing toys under the lid of a storage bench, which becomes functional seating as well as an organizational tool.
3. Wire Bins – Wire bins, especially those that have flat edges to facilitate wall mounting, can be great ways to keep smaller toys off the ground and out of the way. Just be sure that they’re mounted low enough for your child to see inside and retrieve a desired toy himself, or you might find yourself in the position of both taking them out for him and putting them away at the end of the day.
4. Storage Cubes – Typically made of plastic and covered in durable, brightly colored canvas, storage cubes are functional toy organizers that also lend splashes of color to the room. They have the added bonus of being lightweight enough that your child can move them himself, provided that the toys themselves aren’t particularly heavy.
5. Coffee Cans – Painting a coffee can in your child’s favorite color and personalizing it with his name makes for a storage system that puts the fun back in functional. Before turning your newest project over to your little one, however, be sure that the inner lip is completely dull to avoid any accidental cuts when he reaches inside.
6. Diaper Wipe Containers – By the time your infant reaches toddlerhood, the number of lidded plastic diaper wipe containers that you’ve amassed can be impressive. Rather than tossing them into the garbage to take up space in a landfill, it might be better to take the green route by repurposing them to hold small toys or crayons.
7. Buckets and Pails – With their handles and sturdy construction, small buckets and pails are great choices for kids’ organization. Not only can your child maneuver them easily with the handle, they can also double as toys themselves.
8. Suitcases – When you’re not traveling, kids’ luggage simply sits in a closet collecting dust. Rather than storing non-functional pieces all year only to use them once or twice, fill them with toys, doll clothes, or other items, then stash them under the bed. Your child can still access her favorite toys, but they’re no longer taking up space all over the room and her luggage is being put to a functional use year round.
9. Spice Racks – Older children that are becoming arts and crafts enthusiasts can acquire a lot of glitter, sequins, buttons, and other supplies that aren’t always easy to store. A new spice rack, sans spices, of course, might be just what you’re looking for. Shaker tops built into the jars are ideal for glitter, ribbons can be neatly coiled and stashed inside, and buttons or other small bits can be collected into them for easy storage. Glass or clear plastic jars allow your little one to see what each of them contain, and they are easily corralled in their very own rack.
10. Cabinets – Though you certainly can install wall cabinets in your child’s room, it’s likely to be an involved and fairly expensive project. Rather than investing in custom cabinetry, stop by your local builders’ supply and pick up a couple of cabinet sections intended for upper wall mounting. Arrange them in a straight line, then cover the top with pine or some other type of lumber. Stain or paint the entire new piece of furniture you’ve created the color of your choice, then enjoy the custom credenza you’ve built with a hammer, a few nails, and a minimal investment of time or effort.

In addition to utilizing some of these toy storage ideas, it’s also wise to cull your children’s toys periodically to make room for new ones. Unless they have some sort of particular emotional significance, any playthings that are broken, damaged, or rarely played with should be discarded in the interest of maintaining order and organization.

Taken From Housekeeping

What Parents Should Know About Nanny Certifications

Most people assume that there are some basic requirements for working as a nanny, however that isn’t actually the case. There are no legal minimum standards for nannies – meaning they’re not required to have any training before taking a job, nor do they have to complete any continuing education during employment.

During your nanny search, you may interview a nanny that has a nanny certification in her portfolio. There are several different certifications in the nanny field, and it can be confusing for families who are trying to figure out what the certification says about the nanny’s education or skill level.

There are two types of certifications a nanny can receive: a Certificate of Completion or Attendance and becoming “certified” in a particular topic or by a particular organization or educational program.

There are many professional development opportunities for nannies to take advantage of, and many of these programs offer high quality training and help the nanny gain knowledge and improve her skills in a particular topic. These trainings are offered through online sites, local and national workshops, and conferences. They generally offer a Certificate of Completion or Attendance. This means the trainer or the organization has not evaluated the caregiver in any way to see if she learned what the session was intended to teach. They simply show she attended and/or completed the class. While there isn’t any competency standard to go along with the certificate, it’s helpful when hiring a nanny to look at the type of professional development sessions she’s taken. It will give you a good idea of her commitment to ongoing training, her interests, and the range of information she’s been exposed to. It’s also a great jumping off point when talking about related topics during the interview.

There are also certified titles that carry an evaluation from the issuing organization or school. The important thing to remember here is the certification is only as valuable as the validity of the issuing organization, school, or trainer.

A perfect example of this is a CPR / First Aid certification. If your nanny has taken her training through the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association then you know she’s taken a 4 to 6 hour class and has passed an evaluation by a qualified trainer before receiving her certification. Both of those organizations are authoritative and have strict and transparent training and competency guidelines in place. If your nanny has taken her training through ABC Association (or any generic association or program) then you have no idea what the certification means. She could have taken a 45 minute course, or even an online course. Although both nannies have been certified in CPR / First Aid, what those certifications mean in real world situations are completely different.

Look at nanny certifications with the same eye. Some questions to ask about a nanny certification issuing organization or school are:

• What standards is the certification based on?
• Do the standards fit into the Developmentally Appropriate Practices, which is the accepted standard for policy makers, administrators, teachers, and childcare providers for developing programs and approaches?
• Are they transparent about what knowledge or skills the nanny must demonstrate to receive the certification?
• Are they affiliated with the National Association for the Education of Young Children, which is the umbrella organization for the childcare industry and authority on DAP (Developmentally Appropriate Practices)?
• If the certification is issued by a school, have they been accredited by a higher learning accreditation body?

There are four main types of competency based certifications available in the nanny industry.

1. The International Nanny Association offers the INA Nanny Credential Exam and the INA Nanny Basic Skills Exam. Those who pass the INA Nanny Credential Exam earn the title of INA Credentialed Nanny. Those who pass the INA Nanny Basic Skills Exam receive a certificate stating that they’ve successfully completed the exam.

2. The American Council of Nanny Schools offers a Certified Professional Nanny certification through their member schools.

3. Nanny schools not associated with the American Council of Nanny Schools offer various nanny certifications and diplomas.

4. Some businesses offer a stand-alone nanny certification.

Nanny certifications can be a great indicator of a nanny who’s committed to quality care and has a specialized skill set. However not all certifications are created equal, and it’s important to accurately evaluate just how a certification will apply to care in the real world.

Taken From Nanny Interview Questions