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Unique child-care arrangements that allow for more flexibility
By Kristen J. Duca
Article appeared on pages 12-13 in the March 2017 issue of Manhattan Family magazine (NY Parenting)
It is not out of the question to ask a potential childcare candidate if she would be willing to share a full-time schedule with your family and your friend or neighbor’s family.
This arrangement can work as long as each family gives the caregiver set days and hours.
More and more, people with children are working flexible schedules in order to strive for a desirable work-life-family balance. With work schedules that allow for flexible hours, parents may neither need nor want a caregiver on a full-time basis.
However, many caregivers still desire a full-time schedule along with the appropriate compensation to match.
In an attempt to satisfy the caregiver’s needs, some parents decide to hire the caregiver on a full-time basis even though they do not necessarily need a caregiver for so many hours.
The parents use the additional hours that the caregiver is in their home looking after their child while they are not at work to run errands, exercise, prepare meals, engage in housekeeping, meet up with friends, shop for household goods, and so on.
Here are a few ways parents are making child-care schedules work for them and the caregivers:
Caregiver shares
If your budget allows you the luxury of employing a caregiver for additional time to give you a chance to take care of personal errands, relations, or issues — then by all means, do it.
If you do not have the financial means to employ a caregiver for extra hours or if you want to spend the time when you are not at work alone with your child, then consider a caregiver-share arrangement.
If you have a friend or neighbor who desires a similar child care situation, you can jointly evaluate whether both families’ hours provide the caregiver with enough hours and income to satisfy her needs. Obviously, you will have a problem if the hours both you and your friend desire overlap.
If you do not have a friend who also desires a caregiver share, then you may need to do a little bit of researching and networking to find someone you could work with in a caregiver-share situation. Have an idea of what hours and days you need the caregiver to work for your family before you start your search.
Rotating caregiver arrangements
Some families desire “rotating caregiver” arrangements that enable them to employ more than one caregiver for their children.
These families do not like the idea of hiring one caregiver exclusively for the entire week. They do not want the caregiver to get bored or overtired.
As a result, they hire a few caregivers who desire part-time or flexible work schedules with the hopes that each caregiver will show up to work fresh and energized.
Additionally, they believe that their child may learn more by getting various perspectives and experiencing different activities.
It is important to make sure the caregiver candidate is receptive to a rotating-caregiver situation. While some caregivers welcome a flexible work schedule, others prefer a more traditional workweek.
You do not want the caregiver to feel like you do not think she is capable of taking care of your child on a full-time basis. You may need to explain to her your philosophy on rotating-caregiver arrangements.
Moreover, you do not want to get into a situation where the caregiver feels jealousy or resentment toward you, your family, the other caregivers, or your child.
Caregiver organization
Additionally, if you employ multiple caregivers, then remember that organization is of utmost importance. You will want to clearly communicate the exact hours and days each caregiver will work each week.
Whether you create a master calendar or a detailed spreadsheet of hours that you need coverage, you will want to make sure the caregivers know exactly when they will take care of your child. This will prevent any mistakes such as both caregivers showing up for work at the same time.
Also, take into consideration the vacation days and holidays that affect your caregivers as well as your family.
If you work together as a team, the arrangement should be positive and beneficial to all involved.
New York-based working mother Kristen Duca and her husband are the parents of two girls. She has worked in the financial services industry for two decades in addition to serving as a contributing writer for New York area publications. She is the author of “Ultimate Nanny: How to Find, Interview, and Manage the Most Important Person You Will Ever Hire – Your Child’s Nanny” available on amazon.com now.
03-01-17 The Perfect Fit – NY Parenting March 2017 article published
http://www.nyparenting.com/assets/print/manhattan/2017_03_mf.pdf
Appears on care.com
In my new book Ultimate Nanny: How to Find, Interview, and Manage the Most Important Person You Will Ever Hire – Your Child’s Nanny which is on Amazon now (by Kristen J. Duca) I help parents and guardians navigate the childcare search in an organized manner.
The key to finding a great childcare provider (whether it be a nanny, sitter, or companion) for your child is to sit down and analyze your family’s foundation. There are many aspects to your family’s day to day life that you will want to consider before starting your childcare search. Taking the time to examine the composition of your family in the initial stages of your search will pay off in the end.
It is my belief that the groundwork toward building a stable childcare situation depends on the following:
Childcare bliss – How to select the right caregiver for your family
By Kristen J. Duca
Selecting a caregiver for your child is one of the most important decisions many families will make. Whether you need childcare because you are returning to work, craving some time to yourself, or spending some time with your significant other, you will want to find the ideal caretaker for your child. Below are a few tips to help you navigate the nanny search:
One size does not fit all
A multitude of childcare possibilities exist for you to consider, and of course there are pluses and minuses to each of them. Just remember that you are in the driver’s seat and can choose the path that best fits your family’s needs. Hiring a caregiver to look after your child is a very personal decision. Every family has its own dynamics and unique views on parenting. Feel secure and confident in your child-rearing decisions.
Be patient
Do not rush the childcare search. Finding the ideal person to take care of your little one will take time and patience. It is important to be prepared and detailed in your search. Finding the ideal caretaker for your child requires a lot of time and hard work. However, if you put the effort into the search up front, you will be rewarded with the result.
Lay groundwork
Laying the groundwork toward building the ideal childcare situation is critical.
Formulating a clear description of your childcare needs now will save you loads of future frustration. You can zero in on exactly what type of situation you need to make sure your household runs smoothly and happily.
The ideal or “perfect” childcare situation depends on you and how specific you are in recognizing and expressing your needs, as well as on how your family spends its time. It is important that before you start your childcare search you set aside time to sit down and ponder what it is that you are hiring for and develop interview questions based on your needs.
Interview candidates thoroughly
Always remember to conduct a thorough interview and check references. You will want to conduct interviews (by phone, in person, or via webcam) with potential candidates in order to screen them through a series of questions. You need to ask prospective candidates the right questions in order to narrow down your list and eventually pick a suitable nanny for your family.
If possible, try to interview candidates in person so you can see their immediate reactions, facial expressions, and overall poise. These interviews do not have to be conducted in your home. You can always meet up at a local diner or coffee shop or get together at another mutually convenient location such as a library or bookstore.
Be reasonable
Be aware of what assistance you are asking for, and make sure it is reasonable. To put it bluntly, if you are not willing or able to do it all, then your childcare provider should not be expected to either.
Childcare providers are not superheroes. They are humans who have strengths, weaknesses, and feelings, just like you. As a rule of thumb, it is generally never a good idea to ask your childcare provider to do tasks that you cannot handle yourself.
Understand that your childcare situation will evolve
As your child changes or your family dynamics change, your childcare needs will change. These childcare needs will constantly evolve as your child blossoms through the stages of life. It is important to realize that you are not pigeonholed into the first childcare situation you created at a specific point in time.
A situation that works for your newborn child will likely need to be scrapped, tweaked, or revised as your child starts school. You may have to realize that expecting the unexpected and having the ability to be nimble is crucial to formulating the right childcare situation at any given point in time.
Go with your gut
You may luck out and hire the first nanny you meet, or you might have to interview several candidates. Everyone has a different experience, but if you are dedicated to the childcare search, you will find the best candidate for your family.
Always go with your gut, and trust your instincts.
Trial
Suggest the nanny candidate you are interested in start working with your family on a trial basis so you can ensure you find the right fit for your family.
A trial period of a few days, a few weeks, or even a month is a good way to find out if your nanny’s personality and style fit well with your family’s. Remember that a happy child makes for a happy parent!
BIO: New York-based working mother Kristen Duca and her husband are the parents of two girls. Kristen has worked in the financial services industry for two decades in addition to serving as a contributing writer for New York area publications. She is the author of “Ultimate Nanny: How to Find, Interview, and Manage the Most Important Person You Will Ever Hire – Your Child’s Nanny” available on amazon.com now. Get the inside scoop on how develop the right criteria, identify, and select the ultimate nanny.
02-01-17 Childcare Bliss – Manhattan Family-KJD article
http://www.nyparenting.com/assets/print/manhattan/2017_02_mf.pdf