nanny trial periods?

tirsabel · August 2013

Hi,

So, we are trying to have a nanny start with us when the boys turn 1 year old. What I have found is that when we have been looking for a mother's helper over the last year, not everything has turned out to be as we expected - though we were reassured at the interview, we were not happy with the attitude/behaviors when they were actually spending time with the boys (not following guidance our preferences, etc).

for those that opted for a nanny - did you interview many in person? did you do any trial periods? did you do any trial days with multiple candidates (not on the same day of course)? If so, how did this work for you?

Any information appreciated thanks!

Mrs.AshAsh · August 2013

I haven't hired a nanny yet but I'm just starting the process of looking for a "mother's helper". That being said, yes, I definitely intend on interviewing quite a few in person. If there is someone we just don't "click" with off the bat, it will save us and them time. From the group that we find we "click" with, we intend on doing either a day (or two...or a week, haven't decided yet) where we ask them to come in, knowing that it's still kind of a "second interview" type of thing. We can see how they interact with the kids and how the kids interact with them (we also have a 4 yr old and almost 2 year old, plus expecting the arrival of the twins in 3 weeks or less), we will also be able to get a better feel on how they perceive the "mothers helper" position (meaning do they just see that there are bottles in the sink and wash them or toys on the floor and pick them up...or do we have to ask?...silly things like that but I don't want to be asking someone to wash bottles all.the.time!). We're hoping that we'll be able to narrow it down from there to either one (which would be best case) or two and then from those people, hire someone. I don't want this process to take a SUPER long time but I don't want to rush into it either. I want what is best for my kids and myself and if we have to take a little extra time to get there, that's what we have to do. I also don't want to have every "Jill, Jane and Sally" come in and out of my kids lives and home, too. So we definitely really want to try to get this as right as we can.

tiffwedd · August 2013

We are on our second nanny...

The first time we interviewed 3 in person, we asked them to come and meet the boys and each spent at least an hour with them. We choose one that we absolutely loved and after a short time she ended up being offered a full time job in a different field.

The second time we interviewed two people, one of them being a referral from our first nanny. The referral was able to come and spend two full days with them so we were confident that should would do well with them when she started and she has.

We definitely got "vibes" with each one and it was good for us to see how the boys responded to them. It ended up being a pretty easy choice each time.

Good luck!

MandaS08 · August 2013

We intereviewed about 5 or 6 nannies in person. From those we had 2 come back as sort of a second interview, and spend a few hours with us and the babies, so that I could see how they interacted, ect.

One girl I didn't get a good vibe from and the other one seemed great-so she was hired. She started 2 days before I went back to work, so that I could see how she handled them on a full day basis, be there to answer questions, ect. It really helped give me a comfort level with her. So far she is working out great!!

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