• Caregivers are at least 19 years old (with our average age being late 20s to early 30s), so they are much more mature than a middle school or high school sitter
• All caregivers are CPR/First Aid trained
• Babysitters are experienced, and we’ve made sure that their childcare references are stellar
• Extensive criminal background checks (including a sex offender search) has been completed on all caregivers, and we re-run our background check on an annual basis
• Caregivers have their driver’s license, their own transportation, and a completed motor vehicle records check
• Mom’s Best Friend babysitters have completed our customized training, encouraging fun, creativity, responsibility, and professionalism, and specifically prohibiting calling/texting on the job, using TV/video games to entertain the children, etc.
• You can utilize Mom’s Best Friend services on vacation, as we have multiple offices in cities across Texas and Colorado
• Babysitters are available 7 days a week, including sick care and holidays

Sometimes our families try us as a compliment or backup to their regular sitters, and if you have any hesitations, we encourage you to do the same. However, after finding our babysitter service extremely professional, convenient (one call and we schedule a wonderful babysitter), and a great value, most families begin to use us as their primary babysitter source.

Explore our babysitter service: Austin | Dallas | Fort Worth | Houston | San Antonio | Vail / Beaver Creek | Aspen

For years now, we have gone to great lengths explaining to families that nannies are household employees (W-2), not independent contractors (1099 form). To protect you, your family, and your nanny from making costly tax mistakes, we refer all household employers to Breedlove & Associates in order to get the most accurate information.

Not every employer has had the correct information, however, and many have misunderstood the tax codes. For that reason, the IRS is giving families an opportunity to have “nanny tax amnesty” ( see article from the Wall Street Journal) with a proposal called the Voluntary Classification Settlement Program (VCSP). The nanny tax amnesty will allow families who incorrectly filed their nannies as independent contractors, to reclassify them as employees. Under the VCSP, families can correctly issue W2 forms to their household employee without interest and penalties. Families have until June 30, 2013 to reclassify employees (see the Breedlove blog about the VCSP). Following this deadline, the IRS is expected to increase efforts to collect mishandled and undercollected taxes, as the employer is required to withhold Social Security and Medicare taxes if a worker is paid $1,800 or more (for 2013).

General demographics of the nanny survey respondents:

• 70% are full-time
• 90% live outside the employer’s home
• 71% have 5+ years  of experience
• 77% care for one (30%) or two children (47%)
• 76% have been with their employer for less than 3 years; 43% less than one year
• 35% have completed their bachelor’s degree or advanced degree (master’s or Ph.D.)

Salary and benefits results

• The average hourly rate is $17.44/hour
• 66% have paid holidays
• 64% have paid vacation days (typical was 2+ weeks)
• 47% get sick days
• 13% receive full health insurance premiums; 10.7% receive partial health insurance contributions
• 35% receive reimbursement for using their personal vehicle; 31% use an employer-supplied vehicle
• 68% are paid when the employer does not require the nanny to work (e.g., employer vacation that does not correspond with the nanny’s vacation)
• Average holiday bonus amount: $324

Go to the Mom’s Best Friend Nannies and Babysitters site: Austin | Dallas/Fort Worth | Houston | San Antonio | Aspen | Vail/Beaver Creek

• Determine your needs: map out the criteria most important to you, from personality to special skills, hours and schedule, salary/package, age experience, education, training, childcare and discipline philosophy, responsibilities, etc.
• Write a job description: put your thoughts down on paper and spell them out in a one page summary that you can share with an agency and/or potential candidates. This will be the framework of your future employment agreement and a conversational piece for an interview.
• Register with an agency or post your job: turning over your search to a reputable and experienced agency will allow you to greatly minimize your time and effort in the remaining steps. However, if you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can write a short blurb with the key points in your job description and post it online or in the paper, but be prepared for a flood of unqualified applicants you may have to weed through in order to move on to the next step(s). If your needs are time sensitive or you are very busy, this may not be an option for you.
• Screen applicants/conduct phone interviews: make sure to screen for the most important criteria (hours, salary, age experience, responsibilities willing to perform, area of town) before moving on to any more detailed probing (an agency will already have done this for you). Above and beyond having the right experience on paper, you will want to have enough chemistry on the phone to warrant an in-person meeting. A good fit is a combination of both!
• In-person interview: arrange for promising candidates to come to your home to meet with you and get a preview of the potential future work environment. You may want to meet without the children in case it is not a good fit, or bring the kids in for part of the interview to observe the interaction. This initial meeting mainly serves to feel out compatibility (assuming the main needs will be able to be met by this person); a good candidate should interview you too!
• Trial time/working interview: observing someone while working will give you the best indicator of future performance. Trial time is typically 3-5 days for local non live-in candidates. Try to duplicate the duties, hours, etc. as closely as possible so that the candidate can experience the job as accurately as possible (ex. morning traffic patterns) before moving forward. This time should serve as reinforcement for your decision or bring up possible red flags to halt you from moving forward. A good agency will provide a guarantee period (typically 90 days) in which you can get a free replacement.
• Reference/background checks: when deciding between two great candidates, a reference check can be the tie breaker. An agency will already have checked references prior to sending you a profile. However, after you have interviewed with a certain candidate, you may have specific questions that are generated that a former employer can specifically address, above and beyond verifying simply whether or not they are qualified for the job. Background checks are essential for peace of mind and the security of your children. Individual families may not know how to conduct these checks themselves or where to go to obtain the most comprehensive and up-to-date information. An experienced agency can assist and can provide ongoing monitoring services as well.
• Job offer/employment agreement: an extensive written agreement is the key to a long-term relationship where expectations are clear and misunderstandings minimized. An agency may provide a template for you that addresses the most typical scenarios in question in a comprehensive way. The job offer should come in the form of this written proposal with an expectation for some negotiation back and forth to ultimately arrive at a clearly spelled out and mutually beneficial , agreed upon working arrangement. An agency can act as the middle man in cases where negotiating directly is uncomfortable or an awkward way to kick off the new relationship.
• Job begins: the employment agreement is signed and a start date is set!
• Post-hire relationship maintenance/job satisfaction: the greatest way to ensure success is to set up regularly scheduled one-on-ones to discuss the job and what is working well and what is not. Providing an open forum for communication and discussion of struggles, obstacles and accomplishments as well (recommended at least monthly) will ensure the long lasting satisfaction of both parties involved. Semi-annual reviews and annual opportunities for bonuses and raises will also demonstrate the perceived value of the performance and relationship.

Good luck in hiring a great nanny! We would love to assist you in this important process with our years of experience and expertise!

Choose your city for more information on hiring a nanny through Mom’s Best Friend: Austin | Dallas / Fort Worth | Houston | San Antonio | Aspen | Vail / Beaver Creek

• Duties: What do you looking for? You may think this is the easiest part, but you need to understand that every position is unique. Some nannies are just responsible for childcare. Other families require their nanny to create a curriculum, travel 2 months out of the year with the family, take care of pets, take children to activities, and even light cooking for the household. You don’t need to be too specific (don’t map out each day), but try to pin down what it is you are needing in a couple of paragraphs. Remember if you want it all, this will have to be reflected in your nanny pay.
• Schedule: What are the days/hours? Are you flexible? Do you neeed them to be flexible? Full time hours will definitely open up the largest pool of candidates (30+ hrs/week at a minimum, but ideally 40+).
• Nanny Qualifications: What qualities do you want in your candidate? What experience and education do you require, and what is more of a “nice-to have”?
• Pay Range: The reason we address this last that is that it all that you have described above must be commensurate with the pay. If you have a set amount that you need to budget, and it is on the lower end, you may need to scale back your expectations. You may be lucky enough to get a do-it-all nanny for a low price, but unfortunately it may be tough to keep her. Sooner or later, she is going to grow resentful if she is not being paid in proportion to her duties / the market. A Mom’s Best Friend Placement Manager can guide you about what is the going rate for your position.

Again, we really like to walk families through this process together of creating a job description, because they appreciate the experience and advice we bring to the situation. If you want help with your nanny placement, contact Mom’s Best Friend.

Tip: Don’t forget to complete an Employment Agreement once you hire a nanny!

• Corporate picnics / retreats
• Cook-outs / parties / reunions
• Corporate incentive events
• Weddings
• Birthday parties
• Baseball games / sporting events

This allows our caregivers to show their creative side, as they utilize our large supply of games, toys, books, face paints, crafts, and a number of other goodies.

At a recent event with school-aged children, our lead nannies coordinated “camp games”, assigning themselves as the “counselors” of two “cabins”. Each member of the two teams received a bandana to wear with their team color, and the nannies led a number of friendly competitions including a 3-legged race, an egg-and-spoon race, singing/dancing/cheering games, and more! The kids absolutely loved it and the parents were thrilled!

If you are interested in having a group of our caregivers entertain the children at your next event, please view the links below.

Austin: Special Events | Weddings
Dallas / Ft. Worth: Special Events | Weddings
Houston: Special Events | Weddings
San Antonio: Weddings and Special Events
Vail / Beaver Creek: Special Events | Weddings

We pride ourselves on having the best nannies in the industry. This means we perform not only basic screening (clean background check, CPR training, social security verification, etc.), but we also look for certain qualities in a caregiver:

• They are career nannies: We don’t want a candidate that is deciding between being a nanny and being a bank teller (you’d be surprised how many of this type of situation we get!). We want a caregiver who is passionate about enriching the lives of children.
• They have fantastic, verifiable experience: We require 3 references of 3+ months and/or 3 years of experience with one family. We talk to each reference, ask a number of questions, and we require that the comments reflect that the nanny is excellent across the board.
• They are willing to make a long-term commitment: Families do not want to go through a hiring process more than once a year (ideally, the caregiver stays much longer than the initial year commitment). They don’t want to have to retrain someone or get comfortable with someone new. We also know that it is better for the children to have a trusted, consistent figure in their lives.

Unfortunately, what we typically find as we have searched for part-time candidates are:

• Students that can commit for only a semester at a time
• Moms that are looking to work during the school day
• Candidates who are looking to partner it with another part-time job and may have a changing schedule
• Candidates who are just looking to make a little extra money

None of the above people meet our criteria for part-time placement. Therefore, we were finding ourselves consistently short on exceptional candidates, and consequently underdelivering on our exceptional service promise to our client families. (We have had many families look on their own, and find the same results.) From time to time, we have been able to find a great part-time nanny that is perfect for these families, but unfortunately when this “needle in a haystack” needs to be replaced, we find ourselves in the same boat.

So, what is the solution when you only need part-time help for your children? Here are a couple of options that we have found work well:

• Increase the pay: Occasionally you will see us post a 20-29 hour per week job. You will also notice that these jobs typically pay about $20/hr because they are trying to compete for the same exceptional nannies looking at full time work. The compensation must be competitive for a job with fewer hours.
• Combine jobs: This has worked really well for my family. All of my children are in school now, but I still need a bit of help. I’ve combined the nanny work with personal assistant work (errands, grocery shopping, etc.) in order to create a job description that is at least 30 hours/week. This past year, I found a wonderful caregiver who both works at my home, and is an assistant for my dance studio business. If you could use the personal assistant or office assistant, consider combining these roles.

Getting the most fantastic nanny for your home is worth the extra effort. We don’t want to compromise quality for your family, and you shouldn’t settle for anything less!

Setting the Stage: You have to set the tone from the beginning, even if you think you and your nanny would be great friends. This includes mutual professionalism, respect, and regular meetings (whether they are formal or more informal, they can still stay professional while being personable).

Professional Meetings: Try to use these meetings to discuss the children and the job, with minimal emphasis on personal lives. Remember that personal is a subjective concept for each party. Get to know sensitivities of your nannies and be sure to express your own. The same article mentioned that “three-quarters of those surveyed also said they hadn’t let their nanny know when something was bothering them.” Difficult discussions should be easier to have when you have regular meetings that combine praise and constructive feedback.

Best Case Long-term Scenario: We are human and as the years go by, it will likely develop into a hybrid professional/personal relationship. As that becomes the case, it is important to guard the privacy of your nanny as you would like her to guard yours. At this stage in the game, there is true beauty in the bond! The WSJ article mentioned, “almost half said they planned to stay in touch indefinitely”. How great for your family to have this special person in your life forever! My former nanny was with us for four years, and our lives are forever intertwined. We shared many joyful times, and we endured difficult personal situations together. I treasure our relationship, and to this day, she spends time with my children and I off the clock, even as she is now a mom herself.

To give yourself the best chance for long-term success with your nanny, treat them as a professional, meet with them regularly, and then let the personal relationship grow slowly and appropriately.

For more information on hiring a nanny with Mom’s Best Friend, visit our placement page.

We want you to feel comfortable with our agency before you even speak to us. One of the ways we do this is to open ourselves up to the scrutiny of the top household staffing industry associations. We feel confident in our integrity and business practices, and to demonstrate that credibility, we agree to meet the guidelines, standards, and code of ethics of the associations’ guidelines. Additionally, we love that we are able to share best customer service practices and with other high caliber agencies that are affiliates of these associations.

The associations where we are members of are:

Alliance of Premier Nanny Agencies (APNA): For many years, Mom’s Best Friend has been both a member and an active participant. In fact, both Kathy Dupuy and Kim Winblood of Mom’s Best Friend are board members of APNA. In order to become a member, APNA’s process required verification of operating practices, review of our client application, and adherence to the APNA Code of Ethics and the Standards of Ethical Practices. Mom’s Best Friend staff members contribute further as frequent APNA conference speakers.

International Nanny Association (INA): We are a long-time member of this non-profit, educational association. INA has worked to professionalize the industry by setting high standards for industry professionals and nanny agencies. INA leverages the expertise of industry professionals from around the globe to help increase awareness about the industry, to develop the professional skills of nannies, and to educate parents about the benefits of hiring a qualified nanny to care for their children.

Domestic Estate Managers Association (DEMA): The Domestic Estate Managers Association was created to provide a forum for Private Service Professionals and certified service vendors interested in better serving and protecting the best interests of their clients. The fundamental purpose of the Association is to raise industry standards.

International Association for Private Service Professionals: The mission of this organization is to unify, support, educate and represent the International Private Service Community by working to develop comprehensive occupational standards, industry-wide resource directories, advocacy panels, vehicles for networking, certification programs and recognition events.

We feel that holding these professional affiliations should assure you that you are working with an expert, accredited household staffing agency. Please contact Mom’s Best Friend / MBF Agency for your nanny, babysitter, executive housekeeper, personal assistant, household manager, senior care (select cities), and all other household staffing needs.

• Prescriptions / over the counter pain reliever: On all of my packing lists, I never think to add these items. Getting prescriptions filled halfway across the country (or in another country!), with time changes, doctor requirements, etc. can be tough. Be sure you plan ahead to have a good supply on hand! As for Tylenol, Ibuprofen, etc., it would be so simple to just throw some in with your toiletries, instead of ending up back home with multiple opened packages/bottles.
• Sunscreen: Even if you are not doing a vacation at the beach, you are going to want sunscreen for hikes, for trips to the zoo, for theme parks, etc. You can practically guarantee you will need this at some point!
• Bathing suit: Why is this so hard to remember? For some reason, I always seem to have at least once child without a bathing suit!
• Shoes: It is important to remember to think through all of the activities you are doing. Will you be hiking? Going to a pool/lake? Having a fancier dinner? Do they each have the required shoes for each occasion?
• Jacket: It’s summer, and I live in Texas, so sometimes I forget about jackets! Even in sunny California, the evenings and mornings are quite cool, so be sure you have the necessary outerwear!

Remember to consider each child – is one more prone to allergies? ear aches? car sickness? forgetfulness?! Do you have the required items for these frequent incidents?

Even if you don’t end up using the items, I encourage you to save yourself the headache and wasted time by being over-prepared.

Don’t forget, you can use our babysitter services in 7 different cities!