Hiring a nanny is one of the best options to take to lessen the stress and workload when it comes to having a family, raising kids and having a fulltime job. To keep a healthy balance between family life and work, having a maid to help in the household is essential. Imagine if you have to handle everything at home after coming back from a very demanding work day. It is going to be very difficult and will only keep spilling into the next days until you get burnt out.

Many families opt to get the help they need and these families have reaped the benefits of being able live happier and fuller lives. However, having someone involved in your family is not an easy concept to grasp.

There can be different types of set ups such as the nanny living in with you full time or just coming over during the day to fulfil the duties required and different set ups require different arrangements and emotional involvement.

As such, you have to be prepared to nurture a good relationship with your nanny so that you can build trust and confidence especially if you have to leave your kids in their hands for most of the day because of work.

Highlight Pros and Cons with the Family

It is necessary that everyone in the household understands the importance of having a helper around, even the kids. Every family member has a role to play and having a maid around does not mean everyone suddenly becomes free from the responsibility.

Discuss what the pros and cons are for your family specifically.

• How much will it help everyone and what sort of duties are handed over?
• What should everyone expect from the maid? What should be avoided?
• How does it affect everyone in the family and what sort of sacrifices need to be made?

Do a Background Check

If you’re, hiring a housemaid or a nanny through an agency, they usually do this for you. But if you’re going to hire on your own, make sure that you do a background check. Verify experiences and talk to character references. It pays to be meticulous about this.

Find out as much as you can so that you do not encounter negative surprises later on and you can have feedback about the way the nanny helped her former employer, by taking care of the family or helping out to solve problems. By doing so, you will also be able to know more about specific tasks she handled and what were the benefits for the employer.

Have a Trial Period

Like any other job, there is often a trial period or a probationary period. Do the same for your nanny if the law permits. This heavily depends where you live and where you are hiring from but if you have the opportunity to do so, try working together for at least a month to see if you can genuinely be at ease with her working style. If it works, go ahead with the full contract. If it doesn’t, don’t be afraid to keep exploring options. It might take time to find the right one now but it will save you plenty of money and headache later on.

Define the Terms of the Contract

Before hiring, particularly before you both sign on the dotted line of the contract, discuss the details. Go through clauses one by one.

It is easy to assume that your potential new maid understands everything but there could be circumstances where you both understand it differently.

• Openly talk about terms to avoid misunderstandings in what you are both getting into.
• Remember that contracts often have terms that your maid may not be aware of.
• Ask and make sure things are clear before proceeding.

Discuss her Duties with the Kids

This is probably the most important tip to consider to ensure a lasting relationship with your nanny. You have to sit down and define her duties, boundaries and role.

She needs to completely understand what is allowed for her to do, what is expected and what you think should not be something she decides on.

This way, you are both on the same page on what to do and not to do with the kids. Nanny duties usually depend on how old your kids are. If there is anything in particular she needs to be skilled for, ask what her experience is and equip her with the right skill if needed.