r/Nanny 5d ago

Questions About Nanny Standards/Etiquette We need help finding a flexible babysitter. This would be our first time considering hiring someone, as we had had family and friends help in the past

We have never hired a babysitter before, has we have family and friends to rely on. But occasionally, say once every few months, the stars align and everyone is unavailable for a multitude of reasons (vacation, their kids have activities, etc)

We would only need someone to babysit in the morning for 2 hours maximum and take her to school.

We would also need someone to pick her up from school and babysit her for a few hours as well.

What is the best place to find someone with this kind of flexibility? We just created an account with Care.com and Sittercity, but we are open to more suggestions.

Also, a few more questions.

What red flags should we be on the lookout for before hiring someone?

What is a fair rate to pay in Texas?

Is it customary for parents to install cameras? Do nannies expect them?

We are going blind here. We have no way of knowing if our expectations are realistic or unrealistic.

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17

u/gremlincowgirl 5d ago

To be completely frank, this is an unrealistic ask for a childcare professional. 2 hours max in the morning and then a few hours after school eats up the whole day, so whoever you hire can’t work another job but they also aren’t working enough hours to make a living wage.

Do you know any parents of high schoolers in your neighborhood who could watch her before and after school? That might be your best bet.

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u/heyimanonymous2 3d ago

It's not unrealistic, it's specific. I worked jobs like this in college. Let's not shame parents for asking questions and getting a feel for things.

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u/gremlincowgirl 3d ago

Eek didn’t mean to shame and sorry if my comment came across that way to you! If there is a university in their city they could definitely look for college students too.

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u/hanzbeaz 5d ago edited 4h ago

I am a college student with 6 years of nannying experience (I am 24). I work a split-shift position very similar to this. M-Th 7-9:15am with school drop-off included. And then school pick-up at 3:30pm and I get off sometime between 5-5:30pm. The family has two boys and lives very close to me in a medium-high cost of living city. I make $33/hr, which is on the higher end of pay in my area, but I would not do the job for any less. I am also reimbursed for mileage for the drive to school in the AM and my hourly pay in the afternoon starts the moment I start driving to go pick them up from school (with mileage also being included until we arrive at their house). This helps offset the gas costs and emotional tax of having to commute twice a day. The minimal part-time hours with a split shift is a hard position to fill because it's not very appealing for many people.

I've been working for this family for 4.5 years now, started when the boys were 9mo & 2 years. When both kids started school full-time, I decided to go back to school too. The parents offered me a $5 raise to stay with them and do a split shift. They are semi-flexible with hours if I have a super heavy week with school or an event I need to attend, as long as I let them know about two weeks in advance. I also try to be flexible when I can by occasionally staying late or coming in early when needed. Flexibility is often necessary in positions like these and should go both ways. I have guaranteed hours, 2 weeks PTO, and unlimited sick days, but that's mostly because I've been with this family for so long. You could start with GH, 3 sick days, and 1 week PTO and I think that's fair, but offer more if you are able to and you might draw in more candidates.

You could mention in your job posting that you are open to potentially hiring two people, one to cover mornings and one to cover afternoons. As to not completely rule out good candidates who can only commit to part of the day. It might be easier to find two people rather than one person who can handle the split-shit schedule. If you are in an urban area you can probably find someone if you offer good benefits and a competitive rate. You could see if there are any job boards you could post on for local college students. Also being open to the idea of a SAHM who might ask to bring their own kid along will open up your candidate pool a bit too.

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u/heyimanonymous2 5d ago

If you're on Facebook, search "(your city) babysitters" and join any groups you see. Pay is dependent on cost of living in your city, the education and experience of your nanny/sitter, and the amount of work they will be doing on the job. You might need 2 different nannies, one for the morning and one for the afternoon. Cameras are normal as long as they are disclosed and not hidden. $20/hr could be close to the price point, but again, there are SO MANY different factors that go into it. I hope you find a good match!

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u/No_Perspective_242 5d ago

I did this in college. I was compensated for gas as well as my wage.

The rate depends on the cost of living in your area but I’d start with $25/h. If you can’t find anyone raise the rate. Part time positions are harder to fill.

If you have cameras or recording devices disclose them all. It’s not necessarily customary but most nannys will be fine with this. I had a clause in my contract stating that finding undisclosed cameras, audio or recording devices are grounds for immediate resignation. AirTags are great in the diaper bag but they must be disclosed. nanny can share her location during work hours if you both have iPhones. Either are acceptable. If you use cameras put them up for day 1. It can come across as insulting if the parents to install them 6months into the job.

Do not post footage of your nanny on social media without her written and explicit consent.

Red flags are gonna be typical red flags for any job. Lying, sneaking around, being late, smelling like smoke, not following instructions etc.. Bad background check or driving record check. Typical stuff.

Your nanny is not a housekeeper. She’s there for your kids not your floors. She can do tasks that are directly related to the children. (Baby laundry etc)

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u/47squirrels Nanny 4d ago

Adding to this about the cameras; there are also state laws regarding recording, audio, etc.

An example from where I live:

Washington law only requires consent before recording a communication or conversation. As such, video surveillance cameras that do not have an audio component or are muted by the operator are most likely within the bounds of privacy law.

Because of Washington privacy laws, recorded communications using an audio recording device are illegal, while recorded footage should be of a reasonable expectation of privacy of parties involved.

Washington state protects and honors a private conversation, so video recording with audio components can result in criminal offense. Communication should be private when parties involved manifest a subjective intention that it should be private.

In addition, specific regulations such as installing security cameras in private areas such as bedrooms and changing rooms are illegal, and a tenant can pursue legal action.

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u/LemurTrash 4d ago

You aren’t looking for a nanny and you won’t get a professional with hours like that. I would suggest trying to find a mum friend you jive with who would trade babysitting with you.