Had enough of sleepless nights with a high-need baby? Foregone too many gimiks with family and friends? Simply want to be more productive at work without the stress and worry that wait at home?
So now you’ve finally decided: “I need a yaya.” Worry no more. Here are helpful tips on finding the right one.
Like with so many things in life, the first step is to be honest with yourself. Once you’ve identified what you truly want in a nanny, from personality to hours to child care philosophy, you’ll be well on your way to finding the perfect nanny.
What can you read in this article?
- Right way on finding a nanny
- How to find a nanny
- What to look for in a nanny for an infant
Right way on finding a nanny
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels
When looking for a nanny, it’s vital to be specific about what you need and want. Consider the following points:
- Can they assist you during the week, on weekends, or in the evenings?
- How stable are your hours – do you work shifts, for example?
- Will your hours suit a university student, or will they be better suited to someone with a part-time job searching for extra hours?
- What the nanny’s responsibilities will be – do you want the nanny to only focus on caring for your child or do you want her to also drive your child to activities, cook, and clean for your family?
- Will the nanny live with you or only be present when you need overnight care?
You could question the experience to get the right nanny for your family. For example:
- How long has the nanny been a child care provider?
- What kinds of problems has the nanny had to deal with?
- Has the nanny worked with children your child’s age before?
- How many children have the nanny cared for at any given time?
How to find a nanny
Hiring a babysitter is advantageous in so many ways:
- It’s a more flexible alternative to typical childcare
- When your child stays at home, family friction is reduced when you leave for work.
- It saves money if you have more than one child.
- Alternative child care choices suit your working hours better
- This option is preferable if you have a disabled child who suffers with transitions between home and child care or prefers one-on-one care.
What’s the right way on finding a yaya for your child?
1. Trust no one but yourself
We’ve heard of several scary stories of unreliable help like the yaya quitting without her two weeks’ notice or a yaya who spanked baby because she couldn’t get him to sleep. They’re out there, the yaya-zillas. Believe it or not, the first step is really the hardest one: looking for a ready applicant.
You could get a yaya from an agency, but for your peace of mind, get personal referrals from friends, family or your closest circles. It’s hit or miss out there — and you definitely don’t want to miss, since it’s your child at stake here.
2. List your expectations
Ask yourself why you need a yaya. Is it because no one will be with your child while you’re at work? Do you need an extra hand at home?
Plan what yaya‘s workload and hours should be. Will she just be caring for your child or will she be doing other chores at home as well? Will she be staying in or going home daily?
We recommend referring to The Kasambahay Law by clicking this link to an infographic from gmanetwork.com. It explains the steps in legally hiring a yaya, including the responsibility of providing them benefits like SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-Ibig.
READ MORE:
Having trouble finding a nanny? Why not try having a granny nanny!
Babysitter caught punching small child: How do you choose a good nanny?
3. Know her to find her
The best yaya is the one who has had a lot of experience in being one. But there’s really no better way to know a worker but through work. Before actually hiring her, have a trial period of a week or two with shorter-than-the-regular work hours before committing long-term.
If this is your first time to hire a yaya, the best training period would be during maternity leave or before baby is out. And while on trial run, train your yaya. Sometimes it’s not about finding the right one, but making the right one!
4. Get her the right way
Make sure you secure her papers and get her medical done. You want to be extra sure about who you’re hiring. This is the person who will hold, feed, bathe and be with your child like white on rice during days you won’t be. So don’t worry — she’ll understand this necessity. If she doesn’t, you’re hiring the wrong person.
5. Yaya should be baby’s second Mama
Let’s say you struck gold and found the right one. You like her background, attitude, work habits, skill set and chemistry with the baby. It’s now time to make your new yaya feel like family.
There is no hard and fast rule to achieve this and, obviously, this is not done in a day. The most important thing to remember is to empathize with your yaya, especially when the going gets tough.
Don’t allow her to abuse your kindness, though. Time and again, remind her that you’re still the boss by giving her subtle and well-placed verbal jabs at her coming back late from her day-off or not hanging the towel at the right place. It takes time and a lot of effort in finding the right yaya, mentally and physically, but you’ll get those back tenfold when you find her.
What to look for in a nanny for an infant
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels
Your family’s ideal nanny:
- Be there whenever you need support
- Have child-care experience, qualifications, and recommendations
- Is trustworthy and dependable
- Can maintain a positive relationship with your child
- Have the same strategies you’d use to encourage positive conduct.
Where to find the right yaya for hire
Where can you find the right yaya for you? Begin by asking other parents or acquaintances if they know of somebody who might be suitable.
Nannies publish notices on bulletin boards at child care centers, local schools, community centers, universities, libraries, and local businesses on a regular basis. You might also look in your local newspaper or on the internet for information.
A formal employment agency can also help you find a nanny. To verify that the people in their books are of good character, agencies conduct police and reference checks.
A nanny for a trial term is available from several agencies. If you’re hiring a nanny privately, you can set up a few trial sessions yourself. Remember to bill for this trial session.
Trial sessions can help you determine if the nanny and your children are compatible. Trial sessions can also assist the nanny in determining whether or not your situation is suitable for them.
If you have a trial session, make time afterward to talk with the nanny about it. It is useful to talk about:
- What was successful?
- What changes would have to be made to make the arrangement work?
- What information or resources do you and the nanny need to make a final decision?
Updates by Margaux Dolores