How Do We Find a Part-time Nanny???

Have you tried Northside Parents Network? It doesn't cost much to join and they have great online message boards. People post messages when they are looking for child care or know of a good nanny candidate, etc. Take a look at www.northsideparents.org Good luck!

S.,
You could also put up flyers at the local universities.
J.

Hi S.,

I am just responding to your request about nanny agencies. Like you said, I know this is pretty far in advance. I am due with my first child in July. After I have my baby I would like to find another child to watch part time to make some extra money while still being able to stay with my child. I am babysitting/nannying right now until the baby is born. Let me know if this is something you might be at all interested in. I am reasonable as far as the money goes, am willing to travel to you, and my child would accompany me. My e-mail is ____@____.com

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Try the on-line agencies. They are cheaper, but I don't think you are missing out on any service. I feel that the other nanny referral agencies don't really do any true "screening" or "matching" anyway. I've used gonannies.com ($60 or $75) and there's others. Just google "nanny referral" and a bunch will pop up. You can search for free, but won't get any contact info until you pay. I like gonannies.com because you could search within a certain mile radius of your zip code.

C.

Hi,

I would not recommend using an agency. They are super-expensive and in my opinion you do not get the best nannies through an agency. In fact, my nanny claims that only women who can't get a job on their reputation alone are forced to use agencies. I found my nanny through the discussion boards at the North Side Parents Network. A family was moving and wanted to place their fabulous nanny with a good family. Other moms are the best sources for nannies, in my opinion. I would start with NPN and also join up with any other moms' groups that you can access (e.g. my church has one that is a great place for finding nannies and babysitters).
Good luck! A.

I'm sure you already have, but do ask friends, neighbors, and mothers you meet at local restaurants, stores etc., if they know nannies looking for work or families looking to nanny-share. But aside from that, and I know this sounds crazy, I would recommend going to the best playground near your house on the first warm spring day (during the business day) and checking out the nanny scene there. At our park (unity park in Logan Square) there are cliques of nannies who go to the park to hang out with each other during the day while the kids play. Even nannies w/ infants go. It is a great way to see how the nannies interact with their charges. Some are involved and loving and some completely ignore the kids. Look for the most loving and involved nanny you see and ask her if she has friends looking for work. Usually she will only recommend someone who she thinks is good with kids. Sometimes she herself may be looking for more work or a new situation. You never know. We found our wonderful, loving nanny (a middle aged Peruvian woman, legal resident, speaks only Spanish but understands English) through another Peruvian nanny our friends hired. We had only her reference, but it worked out great. I stayed in the house with her for two days to see how she interacted with our baby, and after I returned to work, several of our neighbors were kind enough to tell us that they observed her being very caring and involved with the baby. Those reports really comforted me.

I think many people would prefer a referral from an agency, but sometimes the most committed nannies are recent immigrants who are not cynical about the job and who haven't worked for several families already. These women are usually only found through word of mouth.

Best of luck!

S., mother of Sage, 2yrs. old

S.- I just found a new p/t nanny and I can tell you what I did. Plus, we narrowed it down to two nannies and had a very hard time deciding because they were both so great. How many days per week are you looing for? We didn't go with Estella but she is wonderful and I think any family would be lucky to have her.

I did three things:
1. www.sittercity.com- costs $39.95 but you get a lot of information on a lot of people.
2. www.northsideparents.org- free
3. Craig's list Chicago- I can't remember the exact address. It's also free.

Between those three sites I was overwhelmed with contacts. I easily had over 100 people to choose from. So finding someone part-time is no problem. Feel free to contact me at
____@____.com if you have any other questions.
By the way, I'm a neuropsychologist.
Good luck-
B.

Hi-
I would also put up a flyer at the JCC on Melrose if you live in that neighborhood. The other good resource I have found is Craig's List - do you know it? It's basically a national bulletin board. Check it out at www.chicago.craigslist.com. It's a great resource and I have found real quality people (and items) there!
Good luck-
E.

I would highly recommend looking into the Northside Parenting Network. The web address is: http://www.northsideparents.org

I believe the yearly membership is now $40 but it is well worth it. The numbers of memebers is umbelievable and with that you are privy to advice/recommendations from thousands of local moms. I live in Lakeview and joined three years ago with the hopes of finding a neighborhood playgroup. It worked and I've found so many opportunities on the Northside that I just would not have ever discovered on my own.

One of the ever flowing strings on the discussion boards is about Nannies. Many families in this area have posted fabulous referrals and there are so many here that nannyshare with other families who might only need 2-3 days/week.

Just a thought - I don't think you'd regret spending the $4o membership fee.

B.

S.,

I am a mom of three and an elementary teacher. I have taken maternity leave teaching positions ever since my little ones were babies. I have only used nannies and I have only had wonderful women take care of my children. How did I find them? Once, I answered an ad from a family who was looking for a position for their nanny. I also listened to what they had to say about her. My husband, my neighbor and I met her and hired her right away. She was genuine and kind. That kindness followed through with my children. The next nanny we hired, loved children and she was young and energetic. She can keep up with the little ones and she enjoys the day. She did not come from an agency, she had no professional backround with early childhood but she has a wonderful spirit and patience and my children(youngest is a baby) smile and jump up and down when she comes in the door. We found her through another Mamasource mom. I had never met either of them before talking, meeting and hiring them. Be careful about being too careful. You want someone who wants to be with your baby, not someone who is there because it's a paycheck. We did check references and I still do spot checks but we have been extremely blessed to have found wonderful caregivers. Good luck, and follow your heart not your checklists. No one is going to be mom but you. You just want someone to make sure your little one is safe, warm, fed and happy while you are away.

Dear S.,
I'm a single mom (now), my daughter is 8 yers old. When I had my daughter, we (my husband and I) allready were not in the best times of our life. But he supportet me and my daughter for life nessecities for 6 months. It means, room & board. We survived. I did not work. I started to work part time taking care of elderly couple, when my daughter was 5 months old. Most of the time I went to work with my daughter, because I still was breastfeeding her. They were a wonderful sweedish couple, they allowed my to have my time to take care of my daughter. I wish I had more things to buy for myself, but it was okay. Why I'm telling you this? Because those first yers is the most important thing in your to be son or daughter's life, and I would not advise you for at least the first year to have a babysitter. I assume, you are not a single mom, and your husband is waiting for that new life to come as anxious as you do. And I assume, he wouldn't mind, if you stay home for at least a year with your baby. Even with a small salary, you will by able to afford it, I'm sure. And those years will never return...
That would be my advise to you. If you still want to look for babysitter, I think the best idea is to ask your friends or aquintainces. Dont be affraid of agencies, too, because they also ask for refferences and usualy screen their workers, especialy babysitters. Otherwise, you will be (maybe, you are?) a perfectionist, but this life isn't... unfortunately. I am, sometimes, and I know, is hard...
My best wishes for you and you baby. It is not nessesery to respond, but if you wish, you are very welcome.
N.