Tag Archives: Childcare

How to Hire a Nanny: What to Know and How a Nanny Agency Can Help

Hiring a nanny is a huge commitment for a family and one that shouldn’t be entered lightly. British American Household Staffing (BAHS) is here to take the headache out of the entire process by providing personal attention, expert advice, and a roster of thoroughly screened nannies.

Below is a general outline of what to expect when you begin the process of hiring a nanny.

What Nanny Is Best For Your Child(ren) and Lifestyle?

Understanding your family’s specific needs are necessary in order to recognize your perfect nanny. A few questions to consider are:

  • What are the ages of your children?
  • Would a nanny specialising in education and tutoring be ideal?
  • Does your family travel extensively?
  • Do the children need full-charge care?
  • Would a high-energy nanny that can keep up with busy schedules be best?
  • Or would your children thrive with a calm, quiet presence?
  • Do you employ other staff in your home and need a team player, or a nanny that works best autonomously and knows what to do with little direction?

 

Beyond the basic nanny duties, many experienced candidates bring further expertise. Depending on your needs and a nanny’s qualifications, your home may benefit from one of the following kinds of nannies:

 

Full-Time Nanny

The most common kind of nanny is one that works full-time with one family. The nanny’s exact schedule depends on the family, but full-time nannies most often care for the children while the parents are at work and/or handling household management beyond childcare. A full-time nanny will be comfortable working with other household staff, coordinating calendars, planning activities for the children, preparing food for the children and keeping all of the children’s areas neat and tidy.

 

Part-Time Nanny

Part-time nannies offer much needed support for busy families that need afterschool or weekend childcare. Afterschool pickups and transportation for older children are usual responsibilities for part-time nannies.

 

Nanny-Tutor

Many of BAHS’s nannies have extensive backgrounds in education and childhood development. A nanny-tutor will be able to prioritize educational activities and work with each child’s unique learning styles to foster an engaging environment. Many nanny-tutors also speak a second or third language and can instill a multi-lingual environment for your child(ren).

 

Travel Nanny

For on-the-go families, a nanny well-versed in traveling is essential. A travel nanny will know how to pack, arrange travel, manage children through transit hubs and be able to problem solve in an unfamiliar environment when necessary.

 

Nanny/Personal Assistant

The nanny that can take on personal assistant tasks can be a big help for busy families with older children that don’t need as much attention. Your nanny/personal assistant’s first priority will be childcare, but when the children are at school or afterschool activities, the nanny will be able to help out in other ways around your home. Errand running, calendar coordination and household organization tasks can be given to a Nanny/PA, sometimes called a Family Assistant.

 

Newborn Nanny

Nannies that specialise in newborn care have extensive experience with newborns, infants and toddlers. They will understand the specific needs of each child’s development stage and be able to navigate each stage’s unique challenges.

 

View the full post on British American Household Staffing’s blog. 

Opening Up on Miscarriage, Isolation & Grief

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our very own Katherine Patterson opens up about her pregnancy loss and why we should never give up hope.

There’s an uncomfortable reaction around the word ‘miscarriage.’ For those hearing the news, and for those who bear it, communication can feel awkward and superficial. Unlike a death of a friend, a parent or a grandparent, there seems to still be a resounding taboo around knowing what to say or do in response to the loss of a baby that hasn’t yet been introduced to us.

This taboo extends to women’s bodies, especially women’s bleeding, whether it be menstruation or miscarriage.

It seems to make people feel very uncomfortable, perhaps because the subject either gets politely avoided or swept under the rug.

“People don’t want to know,” said Julia Bueno, a London-based psychotherapist and author of On the Brink of Being: Talking About Miscarriage.

“It has taken a woefully long time for miscarriage to be taken seriously by the medical profession.” In the absence of knowledge and data, Bueno noted, women in their desperation for an explanation will find reasons to blame themselves. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, I shouldn’t have had that cup of coffee.’ The void creates a strong pull to blame oneself.”

 

View interview with Katherine Patterson on the British American Household Staffing blog. 

Q & A: Your IVF and Surrogacy Questions Answered

Our British American Household Staffing team had the pleasure of sitting down with London’s leading provider of high-success fertility treatments, Harley Street Fertility Clinic.

Here, we join them as they take our questions regarding fertility treatments and share their advice on how to perfectly balance the first steps of fertility treatment, from IVF to surrogacy, with their personable and private services designed by their impeccable team of specialists for you to begin your wonderful journey.

 

 

Q: What is involved in the surrogacy process?

A: Surrogacy refers to an arrangement when one woman carries a baby or babies for another woman/couple and hands over the baby after birth. The couple, or single person, who wish to have the baby are called the intended parents. The woman who carries the baby is called the surrogate. There is provision within the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Act 1990 as amended for the granting of parental orders for situations involving surrogacy as long as particular criteria are met. We strongly advise that you seek your own independent legal advice prior to embarking upon surrogacy treatment.

 

Read the full interview on British American Household Staffing’s blog. 

What Is the Process of Hiring Household Staff?

Running a home is like setting up a small business. The same structure, hiring processes, and operational complexities are involved when it comes to employing domestic staffing.

Just like a business, legal issues and logistical details are important when bringing on new employees. In the United States, domestic staff are required to pay taxes and report their income. This means complying with federal and state labor laws. These laws can be complex and are often overlooked. Hiring undocumented workers or not paying household staff in a legal and fair way may lower the immediate bottom line but have serious legal and financial consequences.

 

What Constitutes Household Staff?

Household staff are hired to work in a private home. What differentiates domestic employees from contract workers is how autonomously they work. An independent contractor will work within their own schedule, use their own tools and operate within their own guidelines. For example, a plumber would be an independent contractor.

Domestic employees work on a set schedule and process determined by the employer or homeowner. For example, your housekeeper working to your schedule and using the tools provided would be a domestic employee. This distinction applies whether an employee is live-in or live-out, part-time or full-time, hourly or salary.

Common staff positions in large and small homes are:

Estate Manager – individual managing multiple large properties and all land, vineyards, private jets and yachts.

House Manager – individual managing a single property and all staff employed there.

Chauffeur – individual hired to drive a principal and family. A chauffeur may also have a background in security.

Lady’s Maid – individual that attends to the lady of the house.

Private Chef – individual that prepares meals on a long-term basis for a household. A private chef may also manage other kitchen staff and plan events.

Butler – individual in the home dedicated to service. Duties of a butler may range from household management to wardrobe care.

Houseman – individual provides deep cleaning for the home and serves a single, usually male, principal.

Personal Assistant – individual working to support a single principal or family. A personal assistant will be able to run errands, book appointments and travel, and manage accounts.

Executive Housekeeper – individual who manages other house cleaning staff. An executive housekeeper may also coordinate vendors and repairs for the property.

Housekeeper – individual responsible for cleaning the home. A housekeeper will be well-versed in maintaining fine furniture, caring for artwork and antiques and cleaning and ironing fine clothing.

Nanny – individual dedicated to caring for the children of the home.

Governess – individual dedicated to caring and educating the children of the home. A governess will have a background in education and focus on teaching and instruction as a primary responsibility.

Private Jet Staff

Private Yacht Staff

 

View more on British American Household Staffing’s blog.

What Does a Live-In Nanny Do?

Why hire a live-in nanny?

Juggling work and family is a never-ending cycle of deadlines and to-do lists. Your schedule is filled to the brim: working in the day, picking the children up after school, taking them to their different activities, going home, cooking, cleaning, preparing the children’s food for the next morning and when the children are asleep ordering everything online, tidying up, trying to get some sleep, then starting all over again.

Do you think back to the time when your calendar actually had time in it for yourself, when you could go to the gym, sleep in, or order in? Juggling children, a partner, and a job can seem impossibly hard. Well, it doesn’t have to be with the right support structure in place.

We recommend hiring a live-in nanny or nanny/housekeeper for busy families with school-aged children. The house will be organized, children taken to school, picked up, meals prepared, and you will have time to breathe. You can get to the gym and on weekend days maybe sleep in. It isn’t impossible.

Some families ask “why not an au pair?” Au pairs are popular ideas, but finding a good caregiver is like winning the lottery. You could win a good one but most of the time they are almost young enough to be your own child and as carefree as when you were a late teen. Au pairs do not require the same amount of training or experience as a nanny. While this can be an adequate addition to your family, it’s better to make one hire that will last long-term and be an investment in your children’s development and success.

So, how does a family hire a live-in nanny or nanny/housekeeper and how are weekends covered, too?

View the full post on British American Household Staffing’s blog. 

Happy Mother’s Day

As we take an optimistic step into spring and welcome Mother’s Day, this Sunday 9th May, we also share a mix of feelings with this traditional holiday.

Whether we have a biological mother, a foster or an adoptive mom, a grandmother, aunt, sister or godmother, having a maternal figure in our lives provides us with warmth, wisdom, tradition, comfort and guidance.

Those of us lucky enough to have them round the corner, will be blessed to share the day with them, albeit masked up for understandable healthcare measures. Many of us will be sadly still  separated by the ongoing travel restrictions and left with long distance florist arrangements and FaceTime calls. There will be some of us who will raise a glass or light a candle for those who held our hands and now our hearts.

One thing for sure, whatever our situation, story or journey, we will all be united in gratitude to those who played a strong part in getting us here.

Read full post on British American Household Staffing’s blog. 

Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week

The last year of lockdowns have been turbulent to say the least but they’ve also resulted in an outpouring of praise from those having to homeschool their kids – celebrities included!

Teachers have never been shown as much gratitude and acclaim as they have recently due to parents everywhere realising the magnitude of round the clock education and keeping their youngsters occupied, focused, and on schedule with their learning.

It’s not as easy as we all assumed!

Jimmy Fallon declared “Teachers should make a billion dollars and get more vacation time,” while strumming his guitar on The Tonight Show.

As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, we join you all in the gratitude to those who have been teaching from home in isolation, creating lessons remotely and patiently persevering throughout the pandemic to ensure students still receive sessions to maintain their grades and learning momentum.

View the full post on British American Household Staffing’s blog. 

Expecting and New Parents: Resources for Welcoming a New Baby

This week, the team here at British American Household Staffing has put together a collection of resources for new and expecting mothers, based both on personal experiences and years of working with new parents.

And, of course, should you require a newborn care specialist, nanny or any other household staff to help ease the transition of welcoming a little one into your home, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at anytime.

Recommended Items for the Home and Nursery

BÉABA Baby Food Maker: This French, sleek, small and minimal appliance is a must-have for new moms. It can steam and purée fruits, vegetables, meat and fish to the right consistency for any age.

View the full list of recommendations on British American Household Staffing’s blog.

 

Keep Moving: Physical Activities for Families

As we enter the final month of winter, many of us are counting down the days until the official start of spring. However, as we look forward to the warmer days ahead, it is important to continue to take care of ourselves and our loved ones while inside during the remaining winter days. The team here at British American Household Staffing has put together our list of top ways for families to stay active and spend time together, even in bad weather. One hour of physical activity per day is ideal to boost mood and energy, increase quality of sleep, build confidence, and promote overall health.

View our suggestions on the BAHS blog. 

Safe Socializing: Virtual Playdates, Games and Classes

As much of the country continues to experience more winter weather, as well as various degrees of lockdowns and restrictions, many parents are struggling to come up with creative ways for children to safely socialize, both with friends and with far away family members. The team here at British American Household Staffing has put together our list of top interactive games and classes that children can participate in together, from afar.

View the list on British American Household Staffing’s blog.