How to find a good nanny: professional advice. How to find a good nanny How to protect your child from a monster nanny

Just 10 years ago, young mothers sat quietly and peacefully on maternity leave for exactly three years. It was the way it was, it wasn’t even discussed. The husband is the breadwinner, and the mother is the mother. Now it is not customary to stay on maternity leave for long periods of time: some people lack communication, others lack money. So mothers go to work as soon as the little one is a couple of months old. There are not enough private kindergartens for everyone, so you have to look for a nanny. But how? MirSovetov will tell you where to start and how to make the right choice.

What types of nannies are there?

There are different types of nannies - that's a fact! And by age, and in relation to children, and by functions performed. It's up to you to decide what kind of nanny your child needs, so read the following qualifications carefully.
Babysitter. If your baby is still very young and you need to leave home, try to find a nanny with a medical education. She will skillfully deal with the toddler and will not only notice something wrong in time, but will also react professionally. And there are situations such that delay is not allowed - suddenly the baby choked, a rash appeared or the temperature rose. The baby will not be able to tell about the illness himself, and an inexperienced nanny will not always be able to provide first aid. It will be good if such a nanny already has experience working with newborns. And be sure to check her medical record, pay attention to the date of the medical examination.
Young neighbor. Teenage nannies are in demand abroad. They believe that a child has more fun with a person who is close to him in spirit. True, such a nanny is usually offered work for a couple of hours, during the short absence of the parents. It has been proven that children with such nannies develop faster and grow up active. And another plus is the relatively low price of services.
In our country, many people believe that leaving a child under the supervision of essentially the same child is nonsense. But in vain, the young nanny will manage everything, not to the detriment of the baby, with household appliances on a first-name basis, and the children love her. There is really one “but” - fearing punishment, a girl may “forget” to tell you about the baby falling off the sofa or the child’s sudden stomach upset. Therefore, MirSovetov advises convincing her (necessarily in a confidential tone) of the importance of communicating such “little things.”
Middle-aged woman. It is considered an ideal option. The nanny already has considerable experience in communicating with children, at the same time, her children have already grown up and you are not threatened with constant sick leave. She knows perfectly well what to feed the little one, how to distract him from his whims, how to keep him occupied and interested. And your husband is unlikely to be “interested” in such a nanny. So there is nothing to be afraid of.
Madam aged. Such a Freken Bock. She clearly knows that semolina porridge is the most important dish on the children's menu, that fish oil is simply irreplaceable. And if you allow me, he will give you a couple of tips on raising a child. She will also definitely notice a “suspicious” coating on the pupil’s tongue or a cutting tooth. But he doesn’t recognize diapers and will remember exactly what a pack of washing powder looks like after the sixth time. The motto is tough education and strict control! The ideal would be to have a love for children, although this implies some pampering, but in combination with life experience it is an excellent option.
Relatives and friends. They can be asked to sit with their grandson or nephew for a couple of hours. Usually grandmothers work, aunts too. But it’s unlikely that anyone will refuse to spend an evening with your little one. Admonitions, however, cannot be avoided, but it is much easier for a child to accept a person he knows.
For me personally, the very fact of leaving my son with a stranger is completely incomprehensible. Maybe it “didn’t press”, as they say, or maybe it’s an exaggerated maternal instinct. But I can’t entrust my little one to a lady/girl for whom the very fact of earning money is important, and not the happy childhood of someone else’s child. That’s why I have my mother’s sister as a nanny. An older woman, she raised a daughter, but God did not give her grandchildren. So she pours out all her unspent maternal warmth on her cousin. It’s hard to put into words, but she doesn’t want anything more than to play with the baby doll: they build pyramids, study books, race to eat apples... and both their eyes light up! Perhaps the image of such an aunt does not fit into the idea of ​​a nanny; rather, she looks like a loving grandmother. Finding a nanny like this that you trust and that your baby loves is not easy. But it's worth a try! Nanny-governess. The highest paid nanny. In addition to the usual duties, she will teach your child a foreign language or professionally prepare for school. Needless to say, this is not possible without pedagogical education. Do not save money when looking for such a nanny - only the services of amateurs are cheap.

Where to look for a nanny?

The main thing in this matter is not to rush. Such a serious issue cannot be resolved in a hurry. Be patient and go ahead!
Nanny by advertisement. The cheapest option is to buy a newspaper or post advertisements on poles in the area. And you don’t overpay the agency, and the services of such nannies are inexpensive. You can place advertisements on the Internet or search among forum members. But, as always, there is a “but”. Not everyone can let a stranger into their home, much less leave a child with them. After all, under the guise of such a nanny there may be a thief or a spotter, a hunter of someone else’s husband or for money. Therefore, be very careful when choosing a candidate.
One of my friends found a nanny for her daughter this way. The baby was 2 years old when her mother had to go to work. The whole family put advertisements on all the poles in the area, and after a couple of days a nanny was found. She turned out to be a sweet and fairly young pensioner from a neighboring house. For three years now (they decided to ignore the kindergarten), the nanny has been working in their family. No complaints! And, despite the fact that she does not have a pedagogical education, the little girl adores her nanny, even calling her grandmother. And my friend often brags - her daughter recites a new poem every day, counts at the top of her lungs, her appetite has improved. Such a wonderful nanny, but, it would seem, a complete stranger! Friends of friends. If the previous method categorically does not suit you, give a “cry” to your friends. This is both more reliable and faster. After a short search, you will definitely find a friend’s mother who will be happy to sit with your little one. True, there are pitfalls here too. By hiring a nanny from someone you know, you run the risk of regularly listening to instructive speeches about the proper upbringing (nutrition, education) of your child. And, you see, it won’t be very convenient to object. In addition, you are in danger of playing a major role in courtyard (family) gossip, because such a nanny is the real spy.
Even show business stars most often choose nannies from their circle of acquaintances. A friend of her mother’s has been working for Irina Bilyk as a nanny for 10 years. The singer is delighted and recalls with horror her unsuccessful attempts to find a nanny through agencies. Agency nanny. This is perhaps the most fashionable way nowadays. It’s simple – you call the agency, clearly formulate what kind of nanny you want to see, and that’s it. Moreover, here your every wish will be fulfilled - from age, education and personal qualities to the hair color of the future nanny (this also happens). The advantage of this method is that the agency carefully selects and checks candidates to ensure they have a medical record and no criminal record. And such nannies work under a formal contract, which clearly states responsibilities, work schedule, payment procedure and amount, and other terms of employment. True, nannies from an agency are among the most expensive, because the agency takes a certain commission for its services (up to 50% of the nanny’s salary), and you pay this amount.
Often on the Internet I came across footage taken with a hidden camera in which nannies beat children or ignore them. Don't think that all nannies are like this. But you can protect yourself by installing video surveillance, or simply leave, leaving the voice recorder on.

List of questions to ask the nanny

Now, you are already preparing for a meeting with the nanny. What to ask and how to find out her true attitude towards children?
So, they greet you, as they say, by their clothes. And the first impression, according to psychologists, means a lot. Firstly, punctuality. Why do you need a constantly late nanny? Pay attention to the appearance too. The way she's dressed says a lot. There have been cases when a nanny came to an interview in stiletto heels with “militant” makeup. You understand that this is not a suitable candidate. In addition, MirSovetov recommends noting the look on the nanny’s face when you first meet your child. A good nanny should be sincerely happy to meet you - no grimaces or negative facial expressions.
My friend chose the nanny who came to the interview with her own slippers and fruit for the child. Such innocent gestures usually show how the nanny feels about her future job. In the case of the above-mentioned nanny, the mother's expectations were justified. And, despite her rather young age (24 years), the nanny became an excellent assistant to her mother and her daughter immediately liked her. Now it’s time for questions.
  1. Inquire about the applicant's experience and education. If you hire a nanny for a baby, medical education is the main requirement. And experience is a serious matter. Although here the opinions of mothers differ. Many people think that learning how to change a diaper is not a tricky thing, but a serious attitude and disposition of a child are qualities that are either there or not. Be sure to find out why the nanny broke up with her previous employers and, regardless of the answer, call them back and ask them in detail.
  2. You can ask a few simple questions to get acquainted. For example, does the nanny have children of her own? It will be good if her children have grown up - you will avoid constant sick leave and unexpected absences of the nanny. Find out how far the nanny lives - you understand, there are different situations, and the nanny should live close. Ask what she usually does with the child - ideally, the answer is not limited to feeding and walking, because communication is important for the child - games, entertainment. It will be good to find out if she has bad habits, and if so, then you should prohibit the nanny from smoking in front of the child.
  3. And the most important thing. Nannies are accustomed to the usual questions, and agencies generally prepare them for interviews. Therefore, a small list of “tricky” questions:

Our regular columnist told us why she needed a nanny, despite the fact that her own mother did not mind taking care of her granddaughter. You can read about this in the column “Grandma or Nanny: 4 Myths I Want to Debunk Right Now.”

“Letidor” asked Nuria to tell us in more detail how the search for a nanny for baby Safira went and what, based on her own experience, she can advise other parents.

Nuria Arkhipova

Finding a nanny is not as simple a task as it might seem at first glance. As soon as I decided to hire an assistant, I was faced with several questions:

1.** Where to look:** on the Internet or through an acquaintance?

2.** Which nanny is better:** an older woman (40-50 years old) or a young one (under 30)?

3. How important availability of pedagogical education at the nanny's?

4. Is a fact important? the nanny has her own children? Does this fact affect the attitude towards students? Or is it more important to find a person who simply loves children?

5.** How to pay:** every day, once a week or monthly? What do you prefer: hourly or daily?

6. And, despite the fact that I have conducted more than one job interview in my life, I thought: what to look for when hiring a nanny?

7. Health status of the future nanny: is it necessary? availability of a medical certificate?

8.** How to control the work of a nanny**?

Where to look for a nanny

Despite the fact that I was extremely determined, I cannot deny that I was not tormented by vague doubts. After all, it’s normal to worry and worry about your children.

Initially, the search for a nanny was carried out with the help of specialized recruitment agencies, of which there are quite a lot on the market today. I settled on one of the most popular sites specializing specifically in the service of selecting nannies. It had filters based on criteria, an interactive map showing nannies in the area, and the presence of reviews from former employers. In addition, on the site you could immediately see their age, education, experience, find out what work schedule suits them and whether it matches your preferences.

True, searching for a nanny on your own on the website is not a free service: to find a nanny, you need to pay 1,290 rubles.

It seems to me that the money is reasonable, and it is possible to spend it to get full access to the database and passport data of applicants. So, we sorted out the question of where to look.

Nanny age

As for age, I considered a minimum of 40 years.

It seems to me that a younger nanny, especially with children of her own who may still be young, will be more distracted by her children. A woman over forty has sufficient life experience, is more responsible, and, as a rule, has adult children and experience in raising them.

I decided that the upper age limit is strictly 55 years.

Children grow quite quickly; you won’t even notice how the child turns one year old and begins to walk and then run. Therefore, the nanny should, in my opinion, be a woman active enough to run after the child if the need arises.

And in general, quick reaction and mobility, as you yourself understand, are very important when it comes to babies - before you have time to look back, everything that was found nearby is dragged into your mouth.

Availability of pedagogical education

While the child is small (1-3 years), in my opinion, pedagogical education is not an essential thing. Preferred, but not required. But a teacher won’t hurt a three-year-old child.

But what a baby needs is a medical education from the nanny.

She must know how to lower the temperature, what medications to stop the first symptoms of a cold, and can generally distinguish when a child is being capricious and when he is being mischievous because he is getting sick. Such a nanny knows everything about complementary feeding: when and what can be introduced, she will quickly understand if the child is allergic to something.

Another wonderful bonus, in my opinion, is the skills of professional massage for children under one year old.

It is very important to do gymnastics and massage with children - this has a great effect on both physical and emotional development.

The nanny has her own children

Having her own children, in my opinion, is a good bonus for a woman, because it means that she has her own maternal experience.

In some reviews on the Internet, I saw advice that you should definitely inquire about the nanny’s marital status, whether she has children, how old they are, what they do, where they live. In general, to find out how accomplished she was as a mother.

But it seems to me that a woman’s worth as a mother has nothing to do with her professional skills.

For me, having children is not a priority. If a woman loves children, knows how to get along with them, has extensive experience in caring for children, which is confirmed by positive recommendations from previous employers, has a medical and/or pedagogical education, then the absence of her own children will not be a reason for me to refuse her a job.

How to make payment

On the website, each nanny applicant has a tariff in the “Payment” column.

The average price in Moscow today is 300 rubles per hour. You can find it cheaper - 150 rubles / hour, and more expensive - 350-450 rubles / hour.

You can choose a live-in nanny - here everyone proceeds from what is convenient for him. For me, hourly pay and a nanny who lives not so far from us turned out to be an excellent solution to all problems: she comes at the agreed time, spends a certain number of hours with the child and leaves.

By the way, you can agree in advance with the nanny to help with housework and carry out some errands. Of course, I am against the nanny doing household chores at the expense of working with the child - it is more important to me that the baby is under constant supervision. But sometimes I still give her some instructions.

It is also worth talking to the nanny in advance about overtime, possible overnight stays and feeding the child. How a child will eat is a very important question. You must think through everything in detail, because preparing food for your baby takes time. And it would be a good idea to conduct an aptitude test for a potential nanny if you want your child to eat something other than cans.

For us, this problem was solved by itself: our grandmother is the responsible chef who monitors the quality of the dishes. But the nanny cooks and feeds Safira - this was my condition when hiring.

What to look for when hiring a nanny

During an interview with a nanny, you need to pay attention to EVERYTHING: how she behaves, how she speaks, how she dresses, how correct her speech is, how she smells.

Even though our nanny is mostly a visitor, she comes to our home every day. She spends several hours with Safira and with those who are currently at home.

You need to understand that by hiring a nanny, you are gaining a new family member who will be next to you and your baby for quite a long period of time. Therefore, be attentive to the smallest details.

Even if you are satisfied with everything - age, education, experience, recommendations - but you feel that something is wrong, that your heart is not in it, then it is better to refuse and continue your search.

At the interview, do not be shy about asking for certificates, diplomas and other documents. Ask for recommendations and be sure to call the numbers that the potential nanny provides you with. Meticulously find out everything, including the family situation: who he lives with, what he does. If a woman does not live alone, but, for example, with children and grandchildren, you can ask why she does not take care of them.

But something else is more important: children of preschool and school age often get sick, and the nanny will in this case be a constant source of infections for your child. You need it? I think no.

So the marital status of a potential nanny is no less important than her skills and education.

Availability of a medical certificate

A medical certificate is required! I'm sure you understand why. In kindergartens and schools, teachers will not be allowed to fire a cannon shot at children unless they have medical permission, appropriate tests, and all possible vaccinations.

If you are afraid that her certificate is invalid or purchased, offer to go get tested and visit the doctor together.

You can find a nanny:

  • through friends;
  • through an agency;
  • looking at advertisements in newspapers such as "From Hand to Hand" or on the Internet;
  • giving your advertisements to the press or the Internet;
  • posting their advertisements on poles.

The first way to find a nanny is considered the safest. But it has a number of problems.

There may be no acquaintances, or, as a result of a long search, you can find a nanny through acquaintances, who is just as unpredictable as a nanny found through an advertisement.

In any case, the choice will be small. It is unlikely that you will be offered more than 5-6 applicants. The nanny herself will definitely also feel her “exclusivity”.

If you are lucky and the nanny is from your immediate circle, for example, a friend of your mother, then it will probably be much calmer for you to leave the child for the first time, but serious ethical problems may arise in the future. What to do, for example, if after a week or two of work you realize that the nanny does not suit you? How to tell the nanny herself, the person who recommended the nanny, about this? Who can recommend a new nanny to you now?

If you take on a person you have known for a long time as a nanny, you will inevitably have to be divided between friendly informal relationships with the nanny and formal ones. What will you face if it turns out, for example, that the nanny does not communicate with your child at all as you would like? She doesn’t hit him, of course, and doesn’t even yell at him, but, let’s say, she too often calms a 2-year-old baby with candy or feeds him despite his protests, because she believes that only this is proper upbringing? Or maybe she just reads less to the child than you would like? Or does he rest and drink tea too often while the child is alone in the room? To some, these problems may seem trivial, but to YOU ​​they can be serious.

In my deep conviction, a good nanny is a neutral nanny, capable of following your instructions exactly, even if they do not always seem correct to her. She, of course, can and should express her opinion on controversial issues, but after discussing the situation with you, she should act as and only as YOU see fit, because she is raising YOUR child. Sometimes it is very difficult to achieve such a relationship with a well-known person with whom a certain relationship has already been established. The person who is most pleasant to you in all respects may not at all meet your expectations as a nanny for your child. This is exactly how things often happen with grandmothers. If you're unlucky, then unlucky. Unfortunately, according to reviews from my friends, bad luck happens quite often.

I don’t know if I wanted to have a close friend as a nanny. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I did not have to make such a decision. There simply wasn’t a suitable nanny among my friends.

Based on an acquaintance, there was no nanny; it’s scary to take on a stranger. What to do? You really want someone to competently solve your problem for you. So I thought so and so I started calling agencies.

At first I decided that I only needed a nanny for 2-3 hours a day. I was informed that in this case, the nanny should have a very high hourly wage. At current prices it’s 1-1.5 dollars per hour. With such a small number of hours, it's more likely the latter than the former. I figured it was about $80 a month and agreed. Another $40 would have to be given to the agency. In some agencies it was necessary to immediately go and sign an agreement, in others it was enough to give my consent over the phone and describe in more detail what kind of nanny I want to have. I really don’t like leaving the house too much, so I limited myself to verbal instructions from several agencies and waited. I must say, quite a lot of time passed before they called me and said something like this: “We have a nanny with a higher pedagogical education, very good and kind, she is 45 years old, she raised her two children and she lives 40 minutes from you. She has 3 years of experience in a family with a 2-year-old child. She, of course, would like to work full time, but she is ready to consider your offer. If you want, we can come to you and talk." I, of course, tried to get more information about this nanny and about others who were also offered to me. But subsequent characteristics, as a rule, were neither original nor detailed. Perhaps I would have found out more information in a personal meeting, but I can’t host ALL potentially suitable nannies, and even their managers! I also didn’t want to go to agencies five times a day. I was interested in how the agency vets nannies. They told me that they were looking at documents, medical certificates and recommendations. I thought that I myself know how to look at documents and certificates, but I’m unlikely to be satisfied with such a check. Recommendations from strangers are unlikely to help me either. In any case, there were very few offers.

Then I decided that perhaps the whole point is that good nannies want to work all day and earn good money, and I decided to change the approach. Stayed there for the whole day. I was told that in this case we can talk about the rate, which is generally cheaper. That it costs at least $250 a month for an eight-hour work day. Plus at least half of the nanny's rate goes to the agency. I agreed. The descriptions of the proposed nannies were no different from the previous ones. I got lost. And in order to better feel the situation, I decided to try to probe the market myself.

I decided that, all other things being equal, it is still more convenient, both for the nanny and for us, when the nanny does not have to travel across the city to see the child. In this case, you can pay less, and the nanny will bring fewer infections, and she will start the working day without being exhausted by the crush in transport. Taking “From Hand to Hand”, I selected suitable nannies, taking into account the advertisement itself and the nanny’s place of residence (by phone number). By the way, not a single agency has ever offered me a nanny closer than 30 minutes by transport from us.

The texts of advertisements in newspapers, as a rule, are no different from the descriptions that agencies used to give me. Even if something was missing compared to the information from the agency, everything was clarified from the very first words during a telephone conversation with the applicant.

In total, I made at least 20 calls that time. Having personally talked with, I received much more information about them than the agency could give me. This gave me enthusiasm. I thought that without intermediaries I would be even better off. I am quite capable of conducting preliminary negotiations myself. However, I didn’t like any of the nannies again. Of course, I had a much better idea of ​​the nanny after talking to her in person on the phone. However, there was still a feeling that the person was a complete stranger. Any documents and recommendations can be organized nowadays. With the right approach, a professional fraudster will be able to deceive both an individual and any agency to which the nanny also essentially comes from the street. Unfortunately, agencies only promise to check the nanny, but in reality they do not go beyond a banal document check. I can do the same, but I, as a person personally interested, will at least do it as conscientiously as possible.

Some nannies I might have liked lost interest when they learned that I didn’t have a cottage outside the city, a cook or a housekeeper, and wasn’t planning on going abroad. I didn't like the others myself. The most unpleasant thing is that I felt like a supplicant. The first and main issue we discussed was money. Many did not even try to find out anything about the child. They asked if we needed to cook, what kind of apartment we had, who else would be in the apartment besides the child, and even if we had a microwave.

I asked the nanny to tell me about myself. As a rule, the nannies were quite talkative. By listening carefully to the nanny, one could get a lot of facts to think about both from the experience of her previous work and about her family. Correct, competent speech was also a big plus for me. After talking long enough, even with the initial appearance of well-being, I often discovered something that did not suit me at all. One, for example, proudly told me that she is a very flexible woman. In her previous family, where she received $400 with a 12-hour workday every other day, where there was also a housekeeper and a cook, a 4-year-old girl was constantly fed cervelat for breakfast. As a result, the girl was constipated. But this nanny did not complain to the girl’s parents about the housekeeper who bought the wrong products! From this story of hers there was a whiff of endless showdowns in the kitchen. “Poor child,” I thought.

Time passed, and I didn’t even have the slightest desire to invite at least one nanny for a personal meeting. There was only horror: “How can I leave a child to a complete stranger!” The solution to the issue was postponed, fortunately, I didn’t have a job yet, and I could handle it quite well on my own. As a last resort, you could always resort to the help of your friends. But one day it happened that on Thursday I was offered a job that I was supposed to start on the following Tuesday: can you imagine what a nightmare? Of course, I called “From Hand to Hand” again. With the same result. There was no point in even contacting the agency. Obviously, they wouldn't have found anything for me over the weekend. Then I remembered the advice of one friend, printed advertisements, put my one-year-old child on a sled, and after the first snowfall we went to post these advertisements around the neighborhood...

When we returned home, there were already three calls on the answering machine. No newspaper can boast of such efficiency. We answered calls continuously all Friday and Saturday. The minimum payment was set - 1,500 rubles per month. Full load with a child, up to 40 hours a week. Responsibilities also included: daily wet cleaning, cooking for the child, and ironing for us. The child suffers from serious allergies, and this imposed additional problems and responsibilities. Despite much more modest conditions than I had previously planned, conversations with potential nannies were fundamentally different from those that I had had before. These nannies were interested in working, and specifically for me. They were the ones who called me. Otherwise, they were no different from the professionals from the newspaper. There were good and bad, there were those who were not satisfied with the payment or conditions, there were those who were satisfied with everything, and I was initially satisfied with them. In the latter case, I wrote down their phone number and brief comments about our conversation. Name, age, education, profession, experience, presence of own children, general impressions. Two days later, I looked through my lists again and only called three nannies. I asked to visit them to meet them: “Can I do it right now? In 15-30 minutes?” Having visited the nannies at home (in neighboring houses), looking at their families and documents, I was much more confident in their reliability than if the nanny had been recommended to me by an agency. I came to the nanny unexpectedly. It is unlikely that in such an extraordinary situation any fraudster would have had time to seriously prepare for the visit. As a result, we spent Sunday and Monday together with the chosen nanny (two more were in reserve), and on Tuesday she was already working herself, and I went to work. My constant visits at unexpected times gave me the opportunity to make sure that everything seemed to be in order. She was a pensioner with a higher education. She lived with her husband across the yard from us. She raised her three children. She worked for us for a year. Everything was fine, even perfect, if it weren’t for her husband, because of whom we broke up a year later. By the way, I also saw my husband from the very beginning. Problems arose after the nanny started working for us.

But it was already easier for me. I understood the main thing. Agencies deliberately inflate nanny salaries. They are waiting for convenient customers. Of course, there is nothing easier than finding a nanny for a lot of money. And your commissions are also higher. While new Russians live in the world: but raising or lowering wages is my personal business and a matter of circumstances. I can imagine how many calls there would be if I indicated a salary, for example, $250 a month, as I planned at the beginning. All the local professionals, who could have been found through the agency or through the newspapers, would probably have called too. But we even hardly consider ourselves middle class. Why pay so much when you're already happy with everything?

When I was looking for a new nanny, I, without hesitation, went to put up advertisements. To avoid an insane number of calls, I immediately indicated in the advertisement the age of the child, the duties of the nanny (including housework) and her salary - 2000 rubles per month (inflation for the year). There were enough calls, but there were no more unnecessary discussions about, for example, that we planned to pay too little. I didn’t have to repeat the same thing a hundred times. Those who were not satisfied with anything simply did not call. It is their right to look for a more suitable employer. And we found a 23-year-old girl in our own entrance that suited us absolutely.

From the very first time, we refused to pay hourly. This turned out to be beneficial for both us (in general, maybe not less, but everything is predictable) and the nanny (monthly guaranteed income). As the first time, it was immediately determined that it was not standardized and only the upper limit per week was regulated, no more than 40 hours. But it may be 3 o'clock today, but 12 tomorrow. Everything else, for example, work on Saturday, is for an additional fee. My job required such a strange schedule. But it turned out to be the most optimal, since we subsequently never had problems with late arrivals. All responsibilities were agreed upon and spelled out. Our child has been going to kindergarten since this fall, but our nanny still works part-time for us.

The most important advantage of our nannies is that they were decent women, they both valued their work. And that means they did everything they were asked to do, as they were asked to do. Which is exactly what we needed. The nannies may not have had any of the latest techniques, but they honestly read what I asked, showed cards, and played games that I left. I didn’t see how they did it, but I saw the impact on the child. I saw in what mood the child remained with the nanny. To be honest, I myself spend much less time with my child. A nanny-governess in one package may be good, but, in my opinion, except in cases of immersion in a language environment, it is unreasonably expensive. When the child grew up, our nanny simply took the child to developmental classes.

It’s tiring, of course, to look for a nanny on your own. Answer calls continuously for a week. But you also have to conduct lengthy negotiations with agency managers. However, once I found a decent nanny in 3 days, I no longer panic at the prospect of a new search. I am calm. I know that a nanny will be found one way or another. This is reflected in my relationships with nannies. Ordinary nannies, nothing special. And tolerable shortcomings, of course, were revealed over time in both. But I compare my situation with the situation of my friends and understand that there are no excesses and only the second nanny in two years with a very moderate payment - this in itself is a good result.

Good luck finding a nanny!

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And how much does her work cost?

My son is one and a half years old. During this time, I hired three nannies.

Kamilla Gazieva

Young mom

The first one I met was in the playroom. Friends helped with the second one. To find the third one - the best one - I spent two weeks selecting resumes, conducting interviews and organizing trial days. Now I know how to look for a nanny who will suit the child and the whole family.

This article will be useful to you if you are hiring an employee - and not negotiating with relatives, and are looking for a babysitter - and not with accommodation.

Hello, America

What amount should you expect?

Nanny is expensive. Prices depend on the city, qualifications and experience.

On the Pomogatel domestic staff recruitment service and the Avito website, you can set selection criteria and analyze prices. The average price in Moscow is 200-350 RUR per hour, in the regions it is cheaper: Perm - 150-170 RUR, Rostov-on-Don - 100-200 RUR. Lowest prices in Makhachkala: 70-100 RUR per hour.

It is more profitable for a nanny to work full time in one family. This way she earns more, doesn’t waste time moving between families and has a stable work schedule. If the nanny will work for you full-time - 40 hours or more - then you can agree to reduce the price per hour. If you hire a nanny for half a day or less, the price per hour may increase.

13 $

I pay my nanny per hour if she works more than two hours

My friends in Moscow have a nanny who works 11 hours a day, five days a week. When the nanny worked part-time, they paid her 300 R per hour. After starting full time, we agreed to reduce the hourly rate to 250 RUR. They pay approximately 55,000 RUR per month.

I pay my nanny $15 an hour if she works two hours, and $13 an hour if she works more.

Width="1920" height="1812" class="outline-bordered" style="max-width: 960.0px; height: auto" data-bordered="true"> In St. Petersburg, prices for nanny work revolve around 300 R per hour. You can set cost restrictions

How to figure out how much you can pay

When I found out how much a nanny cost in my city, I sat down with a table of income and expenses. On the one hand, I would be able to go to work and receive a salary, on the other hand, part of this salary would go to the nanny.

It is important to consider that the child and the nanny need time to adapt. I recommend budgeting for a nanny to be available a week or two before you need to return to work.

When we hired the nanny, I wasn't working, so we could only afford ten hours a week. I used this time to find a part-time job. Back then, a nanny for my son cost $10 an hour. I found a job for 15 hours a week paying $20 an hour. Therefore, we increased the nanny's employment to twenty hours a week.

Expectations from a nanny

Expectations are ideas about what kind of person you want to see next to your child and what role he will play in the family. This will help determine the requirements for the nanny and her responsibilities.

A nanny can act as a teacher, au pair or playmate for a child. It is important to determine what exactly your family needs. These expectations will not form on their own, much less be met.

Who can a nanny be in a family?

RoleExpectations
EducatorTakes care of the child, teaches him to take care of himself independently, conducts developmental activities and teaches discipline. Such a nanny may not agree to additional responsibilities for cleaning the house, even when the child is sleeping
Au pairHelps the family cope with all household chores, including child care. But the child is not her only concern. You shouldn’t expect her to be able to invent games, read poetry expressively, or sing lullabies.
Gaming CompanionThis is a nanny for 2-4 hours a day who plays, walks, looks after, but does not perform the functions of training, discipline, toilet training or independent sleep

Educator

Takes care of the child, teaches him to take care of himself independently, conducts developmental activities and teaches discipline. Such a nanny may not agree to additional responsibilities for cleaning the house, even when the child is sleeping

Au pair

Helps the family cope with all household chores, including child care. But the child is not her only concern. You shouldn’t expect her to be able to invent games, read poetry expressively, or sing lullabies.

The next step is to submit a search ad, in which you need to describe in detail what you expect from a nanny. In advertisements, parents often write qualitative characteristics, for example: responsible, active, calm, kind, affectionate.

But all people understand such qualities differently. Some people think that a “calm” nanny does not show emotions, does not rejoice with the child and does not have fun. For some, this means that she will not panic in a stressful situation and will quickly find a solution to the problem. Is a “kind” nanny a nanny who doesn’t forbid anything? Or who is attentive to the child’s experiences? I recommend deciphering the characteristics in the ad through actions so that there are no ambiguous interpretations.

I decided that our nanny should be:

  1. Affectionate - does not scold the child for tears, hugs him, carries him in his arms.
  2. Active - invents games, runs with the baby in the park, dances, sings.
  3. Caring - follows the regime, knows the child’s habits.

Nanny responsibilities

The list of responsibilities is important for the nanny and the employer. Our first nanny did not put away toys and left dirty dishes. I was upset, but she was sure that this was simply not part of her responsibility.

A friend of mine worked as a companion for a family during their holiday abroad. When she asked about responsibilities, she received a very vague answer like “Spend time with the children, practice languages ​​and sports with them.” And two weeks later it turned out that by “spend time with children” parents meant a strict schedule of daily activities, and not a flexible schedule. All these are unspoken expectations of parents. It will be easier for everyone if you initially specify what exactly the nanny should do in the family.

If you determine that you need a nanny assistant, then you should describe her responsibilities based on this role.


The list of responsibilities should be approached realistically. I use this rule: I don’t expect anything from a nanny that I don’t do myself. If I’m alone with my son all day, then I don’t have time for general cleaning, so I don’t demand this from the nanny either.

The nanny may really want to get a job, so she will agree to any list of duties. But there is a risk in this: she will get tired and not pay enough attention to the baby or will quickly burn out emotionally

It is important for me that the nanny still has the strength and desire to smile at the baby, fool around with him and play hide and seek. To check that the nanny can handle the workload, it is important to discuss everything at the beginning of her work: how the day went, what difficulties there were, how tired she was. This will help adjust responsibilities and build trust.

Here is a list of duties of a nanny who worked in our family 20 hours a week:

  1. Follow the regime.
  2. Feed.
  3. Play with the baby and create conditions for independent play.
  4. Read at least once a day.
  5. Walk at least once a day.
  6. Put him to sleep during the day.
  7. Clean up after the child.
  8. Perform small household chores (putting dishes in the dishwasher and then unloading it, sweeping, folding clothes from the dryer).

Requirements for a nanny

I have divided the requirements for a nanny into mandatory and desirable. I started my search for a nanny with those characteristics that were most important to me.

Examples of mandatory requirements for a nanny

RequirementWhy is it important
Your own familyI have maternal experience. May Help Avoid the Burnout Nannies Face
Work experience or your childrenKnows the basics of child care, can create a safe environment for the child at home and on the street, knows games and developmental techniques. No need to waste time learning
Looking for a permanent jobFrequently changing babysitters is inconvenient for you and stressful for your child.
Higher or secondary specialized educationProfile education is important if you have no work experience or if you want the nanny to work with your child using early development methods and know what aids and materials are needed to organize classes
I do not smokeSmoking is bad for your health. See your doctor to quit smoking
RecommendationsRecommendations from employers you can call. They will help save time during the interview and trial day.
Medical education, first aid coursesFirst aid courses will teach you what to do if a child chokes or burns his hand with boiling water, and how not to harm him until the ambulance arrives.
Good physical shape and absence of chronic diseasesWorking with a small child can be difficult if there are blood pressure or back problems. But not all chronic diseases will be an obstacle for a nanny if she knows how to take care of her health and what stress will not harm her
Not afraid of dogs, no allergies to petsWe have dogs, and because of this, problems arose with nannies twice. Now I immediately ask about allergies and fears
Competent Russian languageTo prevent your baby from learning new words with incorrect stress or pronunciation
Medical certificatecosts 9730 RUR, - 8858 RUR.

Such tests are regularly taken by workers who care for the sick or children. Tests detect infections that pose a risk in close household contact and drug use

Certificate of no criminal recordTo avoid hiring a former criminal. If the nanny is a Russian citizen, a certificate can be obtained from government services
Russian citizenship or legal migration statusA nanny can be deported if she is not a Russian citizen and does not have a work permit. Even if the nanny has all the immigration documents in order, it may be difficult to obtain a certificate of no criminal record. Searching through an agency does not guarantee that a foreign nanny will not suddenly go home. Sometimes it happens that a nanny’s relatives or children in another country get sick, and she leaves without notifying either the agency or the family

Your own family

I have maternal experience. May Help Avoid the Burnout Nannies Face

Work experience or your children

Knows the basics of child care, can create a safe environment for the child at home and on the street, knows games and developmental techniques. No need to waste time learning

Looking for a permanent job

Frequently changing babysitters is inconvenient for you and stressful for your child.

Higher or secondary specialized education

Profile education is important if you have no work experience or if you want the nanny to work with your child using early development methods and know what aids and materials are needed to organize classes

Smoking is bad for your health. See your doctor to quit smoking

Good physical shape and absence of chronic diseases

Working with a small child can be difficult if there are blood pressure or back problems. But not all chronic diseases will be an obstacle for a nanny if she knows how to take care of her health and which activities will not harm her

Not afraid of dogs, no allergies to pets

We have dogs and because of this we had problems with the nannies twice. Now I immediately ask about allergies and fears

Competent Russian language

To prevent your baby from learning new words with incorrect stress and pronunciation

Medical certificate

To be sure that the nanny will be able to cope with her responsibilities and will not infect the child with infectious diseases. The nanny may already have a medical record and fluorography, or you can simply look for a candidate who is willing to undergo a medical examination at the hospital of your choice before going to work. In this case, you bear the costs yourself. In Moscow, in the Invitro laboratory, the package of tests “My Healthy Nanny” costs 9730 RUR, in the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology - 8858 RUR.

Such tests are regularly taken by workers who care for the sick or children. Tests detect infections that pose a risk in close household contact and drug use

Russian citizenship or legal migration status

A nanny can be deported if she is not a Russian citizen and does not have a work permit. Even if the nanny has all the immigration documents in order, it may be difficult to obtain a certificate of no criminal record. Searching through an agency does not guarantee that a foreign nanny will not suddenly go home. Sometimes it happens that a nanny’s relatives or children in another country get sick, and she leaves without notifying either the agency or the family

Where and how to look for a nanny

I looked for a nanny through friends, ad sites and social networks. The only thing I haven’t tried is agencies. Each method has pros and cons.

Search through friends- it’s reliable because there are recommendations from people you know well. It's free, but can take a long time since good nannies are rarely fired.

Although you may be close friends, your idea of ​​the ideal nanny may differ. And there is also a risk of ruining relationships with friends if you don’t like the nanny. “Who did you recommend to me?” - “What are you talking about, this is the best nanny in the world!”

Search on social networks is possible for free. In parenting groups, families sometimes try to find a job for their nanny if they no longer need one. You can make a post about finding a nanny yourself. In a post in a group, you don’t need to indicate all the requirements and responsibilities, because reading it is long and boring - no one will finish this post to the end, and it will get lost in the feed. It is better to post a photo of a child or the whole family to attract attention, and indicate the child’s age, employment and place of work.

How to advertise for a nanny on social networks

Long text

Post with a photo of a child or family to get attention

Detailed description of responsibilities

Briefly about the child, responsibilities, place, so as not to tire the group members

The salary is immediately indicated

Discuss salary in person

Impersonal shouting message: “Looking for a nanny!!! Urgently!!!"

Please contact me as a human being, because this is not an advertisement site: “Experienced mothers, please help me find a nanny for my child.”

After this, you will have to constantly monitor the Internet, respond quickly and take into account that recommendations in groups may come from people you don’t know. This method may not be suitable if you are new to this city. When we started looking for a nanny, we had just moved, so searching through social networks didn’t work for us: we just didn’t know anyone in the city yet.

Through domestic staffing agencies search reliably, because they will check everything for you: medical certificate, migration documents and certificate of no criminal record. If you don't like the nanny or if she quits, the agency will offer a replacement during the contract period. His services cost 50-100% of the nanny’s monthly salary. In Moscow it will cost an average of 25-50 thousand rubles. Some agencies set a lower limit for the cost of selection, for example, 50% of the monthly salary, but not less than 25 thousand rubles.

The agency conducts an initial selection and sends resumes of candidates who meet your requirements. Through an agency, you can find a nanny faster than when you look on your own, because you don’t waste time checking documents and references. But you will still need to conduct an interview and a trial day.

On sites with private advertisements There are plenty of candidates, but selecting resumes and checking documents can take a lot of time. The advantage is that you can place an ad yourself and choose only from those who respond to the vacancy.

To do this, write an advertisement from which the candidate can easily understand whether he is suitable for you or not.

How to create an ad

BadlyFine
There is no specificity about time and deadlinesLooking for a full-time nanny from 9 to 18, starting work on September 10
Only quality characteristics: kind, responsibleKnows how to notice and sympathize when a child is sad. Does not shame the baby for crying. Not late
The list of requirements is too long, there are no requirements at allInclude mandatory requirements. Desirable requirements will be discussed during the first telephone interview. A full list of requirements may discourage candidates or narrow their choices.
No description of duties other than the standard "look after the child"Prepare children's food, go for walks twice a day, play, conduct developmental activities (reading, drawing, sculpting), toilet training. Household help: cleaning up after the child
No salary: “Payment will be discussed individually”Monthly salary 60 thousand rubles. Overtime is paid - 150 R per hour
Place of work not specified10 minutes walk from Molodezhnaya metro station

There is no specificity about time and deadlines

Only quality characteristics: kind, responsible

Knows how to notice and sympathize when a child is sad. Does not shame the baby for crying. Not late

Too long list of requirements, no requirements at all

Include mandatory requirements. Desirable requirements will be discussed during the first telephone interview. A full list of requirements may discourage candidates or narrow their choices.

No description of duties other than the standard "look after the child"

Prepare children's food, go for walks twice a day, play, conduct developmental activities (reading, drawing, sculpting), toilet training. Household help: cleaning up after the child

No salary: “Payment will be discussed individually”

Monthly salary 60 thousand rubles. Overtime is paid - 150 R per hour

Place of work not specified

10 minutes walk from Molodezhnaya metro station

How to conduct an interview

I spent 13 phone and 5 in-person meetings to find the nanny who currently works for us. First, I found out if the schedule, salary and place of work were suitable. Then she invited me to an interview at a cafe near my home. I prepared for the meeting: I made a plan for a story about our family and prepared questions.

Ask the nanny to bring copies of documents to the meeting. If the necessary documents are not available, then do not consider the candidate further.

I composed questions based on a list of requirements, responsibilities and a description of the ideal image of a nanny. The interview took 40-60 minutes. I conducted the entire interview over ten days to make it easier to recall and compare candidates. At each meeting I took notes about my impressions.

What documents did I ask the nanny for:

  1. Passport or a copy of the passport - you need to look at all pages.
  2. Medical certificates, certificate of no criminal record.
  3. Diploma or copy.
  4. Work book or copy.
  5. Letters of recommendation with contact information for employers you can call.
  6. Agency contract.
  7. Migration documents.

These are the questions I asked during my nanny interview.

Questions about requirements and responsibilities:

  1. Tell us about yourself, your family, children.
  2. What kind of education?
  3. Where did you work before becoming a nanny?
  4. Are there any chronic diseases and contraindications?
  5. Do you smoke?
  6. What is the most difficult thing for you about working with children?
  7. What do you know about first aid?
  8. Driver's license and car?
  9. Tell us about working in your previous family.
  10. Why did you quit?
  11. Describe a workday in a previous family.
  12. What games did you play?
  13. How did you put the baby to sleep and feed him?
  14. In what situation should you call your parents?
  15. How do you feel about video surveillance?

Questions about proximity to the ideal image:

  1. The child is crying because I left. What will you do?
  2. The baby doesn't want to eat. How can you persuade?
  3. The child hit his head and you see blood. Your actions?
  4. On the playground, kids quarrel over a toy. What will you do?
  5. The nanny from the neighboring house asks about our family. What is your answer?
  6. How do you react to hysteria?
  7. How do you feel when your baby cries?
  8. How did you understand that the child had become attached to you?
  9. The kid hit you. How will you react?
  10. The child is angry because he cannot assemble the pyramid. What will you do?
  11. The baby was scared of the new toy. What do you think?

Organize a trial day

The trial day is part of the interview, but I believe it should be paid. On this day, I assessed the candidate’s skills in practice. I paid attention to how the nanny gets to know her son, reacts to dogs, what she plays with the child and how she asks about everyday life.

My son is not afraid of strangers, but he gets upset when I leave. So I watched to see if the nanny could distract the child while I heated up dinner in the kitchen. At the end of the day, I asked the nanny if it was difficult for her and what could help her adapt to our family faster.

How I assessed the nanny trial day

I do not recommend working without a contract. But if you make such a decision, then it is still worth discussing payment, overtime, vacation, sick leave and penalties if you suddenly decide to refuse the services of this nanny. If the nanny works permanently and full-time for the family, then you can, for example, agree to pay 50% of the salary during your or her vacation.

When discussing the schedule, discuss work days and hours, working during federal holidays and weekends. Agree how much time you and the nanny will notify each other about a change in schedule or separation.

Tell the nanny in detail about the rules and prohibitions in your home. Answer all her questions, such as: how will the nanny eat at your home, can she use the house phone, and how often can she use her cell phone. It’s also worth immediately discussing what equipment she can use at home when you’re not there: TV, computer, washing machine, dishwasher.

Tell the nanny if you will leave her money for small expenses during outings. If you have cameras at home, ask the nanny to write a receipt stating that she knows about video surveillance. Secret video surveillance is against the law.

Remember

  1. It is important to understand your expectations from a nanny in order to formulate requirements and responsibilities.
  2. A trial day is a mandatory part of the selection process. It needs to be paid.
  3. Allow a week or two for the nanny and child to adapt.
  4. Always make a contract.
BadlyFine
I was late and didn’t warnArrived five minutes early
Didn't ask about everyday lifeI asked about the child’s life
Didn't say hello to the childI greeted the child. I asked about the baby's habits

It would seem that in our age of the Internet and high technology, what could be easier than finding a nanny for a child?
It’s the nanny who needs to prove her professionalism, but the child’s parents have nothing to do - just know, choose and voice your wishes.

If you're looking for a nanny for the first time, you're probably thinking the same thing. You have allocated some budget for the nanny's salary and outlined your requirements. Well, for example, you want to pay a nanny 45,000 rubles a month (Moscow price) and you want “full care for one child, development according to age”, “preparing children’s food and feeding”, “cleaning the children’s room, washing and ironing children’s things”. Ready for the interview, right?

And now a little test for you: answer the following questions immediately, without hesitation:

  1. If you go on vacation with a child, will you pay the nanny for this time?
  2. If the nanny gets sick, will you pay her 45,000 for this month or will you deduct sick days from the salary?
  3. Is the nanny entitled to leave? Will you pay for it? How many?
  4. If a child does not sleep and requires attention all day, when will the nanny clean his room, wash and iron his things?
  5. If you have a nanny from morning to evening, how should she have lunch? Will she have a lunch break? Is it paid? What is the child doing at this time?
  6. If your nanny is having lunch with you, what will she eat? Will you leave her food? Can she take your products?
  7. If it's -20 or raining outside, should the nanny go for a walk with the child? What if it rains for the third week in a row and the child sits at home all this time?

If you were able to immediately answer all these questions, then I congratulate you, I have nothing to teach you, you are well prepared for the conversation with potential nannies)
If you are stuck and start feverishly thinking about your options, you definitely need advice from an experienced fighter) You risk falling into one of two extremes - either creating such hellish working conditions that the circle of those who agree will sharply narrow, or you will negotiate unfavorable conditions for yourself.
Below I will share not only the “technical” intricacies of finding a nanny on Pomogatel, but also the “generally accepted” unspoken rules.

_
HOW TO FIND A NANNY FOR A CHILD: WHERE TO LOOK?
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You can look for a nanny in different ways, and each of them has advantages and disadvantages, which I described below in the screenshot. “Our” case - i.e. I have highlighted the search for a nanny through a specialized paid service ([link], for example).

Finding a nanny through an agency has been and remains a fairly reliable way to search.

But Finding a nanny through an agency is an expensive proposition. This is an option for very wealthy families who are willing to pay a nanny above the market and make appropriate demands. Below is a little about selection through an agency:

To select a nanny you will have to pay 50-100% of her monthly salary to the agency. And, as a rule, the nanny herself will pay the same amount for the fact that the agency brought her together with you.
Agencies usually place quite high demands on nannies.: for example, having a higher pedagogical/medical education, knowledge of “fashionable” techniques and, of course, Russian citizenship, and sometimes even permanent registration in the city where the nanny is going to work. In addition, if a nanny is often “returned” by dissatisfied employers, then the agency will no longer work with her.
All this undoubtedly increases the price tag for nanny services. If we talk about specific figures, then this is 400-450 rubles per hour versus the “standard” market 250-300 (prices for Moscow).
If an agency sends you a nanny and you don't like her, you can request a replacement and the agency must do this for free. Usually you can change a nanny without additional payment within 1 month, which is considered a trial month.

For many people, the best way to search is still the option “through friends.”

Here I would like to say - never, under any circumstances, hire your girlfriend, your mother’s friend, friend, distant relative, etc.

Instead of a hired worker designed to make your life easier and follow your instructions, you will get a person who will behave from the position of “so be it, I’ll help the young,” give you advice and guidance, share your personal problems and demand special treatment (special attitude is, for example, requests to “get into position” when she is late, etc.)

If you are hiring a nanny “through friends,” then you should only consider the option “friends give you their nanny.”
But this also has its downsides, which I described in the screenshot above: you may suddenly realize that the terms of cooperation are now set not by you, but by your friends and nanny, and you can only nod your head and sometimes timidly insert your requests. You find yourself in the position of a beggar.

The most unreliable methods are searching for a nanny through publicly available sources (social networks, Avito, Yula) and posting notices on poles.

Here there are no filters or the most basic checks at all. Anyone can contact you - a “spotter” who is looking for an apartment for robbery, for example.
An alcoholic nanny who was blacklisted and desperate to find a job through specialized services. You yourself can call anyone - for example, to a paid number, which will “eat up” your entire balance on the phone.

Another minus - no filters. You cannot set the option on Avito to “search only for a nanny between the ages of 35 and 45.” You can't on social media. networks to look for a nanny living in your area.
In this regard, posting advertisements on poles is even better, because it is targeted at those living in your area (where you will post the advertisements).

I also have the strong impression that some nannies from Avito, if they are looking for work, are not looking for a nanny job at all. Very often you can find advertisements where in the photo a painted girl in a mini-dress bends in a seductive pose and text like “I’m looking for a job as a nanny to travel abroad, 450 rubles per hour.”
The next option (in my opinion the best) is specialized sites.

Well, finally, we got to the most “modern” way of searching - searching through specialized paid sites. One such site is "[link]"


SEARCH FOR A Nanny VIA [link]
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Pomogatel is one of several sites specializing in the automatic selection of household staff(nannies, housekeepers, tutors, caregivers). The site has several competitors. Competitors differ little from each other, they are all paid, the price is the same everywhere, even nanny profiles are the same everywhere (since nannies usually publish their profiles on all available resources).
There are a lot of profiles on Pomogatel, but you must understand that not all of them belong to nannies “actively searching” for work. Of the nannies on Pomogatel, 10 percent are looking for work “right now.” However, even this 10% is a much larger choice than you can find on Avito or on social media. networks.
The assistant is convenient primarily because you can set criteria for searching for a nanny and search only among nannies who meet the conditions. This option (search) is available after registration, registration is free.




You can indicate the nanny’s desired age, work experience, education, desired price for services, and what duties she will have to perform. Responsibilities are divided into basic - child care (that which concerns the child, his things, his children's room), and additional - housework (that concerns the whole family - for example, cleaning other rooms except the children's room).
You specify search conditions - the site gives you a list of nannies with a brief description. You can open the full and detailed profile of each nanny. But you won’t get the nanny’s phone number for free.
There is another option: post your own vacancy and wait for someone to respond to it.. In the vacancy, you will have to indicate the requirements for the nanny, the proposed payment, and describe your situation.



In response to a published vacancy, you will receive responses from interested nannies. Sometimes even those nannies whose application form indicates a higher price for services than you offer can respond. This usually means the nanny is willing to bargain.



An advantage over finding a nanny through Avito and social media. network is obvious - on Avito you can put a filter only by the price and place of residence of the nanny, and on social media. Networks don’t allow this either.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO SAVE 1690 RUBLES?
Some nannies (rarely!) indicate their phone number directly in the response text. These are usually those nannies who are aware that employers pay for phones.
If the nanny indicated her number in the response, then you receive the nanny’s phone number for free, bypassing the purchase of a VIP account - this may be of interest to those who are not ready to pay 1,690 rubles for a VIP account.
Personally, I decided to pay these 1690 rubles.


Why? Because if you really urgently need a nanny, and are not just looking out of curiosity, then 1690 rubles is pennies compared to the money that can be thrown away if hiring a nanny is unsuccessful.
On the other hand, if you have a lot of time left to search, then this option of waiting for responses with telephone numbers is also suitable.
Your vacancy will eventually go into the archive and responses will stop coming, but you can always publish a new one.

_____________________________________________________________
ATTENTION, DON'T PAY MORE! WHY I'M TAKEN OFF 1 STAR!

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If you paid for a VIP account, then windows pop up in front of you like “You paid for a VIP account, congratulations, blah blah blah”, you automatically press Ok, Ok, WITHOUT READING WHAT THEY WRITE.

And one of the notifications says something like this:

YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY CONNECTED TO THE PAYMENT PROLOGATION SERVICE. NEXT MONTH YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY RENEWED, YOU DO NOT NEED TO ENTER YOUR CARD DETAILS, 1690 RUBLES WILL BE CHARGED FROM YOUR CARD AUTOMATICALLY. YOU CAN DISABLE AUTO RENEWAL IN YOUR PERSONAL ACCOUNT

Well, guys, this is the finish line. I'm sure 50 percent of clients fall into this trap. Within a month, naturally, you will find yourself a nanny and next month 1,690 rubles will simply go down the drain. Well, everything seems to be legal, it’s your own fault for not disabling this “convenient option” in your personal account.

By the way, not only this site, but also many others, are guilty of “addicting to auto payment”. Be careful when using a bank card to pay for services on the Internet!

PROTECTION AGAINST FRAUD AND DISHONESTY CONDUCT
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The main protection against fraud and dishonest behavior on the site is the site visitors themselves.
There is a “Complain” button next to each profile: complaints are reviewed fairly quickly and the site administration takes action.



Personally, I don’t complain about nannies who don’t come to a meeting/don’t pick up the phone or aren’t looking for work - you never know what a person’s life circumstances are.
I complained twice: when the nanny’s profile indicated a phone number consisting of all units (and Google suggested that this was a paid number) and when, instead of the nanny, there was an agent on the line.

LYRICAL ABSTRACT: THE AGENT PRETENDS THAT SHE IS THE NANNY. WHY CAN'T YOU AGREE TO A TRIAL DAY BEFORE THE INTERVIEW?
While searching, I came across this “scam”... On the phone (you call or they call you, it doesn’t matter) you talk to an intelligent, professional woman who makes the most favorable impression on you. You offer a meeting and the potential nanny informs you that she works on a “trial day” system - you hire her for 4-5 hours at the market hourly rate (in Moscow this is 300 rubles) and during these 4-5 hours we’ll get to know each other and you will see how I work." You agree, but when the nanny comes to you at the appointed time, you have the idea that a completely different person was talking to you on the phone. If such a thought arose at all, do not doubt it - it is so, the person is different. An agent spoke to you on the phone and she will receive payment for her services in the amount of a “trial day”.
So what's wrong with that?? - , you ask. The bad thing is that nannies resort to this type of service, which scares off employers even at the stage of a telephone conversation, because... their lack of professionalism is evident from the first minutes of communication.
If you are an ordinary person who does not like to tell others bad news, your conscience will not allow you to turn the nanny out the door without paying soon after the meeting. You will have to endure the company of an unpleasant person and also pay him for it.

In addition, the nanny can attach documents to the application form - recommendations, diplomas of education and courses, passport, etc.
But most nannies don’t do this and THIS IS NORMAL, rarely does anyone want to show their passport and other personal data online.
PROTECTION AGAINST THEFT AND ROBBERY:
The main rule is to conduct interviews for nannies NOT at home. You can do this outside while walking with your child, for example. If you do this, then a crowd of applicant nannies will not come to your home, and even if among them there is a scammer looking for a rich apartment, she will not see your apartment and will not know where you live.
The nanny must bring a passport and all documents to the interview. If the nanny does not bring documents to the interview, refuse her services without the slightest hesitation. A professional, experienced nanny cannot “accidentally forget her passport at home” when getting ready for a meeting with her employer.
In a word, make sure that as few people “from the street” as possible come into your home, and even more so that no one crosses your threshold without showing your passport.
However, if you don’t have diamond earrings in your ears, works of art hanging on the walls of your house, and a couple of million in cash hidden in your safe, then robbers in Moscow are unlikely to be interested in you.

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ABOUT PRICES AND REQUIREMENTS
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Let me make a reservation right away that I know nothing about the prices for work on a “shift basis”.
Otherwise, the payment can be fixed or hourly, and the nanny’s working conditions can be “with homestay” or “without homestay”.
Here, don’t let yourself be deceived by nannies, middlemen, or even websites!
Standard situation:

I'm looking for a nanny for 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, one child. How much is it?

Well look, standard rate is 300 rubles per hour... 22 working days, 10 hours a day - per month is 66 thousand rubles!
- Why so expensive?! I was counting on 45 thousand a month!
- These are standard prices! Nobody works cheaper than 300 per hour.
(Explanation: the price of 300 rubles per hour is relevant for the work scheme “Drop by today for 3 hours, you need to take a walk with the child. Walk? Well, here’s 900 rubles, go home.” For full-time work, the prices are different. But some nannies and intermediaries are trying pretend that when working according to a schedule they are paid the same as when working hourly)

On the “Helper” website, at the bottom of the nanny’s profile, there is brief information about the nanny and the working conditions she is looking for: full-time or part-time, with or without live-in:


Below is a little about popular work and payment schemes and accepted prices.
FULL TIME 5/2 WITH FIXED PAY(imitation of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation)
With this scheme, the nanny works 5 days a week according to a fixed schedule (for example, from 9 to 19) and receives a fixed salary at the end of the month (or at the end of the week, as agreed). When working with one child, 9-10 hours a day in Moscow, that’s a salary of 45 thousand rubles per month (prices for 2018). If there are two children, then 50-60 thousand per month. A “cool” nanny can also receive a salary of 60 thousand per month for one child if she somehow super-dupper develops him: for example, combines the functions of a nanny and tutor (for a schoolchild) or the functions of a nanny and a sports coach, or the child requires specific care (health problems and need to be forced to do exercise therapy or something like that every day).
If you choose this payment option, be sure to clarify issues such as payment for sick days, holidays and vacations. It is accepted like this:

  • The nanny combines her vacation with your vacation and receives 100% payment for it. Those. if you went to the seaside for 2 weeks in August, then you will still pay the nanny her regular salary for August
  • on holidays (May, January, November) the nanny either does not work or works half a day (as agreed), and receives payment as usual

The disadvantage of this method is that if you pay in advance, you are at risk, and if you pay “for the month worked,” the nanny is at risk. Therefore, only a nanny you already know and whom you trust is transferred to “salary.”
FULL TIME 5/2 WITH HOURLY PAY

This option is similar to the previous one, the only difference is the payment for sick days/vacations/holidays (they are not paid). The nanny receives payment for the hours actually worked. If we talk about prices - this is 250 rubles per hour for working with one child, and 300 per hour for working with two children. And (as in the previous option) the cost of a nanny’s services can be much higher if you want the child to be treated in some special way (some special developmental activities).
During the “working” month you will earn a little more than in the previous version, but vacations and holidays are more profitable.
The nanny usually receives payment at the end of the day or week worked; this is convenient and no one risks being deceived.
PART-TIME WITH HOURLY PAY
Part-time work (less than 5 hours a day) is paid more than full-time work, but only if YOU decide what time the nanny will work.
Those. you tell the nanny: “today come at 10 am, and tomorrow at 4 pm, and the day after tomorrow you don’t need to come at all.” Naturally, no nanny will like such a scheme and therefore the price is higher: minimum 300 rubles per hour for 1 child, 350-400 rubles per hour for two.
If a nanny tells you when she can work and when she cannot, then the rates for this are no higher than for full-time employment (200-250 rubles per hour).
A real case from personal experience with a nanny:

We are looking for a full-time nanny, 250 rubles per hour.
- I generally agree with your conditions, but I won’t be able to work all day, I have work on Tuesdays before lunch, work on Wednesdays after lunch, on Thursdays in the middle of the day I will be gone... since this turns out to be a part-time job, then this it will be 300 rubles per hour, not 250...

HOME ACCOMMODATION:
Many nannies who have housing problems are looking for a “live-in” job - this is when the nanny is given a separate room and lives permanently on the employer’s premises.
The advantages of a nanny are obvious here - no need to spend money on rent(and in Moscow this is a lot of money) and travel time(and in Moscow this can be a long time).
And here There is only one plus for the employer - he can get the nanny to work at any time of the day or night. Which, in general, is what the employer will do. All nannies know this and all of them who are looking for a “live-in” job are ready for this.
Since the advantages of profitable accommodation are offset by the disadvantages of long working hours, in general the prices for nanny services “with a family stay” are the same as without a family stay.
400-450 rubles per hour/60+ thousand per month and MORE - WHAT DO THEY PAY THIS MONEY FOR?
As I wrote above, the price of a nanny’s services can be significantly higher if she combines the work of a nanny with the work of a medical worker/coach/instructor/tutor/teacher. People are willing to pay extra for this, because it is often cheaper than paying separately for a nanny, and separately for 100,500 development units.
But the additional payment for cooking/cleaning is usually small; many nannies are ready to clean up and cook while the child is sleeping, for a very small additional payment (for example, for 50 thousand per month instead of 45).
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WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF A Nanny
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On the “Helper” at the bottom of the nanny’s profile there is a section that indicates what the nanny can do FOR A CHILD and with children of what age she has worked before:



The nanny's responsibilities include full child care and development of the child according to age.
Those. wash, dress, feed, put to bed, walk, entertain, play, tell fairy tales, sing songs, etc. In case of illness, treat according to the instructions of the parents and/or doctor.

Development by age is teaching a child self-service skills (eating with a spoon, drinking from a mug, dressing independently, going to the potty), all sorts of “educational games” such as folding pyramids and puzzles, physical activities (riding a scooter, jumping, running, etc. .) - everything that you say and that does not require any special techniques.

The most convenient option for everyone is if you give the nanny a child’s schedule with a detailed description of what to do and how to do it. Experienced nannies are usually very efficient.

Sometimes the nanny may have some kind of personal pen or cockroach of hers - such as the fact that she refuses to walk with the child in bad weather or force the child to do anything. At first, an adequate demand may ultimately result in problems: for example, the nanny refers to the entire period from September to May as “bad weather,” and refusal to force results in indulgence in any whims of the child.

I’ll offer the following life hack: ask the nanny to name some responsibilities/working conditions that she can’t put up with

She will tell you something: I won’t force the child to do exercises, I won’t cook borscht, I won’t do laundry by hand, I won’t wash the dishes, etc.

If she names something that is important to you, there’s nothing to think about - you won’t work with her.

If she names something unimportant for you, then say, ok, you will never ask her to do something she hates. But if in the future a conflict arises on some other issue, then you can say “you didn’t want to cook borscht, you don’t cook borscht and I’m not asking you. There was no talk about the rest.”

Many nannies agree to carry out assignments “for the family,” and not just for the child. The “Additional responsibilities” section indicates what responsibilities the nanny is willing to take on in addition to the child - washing dishes, cleaning the apartment, buying groceries.

Some nannies are ready to take on literally the entire household in addition to the children. But here, think for yourself: if the nanny washes the floors, cleans the plumbing and cooks for the whole family every day, when will she take care of the child? Will everyday life come at the expense of child care?

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TELEPHONE CONVERSATION, INTERVIEW, DETAILS: HOLIDAYS AND SICK AWAY
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Here I do not pretend to be the ultimate truth, I am simply stating my experience.
Before talking with nannies, pick up paper and pen and write:

  1. An approximate schedule of the child and what the nanny will have to do point by point: “Come at 9.00, pick up the child, morning hygiene, feed the child, read a book for half an hour, go for a walk for 1.5 hours...”, etc. until the very end of the nanny's working day
  2. What are the features of your particular case that make the nanny’s work easier or more difficult (for example, the child has flat feet and needs to do special exercises every day, or you often have rush jobs and therefore the nanny will often have to stay late, or you have the 5th floor and the stroller does not fit into the elevator)
  3. What kind of payment do you offer (price per hour or price per month)
  4. Important questions that you would like to ask the nanny (some are interested in whether the nanny has children of their own, others are interested in past experience)

What (roughly) should a phone conversation look like if you're calling a potential nanny?

- Hello, is this Nina/Katya/Sveta? I'm looking for an advertisement for nanny services, are you looking for a job now? My name is ***, I am looking for a full-time/part-time nanny for a child/children, for the summer/several months/long term: are you interested? I will briefly describe our situation: we are a young family, we will both work, there is one/two/three children, he is 1 month/1 year/10 years old, he goes to kindergarten/does not go to kindergarten, we need to arrive at 8 am, take the older one to kindergarten, then come back and sit with the youngest, feed, walk, wash, dress, do gymnastics for half an hour a day, give it to the parents in the evening (here are the specifics of what needs to be done). Pay hourly/salary, this is what we offer. You probably have questions for me? I am ready to answer (answer questions). I wanted to ask you: (your questions).

If you find it difficult to conduct business negotiations with strangers, I advise you to write down a conversation plan on paper and read the prepared questions directly from the paper.
If at a certain moment you realize that you don’t like the nanny, end the conversation and say goodbye.

If you liked the nanny in the conversation and you plan to invite her for an interview, then be sure toask the nanny to bring all the documents with her- passport, medical book, certificate of absence of HIV/syphilis/hepatitis, diploma of education, if the nanny claims that he has it.
But you don’t have to ask for recommendations and don’t trust them at all. Recommendations may be fake (give a friend’s phone number and the friend will give a recommendation over the phone) and you will never check it.

If you invite several nannies to an interview at once with the hope of choosing the best one, this is normal. Don't hide from the nanny that she is not alone. You are not alone with her either.

Keep in mind that THE INTERVIEW IS NOT PAID! Don’t agree to the option “let’s pay me for a trial of 3 hours, and we’ll get to know each other at the same time” (I already wrote above why).

In a personal meeting (as I already wrote above), it is better to meet not at your home, but on the street or in another place - this way you will protect yourself in case a “spotter” comes to visit you, looking for apartments to rob.

If during a personal meeting you like the nanny, she generally agrees to the proposed conditions, and you generally agree to her - discuss the details, namely: payment for vacations and sick leave, work schedule, extracurricular work, additional duties, lunch break for the nanny.

There are generally accepted rules, they are:

HOW IS NANNY'S HOLIDAY PAID:
When paid hourly, the nanny is not paid leave at all. Those. if she doesn't work, she doesn't get paid. If the employer himself went on vacation and took the children with him, then the nanny does not work, and you do not pay her.
With full-time employment and a fixed rate, the nanny combines her vacation with the employer’s vacation and then her vacation is paid. Those. for example, you are going on vacation for 2 weeks in August, the nanny is also on vacation while you are away. And he receives his salary for August as usual.
If a nanny asks for leave according to the scheme “I have 28 days of paid leave at a time convenient for me,” then this is a hefty indulgence that leads to a severe underestimation of the cost of the nanny’s services. For working parents, this is not an option at all (every six months or a year you are guaranteed to have hemorrhoids).

AND IF THE NANNY IS ILL / THE CHILD IS ILL

If a child gets sick, the nanny must not only treat him, but also protect herself so that she herself does not become infected. In general, it is considered NORMAL if you buy medicine for the nanny - the same Lavomax, Arbidol and other antiviral drugs are not cheap at all. But here it’s up to your conscience to allow it.
If a nanny gets sick, she sits at home and gets treatment so as not to infect the child. She does not receive payment for sick days.

Nanny's lunch break
The nanny eats lunch when the child is asleep/allows him to have lunch, period.
If you work from home (like me) or don’t work at all, then you run the risk of getting into a situation where the nanny thrusts the baby into your arms and says, “Oh, I’m having lunch,” and you entertain the child for an hour while the nanny eats lunch. This shouldn't happen.

From personal experience: I had a situation where the nanny deliberately arranged for her lunch break to fall at a time when the child was awake and I was not feeding him. Those. While I was breastfeeding/while the child was sleeping, the nanny was on the phone, and when the child woke up and demanded attention, she left the child with me and went to dinner. This situation is not normal.

The nanny brings food with her or prepares it herself from those products that you allow her to take (that is, you do not have to cook specifically for her).
Usually the nanny is allowed to take simple products - cereals, pasta, milk, bread, tea, coffee, cookies, eggs, sausages, dumplings, etc.

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CONCLUSION
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In fact, finding a dream nanny consists of two stages:

1) superficial filtering according to general criteria: age, education, experience, cost of services, general impression of the person.
2) clarification of details, a more complete understanding of the person

Stage 1 is exactly what recruitment agencies do. They superficially select people to suit your requirements and give you a choice of 2-4 nannies, with whom you can sometimes talk before hiring, but sometimes this is not possible and you are offered to “get to know” the nanny after she goes to work.

You can easily go through this same stage 1 yourself using the Pomotel website + a quick call to suitable nannies.

You can invite at least 10 people to stage 2 (interview), no restrictions.

And of course, 1,690 rubles for a VIP account is pennies compared to the agency’s commission, which is 50-100% of the nanny’s monthly salary. These 1,690 rubles will not help the family budget.

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