Are you still reeling from the shock and busy pace of having to suddenly school your kids at home this past school year due to COVID19? With school closures happening so suddenly, it was a real struggle for many working parents to adjust to not only working from home but also having to school your child at the same exact time. To be honest, as much as we would rather it not happen, the possibility of that same scenario playing out in the coming school year is a very real possibility.

We are in a time of uncertainty in our upcoming school year. Right now, while we are a month or so out from the start of the school year, is the time to begin preparing for the possibility of school closures. You need to right now be thinking about what options your family has for education, and to begin putting them into place. We are here to share with you the options for back to school this year which includes information all about private educators.

There are many education options available to families. From letting your child attend the public or private schools, and going with whatever flow happens during the year, to hybrid homeschooling and straight-up homeschooling. The choice is yours as the parent.

But if you are a working parent, the option of homeschooling, although appealing in current times, may not seem a possible option for you. But it can be, if you really desire it.

More and more parents are realizing that you can hire a licensed teacher, to come into their home and teach their children. Sometimes this teacher is also a nanny and will care for the other non-academic needs of your children as well.

Perhaps you are a work from home parent and you really want the confidence of knowing that your child is safe at home and that their education will not be abruptly interrupted. But since you are working, you know it would be a real challenge for you yourself to give them the time needed for their education, and to maintain your current job. For this type of situation, you might want to consider hiring a teacher to come into your home for a few hours a day and have them teach the subjects they would otherwise be learning at school.

Or maybe you are a parent that works outside the home and you still want to know that your child’s education will not suddenly be interrupted by closures. But you know there is no way you are able to stay home to teach them. Then you may want to consider hiring a nanny, who is also able to teach and administer daily school work, with the bonus of taking care or the other needs of your children in the safety of your home.

But what are some of the other benefits of hiring a teacher to homeschool your child, besides not having your child’s schedule is suddenly interrupted and knowing your children are safe at home? Here are the many benefits of homeschooling:

Your Child Will Be Able to Learn at Their Own Pace

Mainstream classrooms place emphasis on the group as a whole. Teaching your child at home, essentially puts your child in charge of the learning pace. If they understand a concept, they can quickly move on. But if they are struggling, you can focus more on that skill.

Freedom Over Your Schedule

You and the teacher you hire can set the school hours. You can choose when and where they complete their lessons. Whether that be in the morning, afternoon, or even evening. What works best for you, is what you do.

Learning Outside the Box Through Play 

You will have the ability to be allow your teacher to be spontaneous in their teaching. Perhaps your child takes a sudden interest in a topic. You can let the teacher use the time with your child to help that child learn more about that interest in unconventional ways. Whether that is researching, taking a trip, or planning an activity around that subject. The world can be their classroom.

Just know that you the parent have options during these times. And now is the time to start thinking and preparing for what might come.

We know that you are doing your best, no matter what choice you make regarding your child’s education. We hope this helps open your eyes to the possibility of private educators to help in your home with schooling this year and helps provide options for back to school this year. If we can help you in finding the perfect private educator or nanny for your home, you can find out more about our placement services here. We are here to help you along this unknown time of school and find the best fit.

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Expecting a new bundle of joy soon? If so congratulations! This is such an exciting time. One full of so much anticipation and preparation.

But, it also a time to be a little bit confused. You know that a baby is coming, but what on earth does one really need for a baby? What is helpful and what is not?

Many of you can remember going up and down all the baby aisles, at all the stores, and leaping at every product you saw. But after baby arrived, you quickly learned, a new baby does not need a ton of items. After clothing, food, and diapers, you need just a few great, high quality items, that get the job done.

The job most often being, keeping baby safe, quiet, and hopefully to sleep.

So, to help keep you being confused from all the hype, of all the products, we are going to share the “Top 10 Must Have Baby Registry Items”.

(click on the link to go straight to the product)

• – Convertible cribs are a great option as they will grow with your child. Look for one with functionality and a great price.

• – Strollers are necessary for when you start wanting to take baby out and about to the store or for a stroll in the park. Look for one with an adaptable car seat base, easy to maneuver and store, and one baby can easily nap in for long outings.

• – You will want to keep baby safe and sound while traveling. And you will want to easily get baby in and out the car, without breaking your arms from too much weight.  You want a car seat with a snug fit, and comfortable grip.

• – The bobby pillow has been a longtime favorite for new parents. Not only is great for bottle feeding and nursing, it grows with your baby as a longer, or prop for tummy time.

• – Baby carriers are essential for when you want baby close, or when baby needs to be close to you. They allow you to work and continue with daily life, and have your hands free. There is a great variety in carriers. From wraps, to slings, to soft structured carriers. Research and ask other moms what their favorite baby carrier is to determine what you think will work best for you.

• – You will want to keep an eye and ear on your little one while they are napping. Monitors have amazing technology options now. From video to smartphone compatibility. Your choices are endless.

• – Baby’s nails will grow long, they will need to have their hair brushed, their temps checked, and so on. A good grooming kit will help with all of that.

• – Baby will need a bath. Look for something easy to store and clean.

• – Baby may struggle to sleep without a soothing noise after being the womb. A white noise machine is great in helping them adjust and get the sleep they need. And to help you sleep too.

• – A pack and play doubles as a portable crib for traveling, or even a changing station.

Share with us! Are you a first-time parent, or a seasoned pro? Are there any items you would add to this list?

We are also here for you if you are expecting a new bundle of joy and need help with a newborn care specialist or nanny for your family. Check out all our services here.

We are also on several platforms so go follow us on on , , and .

Read more of our blogs here!

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Has the time come that you need to turn partial care of your child over to another person? No matter whether your child is a baby, toddler, or of school age, the decision is huge. You are entrusting someone else for the care of the person you love most in your life. And you want to make the right decision for your child. And that decision means finding the right person to care for your child.

But before you make your decision on who will be the best at caring for your child, you will need to attract the best person to care for your child. Before you begin your search for the perfect nanny, prepare yourself. Let us help by helping you with the top 5 ways to find the best nanny for your family.

Prepare Your Expectations

You will need to be prepared to communicate your EXCACT expectations to your potential nanny.

What tasks do you expect your nanny to complete? What specific aspects of your child’s care do you want the nanny to perform? Will they need to cook and prepare meals? Bathe your child? Help with homework/schooling? Take your child on outings and play dates? Help with the tidying of the house? How do you want the nanny to discipline or correct the child? Do you prefer specific training and skill sets? Know what you want your nanny to do daily!

Once you know what you expect, prepare.

Setting Hours and Being Flexible

You will want to know ahead of time what and how many hours you will need your nanny to work per week. Will they need to be there 8-5? Part time? Full time? Will you need them to work weekends? How about holidays? Think of all the possibilities and be realistic with your needs and the exact schedule you might need!

The majority of career nanny candidates want full-time positions with 40-50 hours a week. But they also expect to be given some flexibility for sick/personal days and ample time off when needed. Consider offering your nanny two consecutive days off per week to let them rest and recharge for the following week! If you know you will need more help certain weeks, be prepared to give ample notice to them. Or if need be, be prepared to find a babysitter on those days when your nanny needs time off. We can always help find temp nannies to fill in any days off you may need to accommodate giving your nanny some days off here and there as needed.

Prepare to Offer Competitive Pay and Great Benefits

In order to attract the best, most experienced nanny, you will need to offer a competitive compensation package. This doesn’t necessarily have to be the max salary out there, but one that shows you respect the experience, education and hard work that any career nanny will devote to your family. Know what the typical rates for nanny care in your area are and offer that or better to your potential nanny.

You will also want to offer the a solid package of benefits. These often include legal pay, paid vacation, paid sick days and paid holidays with guaranteed hours. Some families will offer to cover some or all of their nanny’s insurance costs for health and dental/vision insurance. Some will offer gym memberships, the use of a vehicle and even the use of a vacation home during time off. Another great benefit is gifting their employee frequent flier miles to let them travel during time off! Offer the best, if you want the best. We can help you customize a great package for your family and situation.

Pay Them in A Legal Manner

Let your potential nanny know you are honest and want to do right by them. DO NOT pay or offer to pay your potential nanny “under the table”. Yes, it will save you work, but it can also get you into legal trouble. Do right by your employee by offering them the benefits and legal protections of keeping books and withholding the taxes you are required to. This also allows for a more experienced, professional nanny to step into the role and often times makes for a more proactive, engaged and reliable nanny who takes her position much more seriously. They will feel like you respect them, and will perform their job better in return!

Offer Training

Great nannies will jump at the opportunity of bettering their skills. Offer to send them to workshops, and training sessions. Both of you will benefit from the extra skills learned.

Finding the perfect nanny does not have to be difficult. Just remember to prepare and communicate your expectations, set the hours, offer competitive pay and benefits, be honest, and help them grow.

And soon, you will have the nanny best suited for your family!

Oh, we can’t forget one more way you can find the best nanny! That is to use a nanny placement agency like us here at �����鶹. You are able to get an agency that has experience with over 20 years in business, a trustworthy agency that performs extensive background and reference checks, and tons of value as we choose the best candidates based on a custom family profile. You can learn more about �����鶹 here.

Go check us out on , , and .

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And you do not want to make the wrong choice when it comes to the care of your child. The wrong choice could leave you feeling unsettled and anxious every time you leave your child. And you DO NOT want that at all.

Today I want to share with you six things that you DO NOT want to do, when hiring a nanny.

1. Do NOT hire an inexperienced nanny.

When you hire a nanny, you want her to have the experience caring for a similar aged child, and the same number of children. For instance, do you have twins? Its best in that type of situation that she has cared for twins and their special needs before.

• Do NOT neglect calling references.

�����鶹 performs lengthy phone interviews with each candidate’s references and provides a detailed report on each conversation, but we suggest you do additional reference calls to ask your own questions as well!

Calling a nanny’s references will quickly get you the facts on that nanny’s previous work experience.

Ask questions to get the facts. Such as …

“How did you come into contact with this nanny?”

“Would you hire this nanny again?”

“How many days did she call in sick, or report to work late?”

“What issues (minor ones included) came about with this nanny?”

• Do NOT be vague on your parenting methods and preferences in the interview process.

Your potential nanny needs to fully understand your preferences from the beginning.

During your interview discuss…

Housework- What do you expect your nanny to accomplish around the house. And when should she do them.

Media Usage- Are you comfortable with the nanny using the Television, computer, or phone during hours she is caring for your child? Or do you want her to only use those during specific hours during care.

Sleep training and routines- Do expect the nanny to rock or walk the baby to sleep? Or do you prefer your child to self soothe? Is there a specific way you want your children put to sleep? Do you want nanny to help with a new routine or work on sleep training or do things exactly as you already do?

Nanny’s meal arrangements- Do you provide meals for your nanny? Or will you expect her to bring her own food?

Play dates and activities- Is the nanny expected to arrange play dates? Do you want playdates in your home, or in a public setting? Do you want your child participating in story time at the library or visiting the zoo? Is the nanny okay with driving your children around? Are you okay with driving her around?

Discipline- What methods of discipline do you want implemented for your children?

• Do NOT be vague about pay.

Talk about how many days you expect of her to work a week. Talk about exactly what the schedule will be each day. How many days off she will have in a year, including sick days, and whether or not she will be paid those days.  Professional nannies will expect a standard package of benefits including paid vacation, paid sick days paid legal holidays and guaranteed hours.

Also discuss how she will be paid. Hourly? A flat rate? And how often will pay be received?

• Do NOT neglect to set up working interviews!

You should always ask the nanny to come do at least one working interview where candidates will come perform anywhere from 1-5 complete work days to watch how you take care of your children, what the normal schedule and routine will look like and how you want things done. Walk her through a typical day. Show her how you feed, change, and put the child down for naps. Then let her do those tasks the next day, with you following behind to make sure it is going well. This time will also help your baby adjust to the change and know that this person is someone they can trust.

• Do NOT interview only one person.

While it may be the right person right out the gate, don’t settle for the first person you interview. Make sure you interview multiple candidates. You want to make sure that you have candidates to compare to make the best decision! Make sure to ask the right questions of each person. We will provide you a detailed list of interview questions and what to look for in interviews! Here are some great suggestions to ask candidates:

“How long have you been a nanny?”

“How many children have you cared for at once?”

“How and why did you end your previous jobs?” 

“What activities will you do with my child during the day?”

“Do you have any certifications? CPR, childcare, etc.?”

“Is your schedule flexible?”

“How do you handle sick days?”

In conclusion, finding and deciding on a great nanny can be hard work, and it should be! This is a big decision. You are hiring someone to fill your shoes in your child’s world while you are gone, those are BIG shoes to fill!

Hire experience. Call references. Be clear on parenting methods. Be clear on pay. Do working interviews. Interview multiple candidates.

And before you know it, you will have your dream candidate. Someone matched to meet your needs, the needs of your child and who will become the newest member of your family!

If you need more tips on what not to do when hiring your perfect nanny, feel free to reach out to us here at �����鶹 and we’d be happy to assist! We specialize in long term, career nanny placements and have an amazing relationship with of some of the best nannies in the industry who have trusted us for many years. We can help you in finding placements that are the right fit, for all of your families unique needs. Click here for more information. We would love to help!

Want to keep up with us even more for family and nanny tips? Follow us on the following platforms:

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COVID-19 and the guidelines that are being implemented to prevent further spread are interrupting all aspects of our lives and our children’s education routines. This has been one of the biggest changes we have had to adapt to. Instead of sending our children off to be taught, we as parents and caregivers have been thrust into the world of homeschooling. For Arizona, that will be the case for the rest of the school year.

As you know classes are being converted to distance learning, with the teachers teaching behind a screen. Leaving us the caregivers, to be the ones to make sure classes are accomplished, and that education is not swept to the sidelines.

We cannot encourage you enough to continue to keep up with your child’s schoolwork. It will make sure they are not only learning and growing as they should, but it will also recreate a sense of normalcy and routine. And our children desperately need that right now. 

Their lives have been turned upside down too, they are feeling so many emotions from all the upheaval and loss of routine. Reassure them that they are loved and safe, and help keep their little minds busy and learning.

While we know that you will be spending a lot of your school time completing assignments given by teachers, we encourage you to make this a fun experience for your child. This is a once in a lifetime occurrence, (hopefully) so, make the best of it! Change things up, get creative and have some fun!

This is the perfect time to branch out in your child’s education. A time to let their own talents and interest bloom, a time to show them that learning can extend beyond the four walls of the classroom. And branch out into the entire world. (virtually of course…)

There are so many free resources out there to easily accompany and reinforce your child’s assignments and interests. And we have compiled our top 10 resources to help you get started!

Top 10 �����鶹schooling Resources During COVID-19

Easy Peasy is a free online homeschool curriculum for grades K-12. The only materials you will need to buy are pencils, paper, and other basic supplies! 

The Good and The Beautiful offers their Language Arts curriculum for free on levels 1-5. The program covers all subject areas in Language Arts and they also include topics such as such as Art Appreciation, and Geography! 

This website and will bring the hands-on learning back to your child. Providing you with a wide variety of different topics and printable activities to do based on those topics. So if your child likes bugs or animals, they have activities based on that. 

An interactive website for children that are into animals, reptiles, and anything science. They have great thematic activities based around those items that will keep your child engaged for long periods of time.

This website is amazing for children that are heavily into animals, reptiles, and anything science. With thematic activities based around those items, this site will keep your child learning for long periods of time.

Story Online is a website that reads aloud books targeted at children. A variety of different celebrities choose a popular children’s story and move through the pages with readings that keep the children engaged and interacting with the material. Their selection is immense, with a diverse selection. Every month they have special selections that are added, which keeps the rotation fresh. A helpful way to incorporate storytime on a more independent basis if you might not have the time due to you working yourself.

This website is filled with gross motor activities. It’s important during times like this, to keep your kids moving as much as possible. As amazing as online and distant learning is, the sitting down can be tiring and monotonous for all involved. This website will help your child get up and get moving. Think of it as an aerobics video for your children.

A website with over 3,000 activities for kids from science museums from all over the United States. You are able to search by topics, and by age.  

An Interactive website sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Every lesson and activity on this site are aligned to the science/math standard of that state. Its also lines up with common core.

A Youtube channel with a variety of videos, but focuses on geography and history. Includes basics such as landforms, season, rocks, soils, and more.

Live Zoo and Aquarium Cameras

Most zoos and aquariums across the world offer live views of certain animals! Let your child watch and learn about different animals from the safety of the home! Just type into your search engine “zoo” or “aquarium” cameras to choose which zoo you want to visit today.

We know this is a challenging time for each of us. But together, we will get through this and I hope these top 10 homeschooling resources will be a help!

Let us know how we can help you today with any nanny services, private educators, tutors or even a virtual nanny! We can help with anything else in the home as well. We can customize a placement for anything you may need help with! Organizing, meal prep, cleaning, sleep training and more! Check out our Families Section for more information, or email us today! info@allaboutnanniesaz.com | 602-266-9116

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Are you expecting a new bundle of joy soon? If so, congratulations! Pregnancy is such a special time in a family’s life. It’s a time full of waiting and wondering. Waiting to meet the love of your life and wondering who they will be.

It’s also a busy time. A time of so much decision making and planning. And I am sure at the top of your list, is getting the first room your child will live-in ready.

Did you know that �����鶹 can help you along in the process of setting up your dream nursery?

We offer a nursery design service and checklist customized to your style, with custom baby registry setup.

How does this service work?

We will start by coming to your home, and we will do a 1-2 hour session and talk about the nursery of your dreams. Also, because this service also includes the baby registry package, we will be setting that up as well, to make sure you have everything you need when the time comes.

In this session, we will thoroughly discuss your own personal style, colors, themes, etc. Following that meeting, we will go start a idea page with your thoughts and ideas and go back and forth with you to make sure you are in love with everything. 

Following that, we will do some online shopping and give you a full list of products to help achieve the nursery look you desire.

We will then present you with an affordable price option and then a splurge option.

You will then purchase the items from the list. Or wait and see what you receive from your registry. Once your items are in your possession, we will come set the room up. 

We will make sure all of your baby’s gear is set up properly, and demonstrate how each product works. We will do a complete organization of all the baby products and all of your nursery items. Making sure your vision of the perfect nursery is fulfilled. 

Allowing you to feel safe and confident, and ready.

One Hour In �����鶹 or Virtual Consultation Includes the Following:

• Curated Baby Registry Tailored to Your Lifestyle and Needs
• Organized List for Thank You Cards
• Organization of Products and All Nursery Items
• Baby Gear Set-Up and Demonstration

If you would like more info on our “Nursery Design and Organization” package, please contact us today. We would be honored to help you feel prepared, confident and ready to start this next chapter in your lives, the chapter of parenthood.

Don’t forget us about your needs for a newborn care specialist or nanny for your new bundle of joy too! We’d love to help you and your precious new addition! You can check out more information here.

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What is a household manager?

�����鶹 managers make sure the day to day operating of your home runs smoothly by planning, coordinating, or helping meet what ever your families needs are. They can be great assets to very large families or even smaller ones. If it’s a larger household with different staff, they would oversee all the staff and whatever other needs the family has; in essence a household manager would have once been called a butler. 

What do they do?

One of their responsibilities is to oversee general operations and staff if the family has any. Some expectations a family may have would be:

• Making appointments 
• Taking care of the household bills 
• Running errands 
• Supervising staff like private cooks, housekeepers, or nannies 
• Shopping 
• Scheduling and overseeing home repairs or maintenance 
• Keeping up with the home calendar and schedules 
• Family Meal Prep
• Booking Travel and Arrangements
• Party and Event Planning
• House Sitting and Pet Care

If it is a smaller household the home manager may also be required to take on the duties of cook, housekeeper, etc.

Why you may need a household manager?

Today we live in a fast-paced lifestyle and sometimes the demands of this world can take a lot of our precious time. Having a household manager keeping everything in your home running smoothly so you can get some of that time back and invest it in things more important like your family. They can take the stress out of all your planned events and monthly home needs so you can just enjoy your free time. 

How much does a home manager cost?

The salary range for a home manager can be very broad. Busy families that live in the suburbs will have a different offer than what a high profile family would require. It could range from $20 an hour to a yearly salary of $50,000 to $100,000 or more! In Phoenix and Scottsdale, most house manager salaries fall in the $25 an hour range. Some people pay for just a part-time home manager and others may want full time or even live on-site estate managers. 

As you can tell, a household manager can be anything the employer needs them to be. They can go from managing larger estates and families with the other staff that goes along with that. Or to just being a part-time manager that helps a smaller family stay organized and get back a little more time to enjoy their children whether that’s an after school ball game or dance recital. They can even help to make sure all the monthly bills are paid and finances are budgeted. I think we all wish we had a little help in taking care of some of these tasks that goes along with a home running smoothly, don’t you?

Let us help you find the perfect household manager to help take the stresses of your everyday household away. You can find out more here.

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Kids of all ages love a party spent doing themed activities, eating special treats, and even letting their creative side come out with some arts and crafts.

So, to help inspire you to plan out your own party for the little people in your life, I am sharing the best 3 Valentine-themed activities, crafts, and treats.

Even if you are not in the mood for an actual party, you could easily incorporate a couple of these ideas into your schedule to have some fun with your little ones.

The Best Valentine’s Day Kid Activities​, Crafts, and Treats

Valentine’s Day Activities

Get the kids off the devices and up moving or making some things to get their brain going. I love these three lovely activities that are so fun for Valentine’s Day!

 to get them up, moving, and shaking out those wiggles.

 to put their mind to creating.

. Because what kid doesn’t love slime?

Valentine’s Day Crafts

Some creative and fun Valentine’s Day crafts for the children. I love these 3 and they would be fun to make for this special day ahead.

, to always remember how tiny they started out.

. Perfect for older children that will be exchanging Valentines in school.

. Can be used to make a garland, or passed out to friends and family.

Valentine’s Day Food

Top 3 Valentine’s Day food options. Even have a healthier one in case you do not want your kiddos to have all the added sugar!

. The kids can easily help prepare this treat.

. Because what is Valentine’s day without a teddy bear and chocolate?

. A healthy, and FUN love day treat.

And that’s it! Happy party planning!!! And a Happy Valentines Day to you and yours!

Remember if you ever need to talk to us about having a nanny or household manager for your busy home, contact us here at �����鶹.

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Are you getting ready for your first interview as a potential nanny or even looking for a new position? Whether you decide to go the route of finding a position on your own, or with an agency; We can help you prepare for the big day! In this blog we will be sharing some interview etiquette and tips that are sure to help you nail the nanny position of your dreams.

Nanny Interview Etiquette and Tips To Land The Perfect Position

Interview Day Etiquette

An interview for a nanny position is no different from any other job interview. You need to be mindful of your appearance and your body language. You need to do the following:

– Do your research on the position you are interested in. Know the hours, know the area and things to do around that, have an estimate of what your commute time may be in heavy traffic, or no traffic. Take some time to think about the kids ages and what you might do with them each day, or what a typical day might look like if they hire you.

– Don’t forget your paperwork, i.e. job description, resume, specifications, and references, letters of recommendations, degrees or certifications or documents from extra training you have done.

– Dress for success. Make sure you are comfortable, professional, and feeling confident. I’d highly recommend business professional wear, or at very least business casual.

– Be punctual. You can bet that an agency is taking notes on when you arrive and if you were punctual or not. If you know you are going to be running late, send a message or a take a few minutes to call and give a heads up to the agency or the family. Something as small as being 10-15 mins late unannounced can easily lead to someone choosing another candidate over you.

– Make eye contact with each interviewer. This shows that you are engaged with the interview, confident and present with what they are asking you and in what you can bring to the table!

– Don’t give one-word answers. Let them know what you have achieved, be confident and clear. You want to be detailed in your answers without rambling on or giving just a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.

– Ask questions of the interviewer. You need to make sure the job is the right fit for you too. You are interviewing the family or agency as much as they are interviewing you. If its a family interview make sure to ask exactly what they are looking for, what they would like a typical day to look like, any extra tasks they are looking to be done and exactly what their compensation package is. If it is with an agency find out what the process is like, what to expect next, what they do to represent you and how hands on they are with the interviewing/hiring process and beyond. Agencies vary in this aspect, so make sure to ask! You want to make sure you are with an agency that will provide you as much or little support as you are looking for!

– Don’t stress and be CONFIDENT.

Interview Tips: Be Prepared for Questions

A job interview as a nanny will be filled with questions specific to that job. Some questions you can expect to hear are:

-Tell me about yourself. Focus on experience, skills, interests, and strengths related to the job.

– Why did you choose to become a nanny?

– What childcare qualifications do you have?

– What do you think is the most important aspect of a nanny job?

– What do you consider to be the qualities that children like in you?

– What did you like/ dislike in previous nanny jobs?

– What sort of activities, daily routines, foods did you prepare, etc. , with the children in your care?

– Why do you think you are well suited for this nanny position?

– What are your child rearing philosophies?

Interview Tips: Be Prepared to Ask Questions

You need to make sure this position fits well for you! So make sure you ask questions as it helps you get the answer you need and also comes across as you interested in the position as well! Some questions to ask are:

– Is there housework involved or will you only be looking after the children?

– Who is responsible for disciplining the children? What method will be used?

– What specific things should you do with the children. i.e. art projects, helping with homework, transportation, etc.

– How many hours would be required weekly?

– What would the salary be weekly? Bi-weekly?

– Will there be date night sitting on top of the weekly work hours on occasion?

– What are your holiday and vacation expectations?

-Will you be offering guaranteed hours?

-Will you be providing a car or reimbursing for gas and mileage?

If you are working with an agency, such as �����鶹, make sure you give feedback after your family interview. We are here to help and give advice. We hope this has been an encouragement to you with the proper nanny etiquette and tips to land the nanny position of your dreams!

Ready to become a nanny or find the perfect position to end your search? Check out our new openings and apply here!

Also, something exciting for you! We are doing nanny profile headshots with Nicole of on February 1st in Scottsdale, Arizona for only $20! This is a must-have for your nanny profile and portfolio! If you need more info on this or want to sign up, please email Kayla at info@allaboutnanniesaz.com.

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s time to blare the Christmas music, deck the halls, drink all the hot chocolate, and bake all the sweets. Wondering how you can get the kids in the kitchen during the holidays to bake all the sweets with you? Here are a few pointers to help make some memories with the kids this holiday season with some easy and kid-friendly recipes.��

Are you still not convinced on inviting the kids in the kitchen with you on this adventure? We all know what kids in the kitchen can bring…..yes, it’s messy and maybe a bit chaotic. It can take you about three times as long to bake one batch of cookies; but knowing that the children will have a blast and the memory of spending time making a treat in the kitchen with their favorite person makes every “sweet Jesus what have I done?!” moment worth it.

So, before I share with you my top three kid-friendly holiday treats, I want to offer this one piece of advice for any nannies or families out there. I was given this advice when dealing with kiddos in the kitchen. You the adult, do all the baking and the child will do all the decorating. Believe me, it brings a lot more peace on earth.

Rudolph Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Peanut Butter 
• 1/2 cup Butter 
• 1/2 cup Sugar 
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar 
• 1 tsp Vanilla 
• 1 Egg 
• 1 1/3 cup Flour 
• 1 tsp Baking Soda 
• 1/2 tsp Salt 
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Instructions:

1. Break pretzels into pieces to use as antlers.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Cream together peanut butter, butter, sugar and brown sugar until smooth.
4. Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
5. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
6. Slowly add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, beating until incorporated.
7. Roll into 1/2-3/4″ balls and place on cookie sheet several inches apart.
8. Sprinkle with sugar and gently make an indentation slightly off the center of each cookie.
9. Bake 12-14 minutes.
10. Place an M&M in the indentation of each cookie.
11. Insert 2 mini chocolate chips (pointy side down) above the M&M to be the eyes.
12. Insert 2 pretzel pieces to be the antlers.
13. If the antlers won’t stick, place some chocolate chips in a sandwich bag and microwave 30 seconds and knead until soft. Clip the very tip of the corner and pipe onto cookie to act as glue.

Ingredients:

• Pretzel rods
• Brown candy coating, milk chocolate morsels, or chocolate almond bark
• White candy coating, white chocolate morsels, or vanilla almond bark
• Green candy coating
• Red candy coating
• Assorted sprinkles:
• Confetti Holly Mix
• Wilton Holiday Nonpareils
• Wilton Christmas Snowflake Sprinkles
• Crushed peppermint

Directions:

1. Melt the candy coating according to package directions giving special care not to overheat the candy. If the candy coating is overheated, it will be too thick. You can add 2 teaspoons of vegetable shortening to help thin the candy but do not add any other type of liquid as the candy will seize and harden.
2. Pour candy coating over two-thirds of the pretzel rod and shake gently to remove excess. If applying sprinkles, do so immediately rotating the pretzel rods to coat all sides. Larger sprinkles work best if placed individually.
3. Place pretzel rod on waxed paper or cooling rack. (Cook’s notes: Waxed paper makes for easier release.)
4. If drizzling with additional colored candy melts, allow initial candy coating to set completely. Then, use a spoon or fork to drizzle candy coating over the pretzel rods. Before the pretzel sets, gently pick it up and move to clean wax paper.
5. Let pretzel rods dry completely before packaging or serving.
6. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Placing in the refrigerator may cause the pretzel to soften.

Ingredients:

• 125g butter, melted
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 ½ cups plain flour
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1 cup Icing sugar (for decorating)
• Marshmallows, mini m&m’s & icing pens (for decorating)

Directions:

• In a large bowl, add melted butter, sugar, eggs & vanilla & whisk until combined
  1. Stir in flour & baking powder until a soft dough forms. Tip out onto a bench and use your hands to bring it all together. If you are impatient, you can use the dough immediately or alternatively, you can wrap dough in plastic wrap & freeze for 30 mins. This will make the dough firm and a little easier to work with.
  2. Preheat oven to 200^oC Line 2 oven trays with baking paper.
  3. Roll out dough onto a floured surface approx ½ cm thick. You want the biscuits to be fairly large since you want to give the illusion of a melted snowman on top. Cut circles using the rim of a glass (approx 9cm diameter). Don’t worry if your biscuits are not exactly perfect as you are going to cover the top of them anyway.
  4. Place on baking trays & bake in preheated oven for 6 – 8 mins or until golden. Remove from oven & allow to cool completely.
  5. Using the icing pen, draw little faces on the marshmallows. I used black pen for the eyes and mouth and pink pen for the noses. You can use one pen for both if you like. For the nose, I slowly squeezed the icing out as I pulled the pen away from the marshmallow to give a 3D effect.
  6. Mix 1 cup icing sugar with 3 tsp water. Stir until smooth. The consistency should be runny but thick enough to spread on the biscuit.   Spread on the biscuit to give a melted effect.
  7. Place the marshmallow face into the icing. Add 3 buttons to each snowman. I used mini m&m’s but you can use whatever you have in the pantry. Set aside for the icing to set.
  8. Once hard, I then used the black icing pen to draw on the arms. I skipped the snowman scarf as it was an extra step that I didn’t think was necessary and they look great just the way they were. Feel free to add a scarf to your snowmen if you like.

Happy Holiday baking everyone! I hope you enjoy these 3 fun and easy recipes for your nanny kids or your own children this holiday season. Keep in mind that we are here for you if you need help finding the perfect nanny too. To check out more, please click here.

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