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10 Tips on How to Help Kids Give Back to the Community

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Erin

By Erin McNeill Helping children give back to the community teaches them compassion, initiative, and giving while assisting others in need. It’s important to help children recognize that there are people in their own community who are less fortunate than themselves, and that they have the power to make a difference. Choosing a few activities each year to do alongside your child will instill a sense of pride and work ethic in you both!

1. Donate toys – Kids often get toys as gifts for their birthday or other holidays, and it’s not unusual for those toys to get played with twice before getting tucked away and forgotten about. Sit down with your child, help him sort through his toys, and then pick out a few gently used ones to donate to your local shelter. Kids may feel like they have very little to give someone else, but by giving away some of their toys they will feel like they have made a difference in the life of another child.
2. Volunteer – By volunteering at a soup kitchen or local food pantry children will have the opportunity to interact with those that they are helping. Seeing and interacting with the
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   people who they are helping will help kids to recognize that they are making a difference in the lives of real people.

3. Pick up trash – Find a local park or playground and walk around and pick up trash in the area. Kids will gain a sense pride as they help care for their community by doing so.
4. Visit a nursing home – Senior citizens who are in nursing homes love to have visitors. Your child can do simple activities with the residents, such as coloring, reading them a book, telling them a story, or playing a simple game with them. Oftentimes, residents don’t have family around them to visit, so a visit from your child will make their day!
5. Shovel a sidewalk or rake a yard – Help your child shovel or rake the yard of a neighbor who is having trouble doing so on his own.
6. Donate books – Literacy in children translates directly to success as adults. Have your child select a few new or used books to donate to a local literacy program. Having them write a short note inside the book will make it a more personal gift for both receiver and the giver.
7. Raise money for a local charity – Have a lemonade stand, an art show or a bake sale to raise money for a local charity. The kids can be in charge of making the goods, creating the signs, setting up, and running the event. If possible, they should make their donation in person.
8. Plant a tree – Many
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   local outdoor organizations put together an annual tree-planting event; all you have to do is show up on the day of the event and provide the planting power!

9. Collect goods for a shelter – Many shelters need basic goods such as food, personal hygiene items, diapers, formula, basic toys, towels and other necessities. Kids can collect items from family and neighbors and donate it to your local shelter.
10. Cook a meal for a family in need – Most kids love to cook! Have the kids assist you in cooking a meal for a family in your area that’s having a rough time.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure you do it along side your child. By participating in these activities with your child you will create a moment of bonding while making an impact on your community together.

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What Nannies Need to Know About Allergies

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Erin

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology published a recent study showing that the rate of peanut allergies in children has tripled between 1997 and 2008, as well as a 2012 study that indicated a correlation between antibacterial hygiene products and an increased likelihood of environmental allergies, which have also risen steadily over the last decade. The rapidly rising number of children with food and environmental allergies forces nannies to make a concerted effort to inform themselves about the various triggers of and treatments for them. The likelihood of having at least one charge in your care that suffers from allergies with potentially serious side effects is great enough that a professional nanny should make every effort to learn as much as possible about these conditions. Food Allergies Milk, tree nuts, peanuts, eggs, soy and wheat are all common allergens; unfortunately, they’re also so common in commercially-available foods that nannies must be vigilant in guarding their allergic charges against exposure. Even a small amount of a substance that a child is allergic to can cause swelling, rashes or life-threatening anaphylactic shock; as such, childcare providers should not only read labels closely and examine the ingredients of any food product before giving it to a child, but also be well-versed in the best treatment to administer in the event of accidental exposure. Parents of children with allergies will almost always provide their nanny with a list of foods to avoid and instructions for treatment, and may even specify acceptable daily menus in order to control or limit allergic reactions. They’re also unlikely to stock foods that their child is allergic to, making the most risky dietary situation one that occurs when the child is having a meal or snack outside of the home. Restaurant menus may not always include complete allergy information, so nannies should be careful to ask pertinent questions about a menu item that the child wishes to order. Additionally, group outings or play dates in which one parent or caregiver provides snacks for the entire group can also present

a challenge. In order to reduce the likelihood of an irritating food being introduced to your charge’s diet, it’s advised to make an effort to contact the adult who is assigned to snack duty in advance so that she can either eliminate allergens or prepare an alternative snack for allergic children. In these group outings, kids should be discouraged from sharing snacks or lunches they brought from home, despite the long-standing childhood tradition of switching food. Meals prepared by the parents or nanny of a child without allergies could contain foods that cause a reaction to a child who is allergic, and very young children may not realize the importance of avoiding those foods. Nannies shouldn’t introduce any new or untested foods to their charges, even if they haven’t presented symptoms of any food allergies, as reactions can be quite sudden and very severe. Learning when and how to properly administer epinephrine as temporary treatment for anaphylaxis until emergency medical attention is available is another wise move, as a situation that demands immediate intervention could easily present itself when children have serious food allergies. Environmental Allergies While environmental allergies aren’t likely to have the same severe side effects or reactions that come with food allergies, there are some things that nannies should be on the lookout for. The most common reaction that children with environmental allergies have when exposed to an irritating substance is difficulty breathing. Often, an allergic child’s pediatrician will prescribe an inhaler, similar to those used by asthma sufferers, to make breathing easier and less painful. Nasal allergies, commonly known as “hay fever,” generally causes cold-like symptoms in sufferers, and can include sneezing, runny nose and congestion. These symptoms are often accompanied by itchy or watery eyes and sinus pressure, which can make a child uncomfortable and irritable. There are prescription and over-the-counter medications available to alleviate or diminish many of the symptoms, but nannies should never administer these treatments without the express permission of her employer and a chart on which all dosage information is entered to avoid an inadvertent double dose later. Because there is no known cure for either food or environmental allergies, nannies must establish a clear and strong line of communication with her employers regarding acceptable treatment, along with tips and tricks for symptom management. The two best sources for information regarding your charges’ individual allergies and needs are his parents and his pediatrician; don’t hesitate to approach either of them with questions, as your caution could mean the difference between healthy, vigorous charges and ailing ones in danger of anaphylactic shock.

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Health Insurance Options for Nannies

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Erin

President Obama’s controversial Affordable Care Act won’t be fully implemented until 2015 or beyond, which means that many Americans are still without health insurance coverage. Some families may opt to provide health benefits to their nannies as part of an employment package, both to generate interest in the post and to help reduce turnover. In other cases, uninsured nannies whose employers don’t plan to extend health coverage may find themselves in need of insurance for preventative care and treatment for illnesses and injury.

Information for Employers That Wish to Extend Health Insurance Benefits to Their Nannies

Almost all states require families that employ domestic workers to provide some form of worker’s compensation insurance to provide for their employee in the event of an injury. These plans cover on-site injuries regardless of fault, contributing to medical bills and providing financial compensation for lost wages as a result of such injuries. These plans do not, however, cover the cost of preventative care, like routine checkups or doctor’s visits for illnesses or non-work related injuries. In order to provide coverage for your nanny’s medical expenses outside of work, which is not required but certainly inspires loyalty and reduces turnover, you’ll need to secure a plan through an insurance company.

Household employers that contribute to premiums for their employee’s health benefits are not required to pay taxes on the contributions, as they’re not considered taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service. You’re also allowed to pay premiums directly to the insuring company, or to give the money to your nanny so that she can put it towards her own premiums, though you will have to keep scrupulous records should you opt to pay your nanny directly.

Employers have two available options for their nanny’s health insurance policies: permanent health insurance and temporary health insurance. Nannies covered under a permanent policy are eligible for renewal each year, regardless of any health conditions that develop over the course of her policy. Should she develop a medical condition while she’s covered under a temporary policy, that condition will almost always be considered a pre-existing condition after her temporary coverage expires. Depending on the length of time that you plan to employ your nanny, each policy has its own pros and cons.

Information For Nannies Seeking Their Own Health Insurance Coverage

While some employers do provide health insurance benefits for their nannies as an added perk, there are a significant number who either can’t afford the added expense or simply choose not to contribute towards her premiums. According to the Excluded Workers Congress, of the estimated 1.8 million domestic employees in the United States, approximately 13% receive health insurance or contributions to the premiums of a health insurance policy from their employers; that means that up to 87% of American household employees do not receive health benefits as part of an employment compensation package. In these situations, nannies are forced to obtain their own coverage in order to offset the costs of routine checkups, preventative care and prescriptions. While employer contributions to health insurance premiums are not considered taxable income, nannies who provide their own coverage are not eligible for the same tax breaks under the current tax laws. Paying for your insurance without contributions from your employer means that you will be taxed on the entirety of your income, and then pay your premiums as an after-tax expense. There are currently no tax refunds or write-offs available for these expenses, so you will be forced to foot the bill on your own.

Being around mildly ill children, heavy lifting and constant activity that is often part of the territory of a nanny’s career can make for quite hazardous working conditions; falling seriously ill or aggravating an old injury can leave you in dire financial straits, should the condition become unbearable and you’re without coverage. Though obtaining health insurance can be quite pricey if your employer isn’t

willing or able to contribute, the cost of forgoing coverage can be exponentially higher in the event of an illness or injury that requires hospitalization. In the end, taking the risk of choosing not to obtain coverage in a line of work that exposes you to communicable illnesses and workplace hazards is a gamble in every sense of the word; one that could prove disastrous.

Additionally, working for a family under an agreement that’s non-compliant with tax and labor laws often leaves

you ineligible for worker’s compensation benefits, depending upon the laws of your individual state. Should you become injured, even while on-duty, their lack of coverage could leave you responsible for the resultant medical expenses. Choosing this illegal and high-risk arrangement is both ill-advised and creates an even greater need for an individual health plan.

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10 Moments When a Nanny Should Stand Up to Her Employers

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Erin

Though nannies are the employees of the families they work for and thus required to adhere to the rules and guidelines set forth by their employers, there are times when a nanny absolutely should stand up to the people for whom she works. Whether you’re protecting your own interests, your personal safety or the safety of the children under your care, risking the ire of the people responsible for your continued employment can feel like quite a risk. These are 10 of the situations in which you should take the bull by the proverbial horns and say “no” to your employers.

1. Breach of Contract – The nanny contract signed by you and your employers is a very important document governing a variety of job duties and responsibilities, as well as your rights as an employee. Any breach of this contract should be discussed with your employer as soon as possible.
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2. Preventing Job Creep – When employers begin gradually adding tasks to your daily list of responsibilities that you didn’t originally agree to, resentment and burn out can become two very real possibilities. Rather than sacrificing a post entirely, it’s better to approach your employers with your concerns and explain why, as a nanny, you should not be responsible for chores that aren’t directly related to the care of the children or previously agreed upon in your written work agreement.
3. Unrealistic Parental Expectations – This can especially be an issue for first-time nanny employers, as their lack of experience translates to outrageously high expectations. If your employers expect you to work wonders normally only attributed to characters played by Julie Andrews, gently explaining the reality of the situation will save you both quite a few headaches in the long run.
4. Refusal to Acknowledge Severe Behavioral Problems – It isn’t unheard of for parents to be in a bit
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   of denial regarding their children, especially if there are strong indications of severe behavioral or developmental problems. However, getting your affected charge the attention that he needs will require you to bring these issues to his parents’ attention, even if they’re less than receptive in the beginning.

5. Prevention of Child Abuse – Serious suspicions of physical, emotional or sexual abuse by a parent or family member should be reported immediately to ensure the safety of the children involved. Keep in mind that even allegations of abuse that have been proven to be false can have a dramatic negative impact on a person’s life, and never level accusations lightly. The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information can provide information on how to properly report suspected abuse.
6. Verbal or Physical Harassment – Situations in which you are harassed by your employers in any way require you to stand up for yourself, either by reporting the behavior or ending your contract early and seeking employment elsewhere. No job, regardless of salary or benefits, is worth the pain and humiliation of being harassed.
7. Dangerous Parenting Tactics – While approaching your employer to criticize their parenting style outright may not be the wisest career move, you have a responsibility to the children under your care to ensure their safety to the best of your abilities. If you feel that specific tactics could present hazards or the risk of injury, it’s best to gently suggest an alternative in order to keep your charges safe.
8. Establishing Boundaries – While it can seem like a small issue, establishing and maintaining boundaries is actually very important. As you grow closer to your charges and their parents, the relationship between you can become more familial than other employer/employee relationships. Though becoming “part of the family” is an admirable goal, maintaining some boundaries is crucial when it comes to preventing awkwardness, disputes and future problems.
9. Illegal Activity – Any illegal activity, especially one that puts the children at risk, is reasonable grounds for asserting yourself. How you handle the situation depends upon the particulars and what you feel comfortable with, but you should never sit idly by while illegal activities go on around you. In one of the very worst case scenarios, you could even be considered complicit to these activities in the eyes of the law if you know they’re occurring and do nothing to stop them.
10. Substance Abuse Problems – Drug abuse or excessive alcohol use can be devastating for a family, and can leave your position tenuous as well. In cases of substance abuse, you’re well within your rights to approach the issue in a respectful manner.

While it is important for you to protect the rights and safety of your charges and yourself, many situations can be easily resolved by calmly and respectfully approaching your employer with your concerns. When your end goal is to establish boundaries or prevent job creep in a post that you otherwise enjoy, it’s wise to approach your employer when you’re not angry about the situation to ensure that you don’t appear aggressive, which will typically only cause an employer to become defensive and angry themselves. In more serious cases, especially those that present the possibility of physical or emotional harm, it may be safer and more effective to approach the proper authorities than to confront your employers directly.

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10 Tips on Keeping Kids Safe While Sledding This Winter

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Erin

By Erin McNeill Nothing says winter quite like a pile of snow, a child all bundled up, and a sled. Unfortunately, the Consumer Products Safety Commission reports that there are about 46,000 sledding injuries that are seen in emergency rooms each year, most of which include children under the age of 15 who suffer a head injury. Thankfully, there are some simple

tips that you can follow to help avoid an emergency room visit

this winter.

1. Wear a helmet – We have kids wear helmets while biking and skiing, so it makes sense to also have them wear one while sledding. Wearing a helmet will help prevent head injuries in the unfortunate event of an accident while sledding.
2. Always sled sitting up – Adults should instruct children to sled sitting up and with their feet facing forward. This will allow the child to see where they are going and be more in control of the sled while going downhill.
3. Choose a safe location – Choose a hill that is appropriate for the children who are doing the sledding. It should be free of obstacles such as trees, open water, and roads. Make sure that the hill
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   isn’t too steep or large for the children who are participating.

4. Make sure the sled is safe to use – The sled should have no cracks or other signs of wear and should have handles that children can hold.
5. Never ride on a sled pulled by a car or snowmobile – Teach children to never ride on a sled that is being pulled by a car or snowmobile, as the injuries that can be sustained by doing so can be severe and even fatal.
6. Dress in layers – It’s important to dress for the weather. Staying warm is an essential part of participating in outdoor winter activities, and you should have your child dress in layers so that they may be taken off and added back on as necessary. If you are sledding in a highly populated area, it is wise to also dress children in bright colors so that they are visible at all times.
7. Know the signs of hypothermia and frostbite – Be vigilant about checking on kids for weather related illnesses. Children don’t always recognize that they are getting too cold or that
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8. Be aware of the weather – Be aware of the air temperature outside, as well as the wind-chill factor, and set time limits based on this information.
9. Make sure an adult is present when sledding – Always have an adult present while sledding. They can help children make good decisions about sledding and be there (with a cell phone) in case of an emergency.
10. Instruct children how to safely sled – If they fall off the sled while sledding, instruct them to roll to the side and get out of the way of the
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    sled. If they find themselves on an out-of-control sled, they should roll off to the side to safety. Children should observe the hill before beginning their descent to make sure that the path is free of any obstacles, including other children who are sledding.

Sledding is often part of fond memories of childhood and winter days. Safe sledding will ensure that those days are filled with hours of fun and not hours spent in the local hospital emergency room.

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10 Things Nannies Should Know About Developmental Disabilities

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Erin

Working with children who have special needs, developmental differences and disabilities can be one of the most challenging and also rewarding posts of a nanny’s career. It can also be one of the most confusing if she’s not well-prepared with a working knowledge of how a child’s specific disability affects them, and what special needs they have as a result of it. These are 10 of the things that every nanny should know about developmental disabilities before she accepts a new post with a child who has one.

1. Each Situation is Unique – Just as there are no two children alike, there are no two children whose struggle with a developmental disorder that are identical. Even if a nanny eventually chooses to specialize in a specific disability or disorder, she isn’t likely to encounter many situations over the course of her career that are exactly the same. Approaching each day and each new task as a completely unique challenge is important.
2. Routine is Everything – For average children and those with developmental differences alike, a strong routine and structured schedule is one of the most important aspects of caring for them. All children thrive when their routine is dependable, but a child with special needs may respond to disruptions more negatively.
3. Some Milestones Come More Easily Than Others – Depending on the disability a child has and her individual level of progress, some milestones are easier to achieve than others. This is not to say that any milestone is effortless for a child to reach, but rather that some may be increasingly difficult
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4. Boundaries Can Be Different – Some autistic children strongly dislike to be touched, while others have a strong need for affection. The boundaries regarding what is and is not acceptable can be blurred and difficult to find for nannies who care for kids with special needs due to the unconventional circumstances.
5. Be Vigilant – While it’s imperative to closely monitor all children, urgency is increased when a child has special needs or a disability, as a mere moment of inattention can be deadly. Nannies who have kids with developmental differences under their care have a special responsibility to make sure that they’re always properly supervised.
6. Be Prepared for Communication Barriers – Communicating with a child who has special needs isn’t always easy, even for the caregivers and parents that live and work with them every day. Nannies should be prepared to encounter at least a bit of a communication barrier in the first months of their new post.
7. It’s Important to Ask Questions – The only way that a nanny can learn the particulars of a child’s situation and, by extension, his personal needs and goals, is to ask that child’s parents plenty of questions. Arming yourself with as much knowledge about a child’s condition as possible is one of the best ways to work out an effective care plan.
8. Kids With Special Needs Aren’t Broken – One of the most difficult things for many non-medical care providers to understand is that a child with special needs isn’t inherently broken. Rather than viewing your charge as a damaged child in need of repair, try to realize that she’s actually just a unique individual with different needs and desires than the average child.
9. Unpredictability is Par for the Course – It’s not always easy to know what to expect when it comes to caring for a child with special needs. Each day truly is a new experience, which means that there’s more unpredictability than routine in such a role.
10. Teamwork is the Name of the Game – Childcare providers and medical professionals are most effective when they work with their charge’s parent as a team to act as advocates for him. As a nanny for a child with special needs, you must be prepared to prevent the child you’re caring for from any sort of negativity, prejudice or poor treatment. Together, you can all achieve far more than you would individually.

Nannies with ambitions to care for children with developmental differences and disorders can benefit greatly from classes and other specialized instruction on the subject, as they can provide the sort of hands-on learning experience that simply reading a few books on the subject does not. Take the time to determine what’s available in your area so that you can focus on advancing your career and increasing your competence level when it comes to caring for special youngsters.

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How to Plan a Suprise for Your Boss

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Erin

When your employer’s birthday or another significant event worthy of celebration rolls around, the idea of throwing a surprise party can be very appealing. It can also be fairly difficult to pull off, as much of your boss’s job requires her to be vigilantly observant of her employees to ensure peak productivity. Making sure that your surprise party goes off without a hitch may not be the easiest task you undertake at work, but it can be one of the most rewarding when you manage to make it work.

Start Making Arrangements Well in Advance

The key to almost any successful enterprise is sufficient planning and strategy. Your employer’s surprise party is no exception. Starting to make your plans as far in advance as possible will help you prepare for a variety of possibilities, help you avoid the frantic, panicky feeling of last-minute scrambling and make sure that you have everything in place when the right moment arrives. Take your time to plan each detail as well as possible, understanding possible outcomes and preparing for even the most unlikely scenarios. Ideally, your back-up plan should have a back-up plan, just to make sure that you’re able to go with the proverbial flow, regardless of what the day throws your way.

Coordinate an Office-Wide Event

If you work in a very large corporate office, including everyone from the mail-room techs to the vice president may not be feasible. You will, however, want to make sure that you’ve reached out to everyone who works in your immediate area and that each of the coworkers in your department or those that report to the boss in question are on the same page regarding her surprise. When everyone’s in on the planning and execution of a surprise party, you’ll have more people in your corner who are invested in pulling the whole event off and to run interference if your boss seems to be catching on before you’re ready for the big reveal.

Keep Food Sensitivities in Mind

The days of plunking down a haphazard spread consisting of deli trays, sugary snacks and mixed nuts for an office party have long ended. In today’s world, it’s important that you keep a variety of food sensitivities and dietary restrictions in mind, including diabetes, gluten insensitivity, vegetarianism and specific food allergies. It’s best to avoid some of the more dangerous and common food allergens, like peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish, to ensure that the festivities don’t end with a call to the paramedics and a shot of epinephrine for an unsuspecting coworker.

Keep it Simple

While it’s wise to begin your planning as early as possible and to include everyone who reports to your employer in the festivities, it’s also smart to keep in mind that the more elaborate and involved your plans are, the higher the possibility of something going wrong. Keeping the surprise party as low-key and simple as possible will eliminate the myriad opportunities for things to go horribly awry, potentially spoiling the party and leaving all of your efforts wasted. Avoid the temptation to go over the top. A small, successful shindig is far more memorable than the major production that utterly failed in execution.

Timing is Everything

Keeping your surprise party a secret until the moment of the big reveal is easier if you plan it a day or so before your boss’s big day, when she may suspect a potential party in the making. Furthermore, making sure that the soirée happens before business hours or after the close of business will ensure that everyone’s able to have fun and enjoy the occasion without negatively affecting productivity and deadlines. Remember that your boss will appreciate a party more when it isn’t likely to interfere with the bottom line.

Personalize What You Can

Whether you spring for monogrammed paper napkins or a lavishly personalized cake, making sure that you personalize items and the occasion at every opportunity

will reinforce the fact that you’re celebrating a milestone in your employer’s life, rather than just another excuse to take time out of the work day for the entire office to let their hair

down. Make sure that there are plenty of personal touches so that your boss understand that she truly is the center of the celebratory attention.

Get your Story Straight

When you enlist coworkers to help you with various party arrangements, be sure that everyone has their story straight and is on the same proverbial page regarding the festivities. Whatever your manufactured cover story is, everyone needs to know it by heart and be able to rattle it off when questioned to alleviate any suspicions that your boss may be feeling as the big day draws closer. This is especially important for the moment of the big reveal, as you’ll need a rock-solid excuse to lure your employer to the designated party spot.

 

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10 Activities to Do With Kids for Thanksgiving

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Erin

By Erin McNeill While we should be thankful all year long, Thanksgiving brings about the feeling that we should be doing more to appreciate what we already have. Raising kids to be thankful is an important part of most families and here are a

few activities you can do together to inspire thankfulness in your own home.

1. Participate in a Turkey Trot – Find a local run or walk to participate in as a family on Thanksgiving Day. They are typically held the morning of Thanksgiving and what better way to start the day than a bit of exercise as a family?
2. What are you thankful for? – This is a great activity to do before the big meal on Thanksgiving Day. Cut out the shape of the number four and have guests write what they are thankful for on the numbers. During your meal, take the time to share what everyone is thankful for. After sharing you can hang up the fours as a reminder of what you are thankful for.
3. Give back – Take the time to volunteer as a family at a local food bank or soup kitchen. Kids will be able to see what they can do for others and also the things that they should be thankful for in their own lives.
4. Gourd Games – Why not make a game out of the fabulous gourds that abundant during this time of year? Pumpkin bowling can be done with a small pumpkin (remove the stem) and some plastic bottles, just set up like you’d normally set up a bowling alley and remember to roll the pumpkin gently. You can also have a family pumpkin roll by setting up a course on one edge of your lawn and having family members use brooms to push gourds to the other end of the yard.
5. Cook with the kids – Kids love to eat what they’ve helped cook! Involve them in the menu planning, shopping, and cooking as much as their developmental level allows.
6. Handprint turkeys – Each year as your child grows do a traditional turkey handprint with them. Then, have your child write on the turkey what they are thankful for.
7. Family time – One of the best ways to feel thankful about what you have is to spend time with those you love the most. Make it a family day by playing games together, finding a craft to do, or video chat with far away family members!
8. Nature walks – After your thanksgiving meal take the time to take a walk as a family. To keeps interested in the walk ask them to collect nature items along the way and then make a thankfulness collage upon your arrival back home.
9. Pin the tail on the turkey – Draw a turkey on a piece of paper and cut out turkey feathers or fall leaves. Have each guest write what they are thankful for. Have everyone take turns pinning the feather or leaf on the turkey.
10. Write notes to family and friends – Take the time to write short notes to family and friends stating why you are thankful they are in your lives. Relatives that live far away will be delighted to read notes from you children!

This is only a start, have your family come up with additional ways that they can show their thankfulness to others. Don’t forget to tell your children that you are thankful that they are in your lives!

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Nannies: Why it May Matter Who Your Friends Are

Posted on November 18, 2012 by Erin

In many jobs, who you have as friends isn’t something that’s really important to your boss. But like with government and high profile jobs, many nanny employers do care about what you do and who you associate with. While it may seem unfair that an employer judges you by your associations, for many parents, knowing as much about a caregiver as possible helps to them to make informed and educated hiring and managing decisions. When it comes to evaluating a nanny’s character and judgment, which are unquestionably important in evaluating nannies, the type of people a nanny spends her time with can provide insight into those both of those qualities. Nanny employers typically care about four main things when it comes to who their nanny keeps company with: they care if there is a safety risk to their children, a security risk to their children, a security risk to their property, and a risk of their children being influenced negatively. A safety risk to their children. It’s only natural and necessary for parents to be concerned about their children’s safety. A nanny who hangs around with individuals who have poor judgment, are unstable, or who have a history of criminal problems can be concerning to a parent. This is especially true if a nanny is in an abusive domestic relationship. Parents may be concerned that the nanny’s abusive partner may show up at the home, either uninvited or not, or that the nanny may be persuaded to assist a friend in trouble during her on duty hours, taking her focus off of the children. A security risk to their children. Nanny employers may also be concerned about the security of their children, especially if the family is wealthy or is a high profile family. Parents may feel that the more people who know the nanny cares for their children, the greater their children’s security risk is. A parent may be paranoid that if the nanny has shady friends, they may have less than genuine motives for getting

to know the family, the children’s schedule and classified family information. A security risk to their property. For live-in nannies especially, the prospect of having visitors is appealing. However, if the parents aren’t confident that the nanny’s pals are people of integrity, she may be concerned with them coming to the home. Fears of thievery, snooping or property destruction may cause some concern. A risk of their children being influenced negatively. Most parents, whether nanny employers or not, want to shelter their young children from drugs, violence and swearing. If a nanny has friends who engage in drugs or violent behavior, or who curse like a trucker, the parents likely won’t want those friends coming around. Since individuals with common interests and hobbies tend to stick together, a nanny employer may discern that the nanny has similar character traits as those she spends her time with. While the majority of nannies are straightedge individuals who are responsible, competent and caring, these same qualities that make them great child caregivers can make them susceptible to caring for other individuals who need help. Some nannies feel that who they spend their time with off the clock has no bearing on how they do their job, but nanny employers may feel differently. Nannies are hired to serve as role models to the children in their care and to provide their charges with high quality, attentive childcare. During their workday, nannies are forced to make judgment calls on everything from what playground slide is appropriate to go down to what size a toddler’s grapes should be cut into.

For many parents, knowing that a nanny consistently makes good judgment calls is vital to developing a trusting relationship. While a nanny may be put-off that an employer cares about or questions her associations, nannies must respect that the well-being of the children is a priority and anything that could jeopardize that priority is best discovered by the parents.

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30 Blog Posts with Tips on Nanny Background Checks

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Erin

Trusting a relative stranger with the care of the most precious, vulnerable members of your family can be a terrifying prospect, even when the nanny candidate you’re considering seems well-qualified, competent and charming. As the Internet continues to simplify the process of obtaining background information about a job applicant, the pre-employment background check has become par for the course, even for home-based employers. These 30 blog entries discuss every aspect of pre-employment background screening, from the importance of conducting one to the ethical and legal implications of doing so.

Criminal Records Check

Determining whether or not a nanny has a criminal history is often one of the first things parents wish to accomplish after finding a promising candidate. These five blogs discuss pre-employment criminal records searches, pointing out the pros and cons of conducting them.

• Failing to Conduct Criminal Background Checks Is Asking for Trouble
• Criminal Background Checks Valuable But Can Create Employer Liability
• From The Wall Street Journal Online – Nanny Background Checks
• Not All Criminal Records Checks Are Created Equal
• Nanny Background Check-The Answer to Security

Sex Offender Registry Check

The sex offender registry was created in order to help parents make more informed decisions about the people they allow to spend time with their children, but has come under fire for being too harsh. This has created unnecessary problems within the community, and has been vague enough that concerned parents are unable to make much sense of it, instead assuming that everyone on it is a monster. These five blogs discuss the possibility of false information regarding sex offender registries, the best way to use them for pre-employment screening, and what all of the related terms mean.

• Reason.tv: How Sex Offender Registries Fail Us
• 5 Best Ways to Make Sure Your Nanny is Not a Registered Sex Offender
• My Husband Is (Not Really) a Sex Offender
• How to Use a Sex Offender Registry
• Using the Sex Offender Registry

Child Abuse Registry Check

While there is no national child abuse registry, almost all states maintain some semblance of a registry for those that have been suspected or convicted of abuse or willful neglect of a child. In these five blog entries, you’ll find information about how the legal system struggles with a child abuse registry, and how to access the information they contain as part of a pre-employment verification process.

• Morning Edition: Child Abuse Registry
• Kentucky Supreme Court to Consider Fairness of Child-Abuse Registry
• Beyond Background Checks – Perform A Child Abuse Registry Check
• Child Abuse Registry Hits Stumbling Blocks
• Holding Child Abuse Registries to a Higher Standard

Driving Record Check

Whether your nanny will be responsible for transporting your children and allowed use of a family vehicle for work-related errands or not, it’s a good idea to check her driving record. Even if she won’t be regularly transporting your children in a vehicle, the contents of that record can provide insight regarding her respect for traffic laws, level of caution and good judgment.

• Should I Let My Nanny/Babysitter Drive My Children Around? (Guest Post)
• Checking a Babysitter’s Driving Record
• How to Check Your Nanny’s Driving Record
• Five Must Do’s if Your Nanny is Driving Your Children
• Looking for a Nanny – Avoiding the Risks of Hiring an Unsafe Nanny

Keeping Your Background Check Legal

In some cases, the most compelling information a background check turns up is actually protected under the laws governing fair hiring practices or other employment laws. These five blogs tackle the sometimes-sticky realm of background check legality in relation to hiring practices.

• Criminal Background Checks Remain on the EEOC’s Radar
• EEOC Guidance on Using Criminal Records
• EEOC: Be Careful When Conducting Criminal Background Checks
• Social Media Background Checks – 3 Legal Pitfalls
• Illegal Background Checks- Guidelines for Employers

How to Run Background Checks

After determining what a background check entails, how many different types there are, and what is or is not legal, most parents still opt to perform some type of background check on a nanny candidate before hiring her. These five blogs outline the best practices for doing so and offer advice on how to complete the task.

• How to Run a Background Check on Nanny
• How to Protect Your Family Through Babysitter Background Checks
• How to Perform a Background Check on a Nanny
• Nanny Background Check Online: How to do a Nanny Background Check on Someone
• 10 Different Nanny Background Checks You Should Run

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