According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of a nanny is: a children's nurse or caregiver. Before deciding to hire a nanny, carefully weigh the alternative options, decided what you want from your nanny, gone through a lengthy interview process, and checked references.

A nanny can earn anywhere from $400-$700 a week. Carefully check out your local daycare and preschool settings to compare the cost. Some questions to ask yourself are:

The child to teacher ratio- for example, in Michigan the ratio of children to teacher for infants 6 weeks-27 months is 4:1, in Texas the ratio for 18 months is 9:1 and 27 months is 11:1. Find your state at www.nccic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/ccl icensingreq/ratios.html.

The hours- many centers open as early as 6:30AM and close by 5PM. Be sure you can get there on time or many centers begin to charge.

The cost- depending on the age of your child and how many children you have, you could pay anywhere from $250-$1250/month. Head Start programs are free for qualifying families.

A nanny would be able to give your child more one on one attention, go on more outings, decrease your commute time, and possibly help you with house hold responsibilities. Make a list of the house hold duties you would like the nanny to do for you. Negotiate this into the contract.

A contract is a safety net for you if ever a legal problem arises. A contract should include every detail. It should include the hours, wages, benefits, emergency contacts, house hold responsibilities, dos and don'ts. Beyond benefits include vacation time, holidays, room and board, and extra circumstances. A good website to help you with contract ideas is www.baysitter.com.

Do you have the room in your home for one more? They would earn their living space while taking care of your child's needs. But consider other needs: separate living areas, bathrooms, friends, phone lines, etc. Put into the contract every detail of this arrangement.

Now that you have weighed your options and wrote up a draft contract, place a local advertisement. In your ad include requirements. Specific requirements include: resume, reliable references, CPR Certification, nanny certification, etc. Many nannies may have a college degree in early childhood. Also available to a nanny is nanny certification. There are several online courses (www.nanny.org).

The interview comes next. The different types of interviews you can hold are: over the phone, face-to-face, and the live-in interview. Visit the website: www.4nanny.com/interview_quest ions.shtml. A few of the questions you will see are:

How long are you willing to stay with this position?

What do you think children like best about you?

Can you cook?

Do you have any health related problems that would prevent you from doing this job?

Once you have found the perfect nanny that has the requirements, skills, and references, it is time to contactthe previous employers. Talk to the parents, even talk to the children that were taken care of if the parents agree to it. Like all you hear and see-then it's time to sign on the dotted line. You have just hired your nanny!

Learn more about this author, Kim Stairs.
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