Nanny matters

It’s amazing how many concerns people have regarding their nannies. Over the last 15 years since we started conducting seminars for nannies and then having published the I Love You, Yaya handbook, I have to say that we have been privileged to come in contact with all kinds of personalities, needs, and concerns from nannies and employers.

It’s almost impossible for parents nowadays to have no hired help for their children, especially in the Philippines. Moms also work in other countries, but they survive without nannies or yayas.  It’s a different ball game here in the Philippines.  For one, it’s quite inexpensive to hire househelp here compared to other countries.  It’s also a cultural thing, I guess.

But it’s always a struggle to figure out where to find the perfect yaya and believe me, decisions are made during the hiring process. You either get what you wished for or you end up with a disastrous partner in raising your children. That’s why I always encourage parents to really give much thought to what they’re really looking for, depending on the needs of their family.  Two important things should be considered: if she is willing to do the job you require her to do and if she is able to do it with much ease and joy according to her intellectual, emotional, and physical quotient. 

There are so many nannies who are very willing to work for various reasons, but there are only a handful of truly dedicated ones who are sincerely interested in the development and well-being of the child.  Most of the very willing nannies really just want to earn a living. They may be very willing to take care of your child, but I doubt if they would be your long-term partners in raising your children. There are those who boast that they are very blessed to have their parents or in-laws as their children’s caregivers, but I doubt if they are also able to fend for your children since they are already senior citizens.  Newborns and toddlers require a great deal of time, attention, and energy, and subjecting your parents in their senior years might just exasperate them.

If you happen to interview a willing nanny, make sure that she is truly able to care for your children by finding out her age.  I don’t recommend you hire one who is a minor.  For one, that would be child labor, which is against the law. At the same time, you might end up having to mind another child in your home.  I know of many households who prefer to hire minors because it is easier to train these young nannies and make the most of their strength. However, caring for a child requires a certain kind of maturity as well.   

When we first started giving seminars for yayas, we discovered that majority of the nannies do not know basic first aid, nutrition, hygiene, and communicating effectively with children yet they are entrusted with the care of children. With that in mind, it would help for you to find out your applicant’s educational background. Another factor that is quite important to consider is the applicant’s health and well-being. You must require them to present a medical certificate, most especially a recent X-ray result.  My four children had primary complex when they were toddlers.  I later learned that children actually got that from being exposed to an adult with lung complications. Also request for a barangay and NBI clearance to make sure they are safe to be around your family as well and request to contact their last employer. If they say they don’t remember how to contact their former employer, that would be a problem. How would you then be able to verify their character and reason for leaving?

It sounds like a lot of work, but if you screen your nanny applicants well during the hiring process, you will be spared from a lot of trouble later on. Promise!

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For more information on how to hire, train, and keep your nannies, get a copy of the I Love You, Yaya handbook.  Call 994-5908 for more details.

Follow author on twitter @ mommymaricel.