The kids are on vacation for the summer but you are not. You may have friends or relatives to watch over your children, or maybe you can send them to summer camp. You may also be considering hiring a summer nanny if you want your kids to be a little bit closer to home. Hiring the right nanny for the summer is a great way to make sure your children are cared for in a way that you are comfortable with.
Here are some steps to take when hiring a summer nanny.

1. Think Ahead

You should begin your search a few weeks, or even months, before you need a nanny. Don’t wait to start looking until right before school gets out. At Helping Hands, we see a rise in nanny summer job postings as early as mid-April. Find a nanny now before all the good ones are taken. At Helping Hands we have a good selection of highly qualified professional nannies for families who want a high level of discretion.


2. Clarify Your Needs

The first and most important thing is to think about is your family dynamics and what you will need from the  nanny you hire.
Will the kids need rides to summer day camps or soccer practice? Will there be light housekeeping involved? Will the nanny be expected to entertain your little ones for most of the day and plan trips to the park and local pool? Do you need someone to help them review fractions, practice penmanship, or complete summer homework?
All of these expectations need to be communicated upfront when you write your job description and interview possible candidates. Create a nanny contract to spell everything out.  This will help avoid any confusion down the road.
You also need to make sure your potential nanny knows she is expected to be more than a summer babysitter. Summertime means the kids will need full-time care while you’re at work. A babysitter is great for watching children for a few short hours while you head out for summer date night, but for the entire summer, you need a nanny who will be more involved with your kids’ overall development and entertainment.

3. Talk About Vacations and Salaries

Lots of people travel during the summer. Are you planning any family vacations or long weekends? Do you want the nanny to come on vacation with you? Will you offer paid time off while you are out of town?

Have the nanny mirror this process by writing out her planned absences or vacations as well. You want to ensure that they don’t coincide with times you’ll absolutely need a caregiver. This exercise assures that you and the nanny are both on the same page when it comes to average work hours and days off. It will also give you more time to find backup child care for the days she’ll have off. Add any agreed upon specifics to the nanny contract as well.

4. Consider Qualifications

Summer days are usually spent outside enjoying the nice weather. With this comes extra responsibility on the nanny’s part.

There are lots of safety issues for a child outside in the summer — the nanny would have to protect the child from harmful rays of sun, handle bug bites, playground injuries, protect the child from drowning etc… A summertime nanny needs to be extra vigilant and know basic first aid care.  Other qualities you may want to look for in a summer nanny include prior experience, flexibility as well as CPR and lifeguard certification.

5. Plan a Meet-and-Greet

Since your children will be spending a large amount of time with their new nanny, arrange a family introduction before the start date. A great place to meet could be your local park where everyone can relax, play, and get comfortable with one another. This allows you to observe the interaction between your child and the nanny and gives your kids some time to adjust before they officially begin working for you.

Do the kids enjoy the nanny’s company? Do their personalities click? These questions are important things to consider before summer begins. After all, you want your children to be comfortable with the person they will be spending a majority of their days with.

6. Write a Schedule

Summer schedules can be pretty chaotic. You need to think about what the summer will look like for your family and create a basic calendar to review with your summer nanny. This should be both specific — what will a typical day look like for your nanny — and long term — any summer camps your kids will attend or regular play dates.

Make sure your nanny has any information she’ll need. Locations of local parks, names/addresses of play dates, etc…

7. Brainstorm Fun Activities

Summer is supposed to be a fun time for children, but it’s also easy for kids to wind up sitting in front of the TV or complaining about being bored.
Discuss ideas with your nanny for acceptable summer entertainment. What are your kids’ favorite warm weather activities? Do they like going to the zoo, ice cream shops, or water parks? Other ideas include picnics, play time with friends, or even running through the sprinklers.
Need some ideas? Visit websites like https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g28970-Activities Washington_DC_District_of_Columbia.html and don’t forget to leave room in your childcare budget to give the nanny money to enjoy these summer activities. Talk to her about setting a weekly allowance and balancing both free and low-cost activities.

8. Build a Relationship

If everything goes well, your new summer nanny may be available to babysit when the school year starts and even come back next summer. This will help take the stress out of searching for a new nanny every spring and alleviate any anxiety of introducing a new person into your children’s lives. Making sure your nanny is content ensures your children will have quality care and entertainment for many summers to come.

By following these tips, you’ll have no trouble finding a summer nanny to provide for and have fun with your children while you are away at the office. If you can’t be there with your children every day, a caring, fun nanny is the next best thing!