If you are a parent returning to work after a long absence or maternity or paternity leave, it may be hard get yourself re-acclimated to the job and to adjust to being away from your children. You need to re-adapt to the work environment, the logistics of the commute, and most importantly, childcare.
Returning to the 9-5 rat race is an adjustment for both you and your children, so you need to find a babysitter or a nanny who will nurture your kids, especially during this transitional period. You need to hire someone on whom you may depend and with whom your children feel comfortable. The easiest way to find such a candidate and to make a good match is to go through a nanny agency.
You need to do your own research and find a nanny agency that implements a rigorous set of standards when hiring employees. These guidelines should include the following: a detailed review of applicant’s experience, a comprehensive phone interview, thorough person-to-person interviews, a professional background check, a full personality assessment, complete reference checks, a credit check, and a review of the applicant’s driving record. You want to be certain that the nanny agency only hires individuals who are best suited to responsibly care for children.
A reputable nanny agency will also interview you and its employee to determine a successful placement and set up a meeting between the two of you so that both parties may decide if the arrangement will work. You need to determine on what issues, such as discipline, bed time, and dessert consumption, you are willing to compromise. Children need stability and if you go through a few nannies before finding the right one, your children will end up feeling insecure and confused with their home life constantly in some sort of state of flux.
Children also frequently want to test the boundaries of unfamiliar dynamics; if they sense you and the nanny are not on the same page, they may purposefully or subconsciously try to use that disconnect to their advantage. If you and the child caretaker have a clear understanding of each other and what rules you expect your children to follow, everyone involved will have an easier time getting used to the new situation.
The right nanny will quickly feel as though she is a member of the family. Make your return to work as painless as possible and find a qualified candidate through a nanny agency. in home nursing care toronto