Nanny Help

I'm a FTM due in April and crashing here. I'm starting to look for a nanny and was wondering when is the best time to start looking? I would need someone mid June/early July. I've heard its too early now but am nervous about how long the process could take.

I've heard of sittercity but am a bit dubious of hiring someone online. Any suggestions, or know of a nanny that would be available? I would need someone 5x a week about 10-12 hours a day.

Thanks in advance!!

Re: Nanny Help

I just went through this process. I felt the same way about SitterCity but signed up anyway to try it. We got a ton of applications but it felt too much like online dating, even though there are background checks. Instead we used a recommendations from a local moms group and hired someone who just completed an assignment with a family, and that family was trying to help her find a new full-time gig.

The nanny we found lives in Brooklyn. A few others that applied lived there but they didn't drive (I'm near the city).

To answer your question about timing, 90% of the applicants were looking for something immediate. So I would start a few weeks before you need someone to give yourself time to find the right one, then have them start right away. We also had a "trial day" with two candidates to help decide...to see which one we gelled with better. It helped!

Good luck!

Nanny Help

Thank you so much for your advice and for sharing your experience with sittercity. I feel so blind in all this.

Nanny Help

Did you put feelers out of fAenook or something to friends and family. I found my babysitter that way.

Nanny Help

I've asked friends and am hoping they come up wih something. My pregnancy isn't on Facebook so I didn't put anything there.

ETA: alot of my friends did live ins or were SAHMs.

Message edited 1/13/2013 9:40:07 AM.