Personality traits, experience, references, first impressions, and gut feelings - all are crucial factors in the decision to choose a child caregiver. So how do you choose the right person for you and for the little ones? Here are some important tips before you start.

To find exactly the caregiver you were looking for, it's useful to know in advance what's important to you.

What will you not compromise on under any circumstances? Where can you be flexible? How to filter according to what's really important to you? Here are some things worth considering in advance.

Trust

Initial trust at the beginning of the process opens the door to a positive experience for both you and the children. We all know that trust is the key to good relationships in life especially at home, so why don't we always approach choosing a caregiver this way? Sometimes it seems that friends' recommendations and those of other parents are more important than our gut feelings, but this is far from the truth. Bringing a caregiver into our home is essentially letting someone into our personal space, so creating a good relationship based on trust will be positive for us and the children and will allow us to experience our shared time with a sense of openness and security. So how do you know who to trust?

Comprehensive details before the interview: What exactly are you looking for - a babysitter? An au pair? A nanny? It's advisable to define and know in advance as many relevant details as possible, in order to save unnecessary calls and interviews and focus only on those who are suitable for you. It's even recommended to correspond a bit by email to understand who you are dealing with.  

Impressions in the interview: It is said that opinions and mutual trust are gained in the first seconds of the meeting. So it's true that it's important and necessary to trust your gut, but at the same time, it's also important to remember to ask the right questions and listen to the answers, in order to understand if there is a real match.

Communication

The refrigerator, the bedroom, the library, the television, the shower, and... the children. The caregiver is in your personal space - even at the most stressful and busy moments, even when you have no patience. But when there is good communication between you, it looks different, and this also affects the children. When you can freely ask (and not need to demand), when you are understood (without explanation), and most importantly - when you feel there is someone to talk to.

But wait, it all starts from the first moment... right? In the first conversation with the caregiver, it's important to coordinate expectations, and it's very important to understand that the caregiver also chooses you. Therefore, it's highly recommended to be direct and honest in the initial communication, from the first email or phone call to the interview and the final summary between you. It's important to clearly define your needs and requirements, and just as important - to hear the needs and requirements of the other side. The initial acquaintance stage is important for creating a long-term relationship that you will reap the benefits of in the future.

Continuity

A nanny with prolonged experience in a steady position will give you a sense of stability and give you, as parents, a basic sense of security. It's important to remember that children perceive the person caring for them as a parental figure in every way, and a sudden departure may make it difficult to create trust the next time.

For us, as parents, the security provided by someone who stays with us for the long haul and knows the difficulties and ups and downs is important. Therefore, in the process of finding a caregiver, it's important to find out why they left previous jobs and how long they worked in them.

Availability

Whether it's about arrangements or work, the caregiver is there to give us free time, so it's very important to define your schedule and your required level of flexibility precisely. It's advisable to take into account in advance future changes in your schedule and also that of the caregiver.

Experience and Education

So what's more important? Experience or education? A certificate on paper or from life? Of course, there isn't one answer to these questions, and the right combination of both yields the greatest benefit. But what we can do is to thoroughly investigate the type of experience or education the caregiver has.

Is the experience relevant to the job - in terms of the ages of the children, the number of children, and requirements like driving to activities or cooking? Is it about studying for a degree or a certification, and of what kind? Is the type of education related to working with children or likely to contribute to it? Answers to these questions will also help us learn a bit more about the person sitting across from us.

Personality Traits

Towards forming an opinion, it's understanding what's actually important to you. Usually, it's important to emphasize responsibility, reliability, precision, and sensitivity. Sometimes, qualities like authoritativeness, creativity, or a therapeutic approach are more important to us personally. Everyone has their own personal taste, and it's important to know in advance what 'does it' for you. A person with a strong head capable of taking responsibility and managing affairs, or someone who radiates warmth, gentleness, and patience? (And if you've encountered all these together, maybe you've found the caregiver you wanted...)

Probation Period

Well, great, you've found the caregiver you were looking for and even agreed on the salary, congratulations! But wait a minute... What if in two or three weeks you feel that it's actually not working out?

The solution is simple: It's recommended to be fair and agree in advance that both sides have the option to part ways at the end of a defined probation period.

The Bottom Line

Research and trials, articles and workshops, books and professional magazines – they are all undoubtedly sources that are important to consider when choosing a caregiver. However, it's important to remember that at the end of the day - there's no substitute for gut feeling, conversation, and personal impression. So the most important thing: be patient, be honest with yourself, take a night to sleep on it - and trust yourself in the selection process. Your children will thank you for it.



Good luck!