My family recently relocated to El Paso from Las Vegas. The most daunting part of the moving process was finding a nanny for my son. Of course, there are other great options for young children, like having a family or friend care for your child or enrolling them in daycare/preschool. But the best solution for my family is to have a nanny care for my son in our home.
» » » » » RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: Guide to El Paso Area Preschools and Childcare « « « «
We had the most fantastic nanny in Las Vegas, so I was struggling with the thought of finding someone new. Finding a nanny to trust with the most precious thing in my life is stressful and, frankly, a bit scary! With so many things to consider, it can feel overwhelming. Whether you are looking for a full-time, part-time, or occasional sitter, the following steps can make the process easier!
» » » » RELATED READ: What I Wish I Had Known from the Get Go as a Working Mom « « « «
Step 1: Determine your needs
Before you start your search, it’s essential to determine your needs. Consider things like:
- The age of your children
- How many hours of childcare you need
- The duties you’d like the nanny to perform (we prefer all of the attention to be on our son since he is a toddler, but if you have older children, you may want to find someone to do other household tasks to make your life easier!)
- Your parenting style (you want to make sure your nanny is a good fit and is willing to follow your parenting style)
- Your budget
Once you have a clear idea of what you’re looking for, finding a nanny who meets your needs becomes less overwhelming.
Step 2: Start your search
There are many ways to find a nanny. You can:
- Use a nanny agency
- Ask for recommendations from friends and family
- Post a job listing on a website (I used a variety of sites, including Care.com, Nanny Lane, and Sittercity, to expand my options! Every city is different, and I found that there were more options on Nanny Lane in El Paso)
- I posted the job and received some applications. Still, I used a more proactive approach. I searched through all of the nannies in the area. I sent messages with my job posting attached to the nannies I was interested in.
- Many people seek out nannies/sitters in local mom groups on social media. Use caution here, and ensure you are doing background checks and taking the necessary steps to ensure safety!
Step 3: Conduct interviews
My approach to interviews consists of a few steps. (I found this to be the best way to maximize my time and narrow down the options to find the perfect fit for our family.)
- Messaging: During this step, I ensure the potential nanny meets the core needs I determined at the beginning of the process. If they do, I move on to interview step 2; if they don’t, I remove them from my list and keep moving.
- Video Interview: Rather than going right into an in-person interview, I like doing a video interview first to get a feel for the candidate and see how they interact with me. If they could be a good fit, I move on to interview step 3; if not, I remove them from the list and keep moving (again, it’s about saving time).
- In-Person Interview: You can determine what you’re comfortable with in this step. I prefer to meet the nanny in a public place like a coffee shop to see how they interact with me and my child. Others may choose to have the nanny come to their home to meet the family so the child is in their environment.
During the interviews, ask questions to help determine if the candidate is a good fit for your family. Some of the questions I like to ask are:
- What experience do you have with childcare?
- Why do you enjoy working with children?
- How would you handle a child who is misbehaving?
- What are your expectations for the job?
- What do you like to do in your free time?
Step 4: Check references/background and do a trial run
Once I find a good fit, it’s time for reference and background checks! You can never be too careful when allowing someone to care for your child in your home. Most of the sites, like care.com and Nanny Lane, offer background checks at a low cost.
The last step before hiring is a trial run. I have the candidate come over for a few hours while I am home. I can observe how they interact and how my son reacts to the candidate.
Step 5: Make an offer
If you’ve found a candidate you want to hire, it’s time to discuss the terms of employment. I prefer to put this into a nanny contract so it is in writing and the expectations are clear. You can find many templates online and customize them to your needs.
Another thing to note: if you hire a nanny and pay them over the state-allowed quarterly or yearly amount, you will want to get set up as a household employer to pay them legally. Many online services like Poppins Payroll, Savvy Nanny Payroll, and Homepay through Care.com will walk you through the steps to get set up! You can learn more about nanny taxes here.
Finding a nanny or caregiver you trust with your children can be stressful, but if you take the time to follow the steps above, finding a nanny can be a smooth process. With the right fit, you can know that your children are in good hands while you’re away.
Originally published April 2023.
The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of El Paso Mom, its executive team, other contributors to the site, its sponsors or partners, or any organizations the aforementioned might be affiliated with.
