Concerns about childcare are one of the most stressful considerations for new, first time working parents. Research into childcare options begins early in pregnancy, if not before! Looking at your lifestyle and schedules through the prism of childcare options is a daunting endeavor.

Is a nanny really the best choice for your family?

Many families use the term babysitter and nanny interchangeably - they just don't see a distinction. To the professional nanny - whether she has formal training or not - it is a big deal! Why?

As a parent, keeping your children safe and happy is very important.  You also want to build a strong relationship with them and discipline them in ways that teach them respect and appreciation for others, as well as themselves. The same goes with the nanny you hire. A good nanny does more than show up on time and keep the child safe: she is united with you in your parenting and works to cultivate a strong relationship with your child.

Raising children can be difficult at times and no matter how great the relationship is that your nanny has with your kids, conflicts are bound to happen every once in a while. When they do, how do you respond? Most of the time, the factors that are most frequently at work in a conflict situation are:

Mother's Day is right around the corner, and many working mothers acknowledge that their nanny, a true helper to the whole family, plays an important balancing role for mom in her day to day life. Our Mother's Day gift is this discussion on how a mom (or dad) can have a great relationship with the family's nanny.

When you’ve found a household employee that you and your family loves and trusts, it’s a wonderful feeling. Soon, you can start relying on this person to take care of things in your absence. But, if this means that you start asking for them to work more hours during the week or on the weekends, you should know the facts about overtime versus banking hours.

Tie their shoes. Make their beds. Prepare breakfast or lunch for themselves. Load the dishwasher. Laundry. These are all essential to-dos for children to learn. Are you teaching them these kinds of responsibilities or just doing it for them? Or, is your nanny doing most of the work rather than teaching the kids essential life-skills while she’s on duty?

Once you find the perfect nanny for your family, it is important to put to use some strategies that can help establish boundaries and keep your family happy and protected. Even the most well-meaning nannies can unintentionally overstep boundaries, so make sure you set the ground rules early on. Here’s how:

Summer is a wonderful time of year that your kids are probably really looking forward to. There’s nothing like a little fun and relaxation during the warm summer months, but for you, it could be the opposite. Your schedule likely doesn’t slow down once summer rolls around and it may even be causing you some anxiety thinking about trying to scramble to find reliable childcare while you’re at work. Day camps, relying on friends and family to serve as babysitters, and taking vacation time will only go so far. The short term solution: hiring a summer nanny. Your kids will be happy to have someone to hang out with and you’ll have a stress free summer season because you won’t have to figure out childcare on a week by week basis. Here are some other perks of hiring a summer nanny.

Finding the right caregiver for your family can take time. Once you’ve found the perfect person for your family, now comes to the work of maintaining a great working relationship. Here are some helpful tips on how to manage a caregiver relationship.