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Our Ideas for Celebrating National Nanny Recognition Week!

9/20/2018

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Ideas for National Nanny Recognition Week

​This year marks the 20th year of the nationally observed Nanny Recognition Week! Since 1998, National Nanny Recognition Week has been celebrated during the last week of September, as a time for families to celebrate the invaluable contributions made by their nannies. It is also an opportunity for nannies to reflect on the importance of the work they do, and celebrate the difference they make in the lives of the families they work for. 

This year, National Nanny Recognition Week falls between September 23rd and 29th. If you have an amazing nanny, now is the time to show them how much they mean to you and your family! Below are some ideas for National Nanny Recognition Week!
Ideas for National Nanny Recognition Week

Five Ideas for National Nanny Recognition Week:

Nannies really do help the world go round! National Nanny Recognition Week is an opportunity to celebrate the important role nannies play in the lives of the families they work for and the wonderful contribution they make in the lives of the children they care for. If you are a parent who employs a nanny, we encourage you to show a small gesture of appreciation to your nanny, to show how much you appreciate them and the contribution they make to your family - nothing fancy needed! These are some of our ideas for National Nanny Recognition Week!

1.  Give your nanny a gift card to one of their favorite places!

Does your nanny arrive every morning with a Starbucks cup in hand? Why not give them a small gesture of thanks for their hard work, by gifting them with a small gift card to Starbucks or a local coffeeshop they love! Or maybe a bookstore, if they're a book-lover! National Nanny Appreciation Week is not about giving a holiday-sized bonus so much as showing your nanny that you appreciate them through a small gift or act of recognition. 

2.  Get the kids to make a special card or treat! 

Ideas for National Nanny Recognition Week
Have your kids put together a special,   handmade card or treat to give your nanny
next week! Your nanny will love this
thoughtful gift, and will be touched that the children took the time to make it themselves. 

3.  Give your nanny an evening off

Why not plan on getting home an hour or two early one night next week, to give your nanny the paid evening off! Let them know in advance that you're planning to cut them loose a little early, as an act of your appreciation for how hard they work. 

4.  Gift your nanny and individual membership to the International Nanny Association 

For a $45 membership contribution, your nanny can join the International Nanny Association, and have the resources and support of a professionally renowned organization. This non-profit educational & professional resource for nannies, serves as an umbrella association for in-home professionals. 

5.  Treat your nanny to a fun night out! 

Ideas for National Nanny Recognition Week
Brooklyn and NYC have so many
fun things for nannies to enjoy on
their night off, but it can be hard
for nannies to justify a night out if
they have a tight budget! Why not
treat your nanny to a gift card to
their favorite local restaurant, or to
ticket vouchers to their local
​Nighthawk Cinema! 


These are just a couple ideas for National Nanny Recognition Week! There's so many ways to show your nanny you appreciate them and all that they do. Share some of your own idea for National Nanny Recognition Week in the comments below! 
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Make the Most of the Back-to-School Season in NYC!

9/13/2018

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Summer has sadly come to an end here in NYC. However, the cooler, grayer weather couldn't be more welcome as we grind our gears back to normal. Say goodbye to sunhats and hello to backpacks, as we head into the back-to-school season in NYC. And while Summer in the City has a nice ring to it, if you're a fan of The Lovin' Spoonful (like us), let's face it - waiting in the hot subway station and the incessant ice-cream truck jingles have gotten old. Fall couldn't have come sooner.

​Back-to-school season in NYC has its own very special charm! The magic of early fall, and the promise of warm drinks, sweater weather, brisk walks in the park are close at hand. While we're in back-to-school mode, and fall is not yet at hand, there's still plenty to do here in NYC! Get out with the kids and take in some of the many goings-on this back-to-school season! 
Back-to-school season in NYC

LOCAL BACK-TO-SCHOOL EVENTS FOR KIDS IN NYC

Back-to-school season in NYC
1. World Maker Faire September 22-23rd at the Hall of Science 
Check out the East Coast's largest celebration of invention, creativity, and curiosity showcases the very best of the global Maker Movement. Get immersed in hundreds of projects and multiple stages focused on making for social good, health, technology, electronics, 3D printing & fabrication, food, robotics, art and more! Single-day and Weekend Passes available.

2.  The 44th Annual Atlantic Antic Sept 23rd - Street Festival down Atlantic Avenue
The biggest street fair in Brooklyn boasts more than a dozen stages of live music (R&B, jazz, rock, country, kids' bands, you name it) and literally hundreds of vendors. There's a whole block dedicated to kids' activities. Past fun has included pony rides, face painting, balloon sculptures, a petting zoo, and more. Grown-ups will appreciate the eclectic selection of international eats, including pulled pork, baklava, and carnival favorites. FREE admission to the street fair, but there are fees for some activities.
Back-to-school season in NYC
3. Little Red Lighthouse Festival  Sept 29th at Fort Washington Park
Celebrate Manhattan's only remaining lighthouse with readings of the eponymous children's book, fishing clinics, live music, food and art vendors, Urban Park Ranger presentations, and activities for all ages! Hear a reading of the classic children's book The Little Red Lighthouse and The Great Gray Bridge and get an up-close, inside view of its inspiration with Urban Ranger-led tours of the lighthouse. Other shoreline fun includes fishing clinics, live entertainment, and on-site food vendors. FREE, but tickets for the tours go fast, so arrive early!

4. The Medieval Festival  October 1st at Fort Tryon Park 
Manhattan's Fort Tryon Park is transformed into a medieval market town decorated with bright banners and processional flags. Performers, guests and festival goers dress in medieval costume. Visitors are greeted by authentic medieval music, dance, magic, and minstrels, as well as jugglers and jesters. The afternoon is concluded with a thrilling joust between four knights on horseback. Costumed vendors will be on hand to demonstrate and sell a wide variety of medieval crafts as well as food and drink. The festival is free -- there are no charges for admission or entertainment. ​​

Have any must-see events for the back-to-school season in NYC? Let us know in the comments below! 
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'Lulu & Leo's Law': Navigating the Potential Consequences for Providing Fake References

8/14/2018

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Earlier this summer, New York Senator Andrew Lanza and Assemblyman Steve Otis together announced a new piece of legislature which could have a profound effect on the childcare industry. The bill which they have proposed to Governor Cuomo essentially serves to criminalize the misrepresentation of a caregiver's qualifications or experience. If this bill is passed into law, not only will it provide much more concrete reassurance for parents who are seeking qualified childcare, it will also serve to legitimize the job market for nannies themselves who could have a greater precedent to demand better working rights as domestic employees.   

This new passage of legislation will hold legally accountable anyone who is applying for an in-home childcare position, or providing a reference on behalf of the individual being considered. In either instance, an individual who is found to have provided a false written statement in support of oneself, or another person, for purposes of securing employment as a caregiver to children in the home, could now be found guilty of a Class A Misdemeanor and face up to 6 months imprisonment. The bill would target those who make false statements about the applicant’s background related to their ability to safely provide care. 

To many, the introduction of such a bill might seem extraneous, something of a given. Unfortunately, this is far from the case. The supplying of false references, and mis-information by nanny candidates is rampant, common practice by applicants who lack actual experience or qualification in the field. For busy parents who do not have the time or resources to conduct thorough background checks and employment verification, these discrepancies fall quietly through the cracks. What is further, however, is that up until this point, there is no legal ramification holding nanny candidates, or fictitious references, accountable for providing false information in pursuit of employment. 

Essentially, right now a nanny who you have hired based on false information, cannot be held accountable for misrepresenting their qualifications in a court of law. The consequences of these distortions of the truth become tragic when, as in the epithetic case of Lulu and Leo Krim, parents hire an unqualified and improperly vetted nanny based on false accounts of experience by the candidate and others. It is the Krim parents themselves who have worked tirelessly in the years since the deaths of their two young children to bring this new piece of legislation into reality. The 2012 murder of their children Lulu and Leo Krim at the hands of their caregiver who had no previous experience caring for children highlighted the need for greater scrutiny of those who seek these positions. 

Assemblyman Otis, stated, "With this legislation, New York law will be clear that misrepresentation of qualifications for caregivers for children is against the law. With accurate information, the safety of families and children will be safeguarded.” Future parents can rest a little easier, when leaving their child in the hands of a hired caretaker, that the individual is who they say they are, and actually has the experience stated on their resume. 

Additionally, this new bill provides that “caregiver” be defined as someone hired to provide fifteen or more hours of care per week in the home of such children or in the home of the caregiver, with the exception of those entities licensed under the social services law. For nannies, the definitional provisions of this new bill could actually be a professional asset. By giving a clear and explicit interpretation to the definition of domestic work, this law could lay a foundation for future legislation regarding caregiver and other in-home roles. Until 2010, when New York became the first state to enact a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, domestic workers existed largely starved of any state-sanctioned workers rights. Even now, the rights for in-home employees are much less comprehensive than for workers of most other sectors. While Lulu and Leo's Law, on the one hand, aims to increase accountability by domestic workers by obliging them to provide factual resumes and references, this increased legitimacy for domestic workers will, in turn, give a greater precedent for these workers to demand certain legal rights from their employers and from the law. Every step to legitimize the scope of domestic work, is a step in the right direction! 


​Unfamiliar with Lulu and Leo's story? Read up on their organization here.

Are you a nanny here in NYC and wondering how the enactment of Lulu and Leo's law will affect you? Get in touch with us and ask us any questions and we're happy to try and answer them! 

Are you ready to redo your professional nanny resume, and make sure its up to par? Check out our previous blog-post on How to Write a Nanny Resume Like a Champ 
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Prepare your Nanny-Family for Back-to-School Season like a PRO

8/5/2018

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Summer, glorious summer is coming to an end, and for us nannies that means one thing: getting the kids ready for back to school!

The coming of the new school year brings with it a wave of panic to parents who are being inundated with back-to-school lists, shopping reminders, activity sign-ups, new schedules, and more. Here's where you, the nanny expert can chime in!

Here are some tips of how to offer your nanny-family a helping hand in taking on some of the many responsibilities that are sure to arise in this busy planning season. Offering to tackle the stress together will be an invaluable help to your nanny-family!
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1.  Securing the Back-to-School Supplies

It is likely the child's school has already provided a detailed list of school supplies that will be necessary for the following year. If you're dealing with multiple school-aged children, print out those lists for side-by-side comparison. That way, you can make a comprehensive checklist of what needs to be bought or ordered. Make note of anything that you will need to buy two of, and do a quick sweep of the children's supplies to see what they already have. Once the list is compiled, head to the stores together to buy the materials (always fun for the kids!) and make notes of anything that will need to be ordered specially from somewhere else.

Don't forget: be sure to check with the parent's before making any purchases for the kids! Have them give everything a once-over first. 
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2.  Cleaning out the Closets 

Back to school season often signals to parents that it's time to switch out some of their child's old or outgrown clothes, and replace them with new clothes for the new school year.
       Give your nanny-family a hand, by offering to go through the child's closet or wardrobe. Chances are you know pretty well which items of clothing are getting too small, or have been worn beyond the point of return. If you're on the fence about certain items, have the children put on a fun fashion show and make sure they actually still fit. 

Don't forget: Put all of the small, outgoing clothes neatly in a labeled bag, and make sure that to give the parent's a chance to go through it, if they prefer. Offer to take any clothes which are still in good condition to a local second-hand store! 

3.  Alleviating the Back-to-School Blues

Often times, heading back to school, or beginning school for the first time, can be a stressful period of transition for your child. Help alleviate some of their anxiety by preparing them early! Bring up the start of the school year now, so they can begin to adjust to the idea. Reassure and remind them how much fun school is, and how great it will be to be reunited with their peers. The week before school, ease the children back into a school-like schedule, if you let things get a little looser for the summer months. Making sure to have meal-times back on track, and some afternoon time devoted to reading or other quiet learning activities will help the children mentally prepare to go back to school season. 

Don't forget:  If you're planning to slowly get the schedule back on track, make sure your bosses are on board as well! If calm afternoons and early bed time is only enforced on your watch, it may be counter-productive. Make sure you are all on the same page about the timing of the phase in.


​We hope these tips help you and your nanny family prepare for the back to school season ahead! 

Have some advice of your own on how to help prepare your charge for the school year ahead? We'd love to hear it! 

Are you a parent looking for a new full-time or after-school nanny for the school year ahead? Get in touch with us! 

​- KITH & KIN
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KITH & KIN featured on Yoga | Birth | Babies Podcast!

7/24/2018

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Last month, our founder, Christa, sat down for a conversation with the founder of the Prenatal Yoga Center, Deb Flashenberg, on her podcast Yoga | Birth | Babies. The episode is called NANNY 101. ​ Shared within it are tips and tricks for hiring and employing a nanny or babysitter, whether temporarily or long-term. It's completely appropriate and helpful for nannies, too! 
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​Have a listen here and catch some helpful gems!


Are you overwhelmed by the thought of how to hire a nanny in NYC?
Have you started the nanny search on your own, but need to run a nanny background check?
We are here to help you.
​Send us an email and tell us about your family's needs - we'd love to help you hire a nanny in NYC, or help you vet your own candidates properly! 
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How to Write a Nanny Resume Like a Champ

4/2/2018

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          We here at KITH & KIN often get some very well qualified nannies, but their resumes are either incomplete, or not up to date. But what if you've never written a superb and professional nanny or housekeeper resume before? We're here to help! 
How to Write a Nanny Resume
          Finding a new nanny job in NYC can be a daunting endeavor. There will be a lot of highly experienced, ready-for-anything nannies vying for that amazing position. When you’re up against dozens of other competent nanny candidates, families and agencies will often not even consider candidates who don’t have a professional nanny resume. Having a polished, professional nanny resume is the very best way to ensure that you will get your foot in the door past that first hurdle, and onto an interview.
         When working with kids, it’s okay to have a little more fun on your resume than you might in other job fields - but you want to make sure that you’re still keeping it professional and always including a few key pieces of information.


​Here are our tips to help you create the best professional nanny resume to help you stand out!

STEP ONE:  Begin with a Clear Layout.

          A good resume is visually straightforward. Your name should always be at the top of the page, in a clear easy-to-read font. Underneath should always follow whatever contact info you feel comfortable sharing. We recommend listing only your current home city and state and your preferred email address. Some candidates will include a job title directly beneath their name, which read something like “Childcare Professional” or a jazzier “Modern Day Mary Poppins”. Totally up to you! Think of your résumé more like a CV (curriculum vitae) - one page may not be enough to cover your experience, so feel free to scrap that old "one page only" rule.  
  • Do you have more experience beyond a nanny or housekeeping positions? Don't be afraid to have two or three separate headings, if need be.
  • "Nanny Experience" for nanny-specific positions, and "Other Childcare Experience," or, "Teaching Experience," is appropriate for childcare settings, teaching experience, or volunteer positions.
  • If you have other work experience that is unrelated, say in retail or food service, you can create another heading that says, "Additional Work Experience," to make up for any gaps in your employment, just know that these will be verified.

       Beneath each subsection you will want to outline each position. Here, indentation is key. Your layout should be visually clear, making use of whitespace and implementing a clear font. Bullet points and differently weighted font will make all the difference.

STEP TWO:   Who are You?

​Start off your resume with a brief description of your skillset. Here is your opportunity to let yourself shine!
  1. Create a heading that says something like, "Introduction," or, "Background". Place under this heading a one or two sentence introduction where you can briefly state what your qualifications and personal values are, what you are seeking in a position (temporary, long-term, part or full time, etc.).
  2. You can create a second heading that says "Special Skills," if you have anything that sets you apart. Are you skilled in baby sign language? Do you know how to prepare specialty meals? Have you studied, lived, or worked abroad? Do you have a high-level of schedule flexibility? Put it here!
  3. Make a third heading that states something similar to, "Education," or, "Education and Trainings," if you have additional specializations. This may also be put at the bottom on the résumé.  Here you may list your achievements such as degrees or coursework, CPR/First Aid certifications, INA Basic Skills Assessment, and any additional trainings or further education in childhood development.  NOTE: If you don't have a full degree, do not state that you do! Instead, write, "Coursework toward xyz degree" and the date.
How to Write a Nanny Resume

STEP THREE:   Position Details - Clear and Complete.

 ​                                             Household Experience
For each and every Nanny or Housekeeper position you have held we always recommend listing your relevant positions in reverse chronological order (most recent at the top). When listing your childcare experience be sure to include:
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  1. On one line, state only the last name of the family, if permitted (no first names), and the city and state job was located
  2. Month and year of start and end of position: be specific to give a clear picture
  3. Specify whether full or part time; long-term, or temporary
  4. ​The number and  ages of children when you started (ex: "3 month old and 4 year old at start of position")
  5. Bulleted list of duties, with between 2 to 5 bullet points, condensing where necessary (avoid the paragraphs - one sentence per bullet will do)
​                       •  Use the bullet points or indentation to give a quick description of each childcare position, for instance “Responsible for the full-care of their infant son including: bottle feeding, naps, diapers, tummy time, and laundry” or “Assisted with after-school care for two children ranging from travel between activities, homework help, dinner preparation, and bedtime routine”.
​                       •  Be specific without writing an essay. If you were taking on tasks such as arranging playdates, or scheduling for the gardeners to come, this can be described as “Activity planning” or “Arranging household maintenance”. No task is too small to consider, it’s just a matter of presenting it as an employable skill! 
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                                                       Other Experience
​For positions outside of nanny or housekeeping, feel free to follow to same basic structure. Some parents will appreciate seeing that you’re a fully rounded human, with professional experience outside of your nanny background.
     While we don’t recommend including every part-time hostess job you’ve ever worked, it could be to your benefit to include certain outside experiences. For instance, summer camp positions with kids can show a sense of your ability to be active, and manage a group. Even retail and hospitality positions can give evidence to your personable disposition and people-skills.

      And this goes without saying, but these likely be verified by an employer as well, so be truthful, as always.

STEP FOUR:   Discretion! 

  • Especially when applying to a position through Craigslist or some other mass sourcing location, you do not know to whom you are actually giving your name, phone number or full address. Leave that off - you can simply put your city and state. 
  • For references, hold your past employers' privacy in high-regard: write, "References available upon request." Do not put their full name, full address, phone number, or email anywhere on your résumé if they have not given you permission to distribute that.​

STEP FIVE:  Save an Editable Resume

The biggest mistake we see is when a candidate has a resume, but needs to add, remove, or edit experience on the document, but has no way to do it, and has to start all over. Beware of companies promising to build you a resume if it is not yours to edit forever. What's the point in spending all this time making an awesome resume if it's going to be invalid in a year? 
​

There are two places from where we recommend building resumes:

1. CANVA, for some fancy, visually stunning goodness
2. Good ol' Google Docs using their template builders (see our example we built below)
      You need to have an account with each of these services, but first, it's free, and second, you can save it forever and edit it whenever you want over the years! Once you finish your degree, you can change "in progress" to "graduated". If your boss moves away and you just finished your position, change "currently employed" to the month and year it ended. The bottom line is, 
​keep your resume editable and accessible. ​

Here is a sample resume we have built. Note how have a visually clear and detailed resume works wonders - the viewer actually wants to review it. 
How to Make a Nanny Resume
How to Make a Nanny Resume

We hope this helps you in your quest to presenting yourself as a professional, polished, and competent caregiver. Happy job hunting!

How to Write a Nanny Resume
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Kid-Friendly March Activities for NYC Families

3/1/2018

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 With March here at last, it's time to say goodbye to the winter blues and welcome the warmer weather by getting out to some of the many family-friendly activities in NYC this month. Daylight Savings Time this month means you might lose a little sleep, but on the bright side there are longer, sunnier days ahead and lots of ways to enjoy them with your kids in tow. Of course, St. Patricks Day is the big event on everyone's March radar, but if you're looking to avoid the crowds, here are a few more family-friendly March activities in NYC we can recommend! 

Family-Friendly March Activities in NYC:

Family-Friendly March Activities in NYC

1. Children’s film festival - Weekends in March 
During weekends in March, the Children’s Film Festival welcomes over 25,000 young people, parents, and movie-lovers to explore the world without leaving NYC. Presenting the best new animation, live action, documentary, and experimental film from across the globe, the NYICFF shows new, inspiring, and thought-provoking films about youth from all around the world, suitable for children and families. Check out what’s playing near you, you’re sure to find something the kids will love! 
New York International Children’s Film Festival


2. Jiggy Tots Irish Movement Class - March 8th 
Looking for a kid-friendly alternative to the St. Patrick's Day Parade, that still celebrates the Irish heritage of this March holiday? Introduce your toddler to Irish dancing with this class, developed with ages 2-5 in mind. Kids will work on their motor skills, coordination, and creativity with activities that include not only dance but also educational games that teach counting and colors. Combining traditional Irish ditties with toddler favorites, this is sure to get your toddler up and moving. Free on 4pm at the New York Public Library. 
https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2018/03/08/jiggy-tots


3. Luna Park Opening Day - March 24th
Did you miss those special trips to Luna Park over the long winter season? Don't miss opening day at Luna Park this season. While the beach won't open until Memorial Day, ring in Spring with a family outing to NYC's largest amusement park. All the park's established rides and attractions, both thrilling and tame, will be open—even the water rides. BONUS: Following tradition, the first 100 visitors score a FREE ride on the Cyclone.
http://lunaparknyc.com/events/opening-day/


4. Women's Empowerment Festival - March 24th and 25th
The Children's Museum of Manhattan celebrates equality, empowerment, and talent during this year’s Women’s History Month with kid-friendly film and animation workshops, art installations, and interactive storytelling. Look for workshops on the amazing women directing the biggest movies today like Patty Jenkins, director of Wonder Woman, and Ava DuVernay, who is directing A Wrinkle in Time, as well as readings from Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls.
http://cmom.org/event/womens-empowerment-festival/

Have any family-friendly March activities in NYC that we missed? Let us know in the comments below! 

​- KITH & KIN
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Insider Tips for Screening your New Nanny Hire

2/20/2018

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To safely hire a new nanny (or even an assistant, or housekeeper!) is a serious undertaking, and should be handled with a certain extent of scrutiny and attention to detail. Your new hire will be working intimately in your home and with your children - so it's important to make sure that you have verified peace of mind before you bring someone on.

      You may have heard a recent horror story, in which a New York City family returned home to find their new hire had systematically robbed their home of various furniture and possessions while the family were at work and school, after calling in sick and hiring movers to empty the house. While this story is extremely rare, there are lessons to be learned from this, and certain precautions that we would always recommend in order to screen your new nanny or any in-home personnel. While working with our nanny agency, there are certain built-in verification standards to which we hold all of our candidates. However if you are undertaking your search for a new employee on your own...

        Here are a few insider tips on how to safely hire a nanny to ensure that your new hire has been properly vetted and can become a trusted role in your home. 
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1.  Validate Candidate's Identity

​    First, validating identity is essential. We would highly, highly recommend using a legitimate background check company to do this. An identity verification can often still be run with a foreign passport. In the case above, all the IDs provided by the nanny were fake, but this was only realized after the crime was committed. With today's technology, telling a real from a fake ID can be harder than you'd imagine for the untrained eye. Hiring an outside company to assist you with a background verification will ensure peace of mind.
       Our nanny agency offers nanny candidate background checks a la carte for clients all the time, as do several other NYC nanny agencies, to best help you safely hire a nanny. Even if you aren't using the agency's services for your recruitment search, they often will still offer background verification as a standalone service, at a relatively inexpensive cost.  
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2.  Verify the References' Personas and Get (a bit!) Nosy

       Second, verify references and get in depth with them. Always try a Facebook, Google and LinkedIn search of a reference provided: does absolutely nothing come up? Search their phone number or email into Facebook and Google, and see what name (if anything) corresponds. A fake reference is always a friend or family member of the person themselves, and will likely show up among their Facebook friends. [Though as a note: some high-net worth individuals will not show up in a Google search, so if possible try to get the partner or spouse's name as well when requesting references from the candidate].
      When you do get a hold of a reference, take note of the person's tone and cadence. How do they sound? A real reference will state the facts and have specific examples; a fake reference will sound like a salesperson speaking in very general, broad, and overly positive terms.
       Also, have your candidate's resume in front of you on the call, and get nosey, as if you know nothing. Ask what the details of the position were, and how old their children are presently (a real parent will know this information automatically without having to quickly do math). Ask what neighborhood they live in and cross reference with the resume. Ask why the position ended and see if it lines up. Not every reference will be open to discussing a ton of details, especially if it ended due to the family's personal matters. We recommend trying to speak to a minimum of 3 people, which will give you a chance to notice any patterns that might emerge.
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3.  Have a security camera.

       Our last bit of advice is to install at least one visible security camera in the apartment or on the outside of your home before you leave your in-home caretaker for the first time. We highly recommend that it is visible so that your employee knows of it's presence. While voice recording is illegal in some states without express two-party consent, a soundless video camera is acceptable. because informing the caregiver about the camera first  
        Alerting the caregiver to it in advance will build a relationship of openness and trust, and will break any possible tension or hurt they may feel if they had found it on their own. Imagine your partner was spying on you, and what emotions that would bring up. A nanny may similarly feel the same, as this person is, in a way, a partner and co-parent in your family. 
         Telling your employee upon hire about any cameras you have in your home also allows you the opportunity to put it back on yourself: "We have it for our apartment's security, but also because I just miss my baby in the day!" Most caregivers understand that to many families, safely hiring a nanny means a "nanny-cam;" and they may be completely fine with the presence of a camera if it's not secretive, and because they also know it can protect them in the event they are accused of something. The majority of nannies only really take issue with a camera when it is used to micromanage and critique their practice in real-time.
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Are you looking for background verification services to make sure you hire a nanny safely? 
Check out our services on our website.

Have any wisdom of your own for how to verify a new nanny hire? 
Let us know in the comments below!
​- KITH & KIN
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February Activities for Kids in NYC

2/14/2018

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Valentine's Day has come and gone, but there's still plenty going on before this short month is over! February may be the shortest month of the year, with the worst reputation for those who suffer from winter blues, but here in NYC, it's impossible not to find fun and exciting reasons to leave the house. There's no shortage of activities for you and the kids to enjoy together this February. The days are getting longer at last, so bundle up the kids and make the most of them! 
​
We've put together a few of our favorite February activities for kids in NYC below:
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February Activities for Kids in NYC:

 
 Lunar New Year for Kids
February 16 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm at the China Institute

Do your kids have off from school for the Lunar New Year? Not sure what to do with them? Join in in celebrating the Lunar New Year public school holiday with a free day of fun for the little ones. Activities include storytelling, chinese lantern making, traditional snacks and games, and a Chinese acrobat! They’ll love learning more about this special day, and joining in in the celebrations. 
https://www.chinainstitute.org/event/lunar-new-year-kids/



 
President's Day Storytime and Crafts for 3-6 Year Olds!
February 16, 2018, 10:30 am at the Mount Vernon Hotel

What’s Presidents Day all about? Get the kids engaged and informed about this special holiday by bringing them down to the Mount Vernon Hotel, Museum and Garden for a special Presidents Day event. Bring the little ones for storytime to hear all about our Presidents!  Listen to funny stories about George Washington and Abrham Lincoln, and then make president’s stove pipe hats afterwards. Free for kids and caregivers!
 http://www.mvhm.org/?events=storytime-2




 
Saturday Art Workshop: PATTERNS, PATTERNS, PATTERNS!
February 17, 2018 at the Scandinavia House

Each Saturday morning, Scandinavia House presents arts and storytelling for children. The Saturday morning art workshops invite children to work with Nordic themes in the Halldór Laxness Library, including exhibition-related workshops for The Experimental Self: Edvard Munch’s Photography. This Saturday, they’ll take a look at Scandinavian patterns and discuss their properties and origins. We will then create handmade stamps, which we will use to make our own motif on textiles. Ages 5+ are welcome. Join in for a day of creative expression!
http://www.scandinaviahouse.org/events/saturday-art-workshops-2-copy/



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​Children’s film festival
February 23 - March 18, 2018 at participating NYC theaters
 
During four weekends in February and March, the Festival welcomes over 25,000 young people, parents, and movie-lovers to explore the world without leaving NYC. Presenting the best new animation, live action, documentary, and experimental film from across the globe, the NYICFF shows new, inspiring, and thought-provoking films about youth from all around the world, suitable for children and families. Check out what’s playing near you, you’re sure to find something the kids will love! 
https://nyicff.org/

Have any ideas of February Activities for Kids in NYC that we forgot? Tell us about them in the comments below! 
​- KITH & KIN
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The Top 3 Ways to Instill Values Into Children

1/15/2018

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The word "Values" gets tossed around a lot. Our values are our deeply held beliefs, but more than that, they are the way in which we respond to others, ourselves, and the place from which we strive to operate in this world. 
​   We as an agency also take our values seriously, seeing if our candidates will be a great reflection of our core values to our clients. We often ask this exact question in our interviews with our candidates and clients:
instill values into children
What would you say are the top 3-5 values you hope to instill in a child so that they may carry them into adulthood?

Here are three simple rules to live by to help instill values into children in your care.

1.  Toss out the old adage, "Do As I Say, Not As I Do".
        Be aware that your child sees everything you do (scary!), the good and the not-so-good. You may tell them to be patient, kind, and understanding, but if they don't see this, they won't practice it. For example... 
  • How do you react when someone messes up your order?
  • What subtle shifts in your behavior happen when walking behind a person who is distractedly text-messaging?
  • How do you speak about other people in front of them, and what does your tone, judgments, and assumptions about the other person indirectly tell your child is an acceptable way to approach a situation?
  • Do your children regularly see you taking care of yourself, exercising, eating with decent nutrition, reading a book, or working hard in your job?
2.  Extend your values to them as well.
       A lot of parents and nannies would say that they want to teach a child to respect others, forgetting that the child is also someone who needs to be shown patience, kindness, understanding, and forgiveness and respect, too! The best way to instill values into children is simply by letting them experience what it feels like to receive these things.
  • Demonstrate your respect for their individuality by giving them warnings before transition times, or letting them pick the order of activities they like, or tasks that must be done. Make sure they have space in the home where they may continually work on a project, like their figurines, Legos or block building, without having to clean it up every time. (Ex: "We need to get ready for swimming in 15 minutes, so I will give you one five minute warning when it's time to put down your book.")
  • Show them understanding by listening and responding to their cries, even when you are firm about your demand. (Ex: "I hear that you don't want to put on your shoes. It is hard sometimes to get ready in the morning! But times is up now, and we need to get moving together.") This isn't to say don't exercise a boundary or enforce what you need them to do -- just to say that you understand they are upset. Sometimes being understood is all a child needs to feel your love and cope with discomfort.
3.  Admit your mistakes.
       Don't be afraid to own up to a misstep. No one is perfect, and to not admit when you've done wrong may lead to your child feeling that they have to hide their mistakes from you for fear that you may reject their error. 
  • If you snapped at them and lost your patience as we all do, apologize for it, and say that even grown ups make mistakes. You can always restate that you still expect them to listen to what you say, but that next time there may be a consequence without you losing your temper.
  • If they feel disrespected because you need to rush them out the door, explain why -- maybe you overslept or weren't feeling well, or maybe they just didn't listen to your "Time's up" warnings, and the consequence was that they had to stop at an inconvenient moment. 
  • Model "openness" in an appropriate manner: it's so much easier for a child to be open with you about their struggles if you are also modeling that openness, too. 

Values look different to each family and caregiver.
      Of course we all want our children to be high achievers, and have fun in life. We of course want them to be forgiving and kind, and we want them to also be assertive and stand their ground when it's time. We all want them to be respectful, and we want them to also recognize their right to being respected.
The trick for us to successfully instill values into children is finding where the balance lies within in each family.
​You want to make sure your caregiver is aligned with these values, and give them wiggle room to do things a little differently than you would. This is where great communication comes in handy!

Are you unsure about what your family's values are, or think you may need a tune up?
Here are some great resources you may want to investigate.
- "The New Family Values"
- Priceless Parenting
- Roots of Action
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