Archive for November 2015
TLC for Kids Celebrates 30th Anniversary
With a large staff of screened nannies and babysitters, parents can count on TLC for finding both full-time nannies and as-needed sitters for daytime, evenings, weekends, overnights and more.
Stephanie Graff and her sister, Sharon Graff-Radell, started TLC because they wanted families to have easy access to high caliber, one-on-one childcare when they need it most. “We offer peace of mind and take the stress away from busy families. Some of our clients use TLC three or more times a week and some only call us when their kids are sick, school is closed or their regular sitter can’t make it,” explains Stephanie Graff, TLC for Kids President.
Nowadays families may turn to online services to find nannies and sitters, but those are not always a safe or convenient way to find childcare. TLC offers a safer and more personal approach.
Families today don’t have time to comb through online matching services to find a needle in a haystack, then check references and run a background check to figure out if that one person will be available at 6 a.m. when their child is sick. TLC handles all of that for their clients.
The women who work in the TLC office understand the concerns of parents. They, too, have families, juggle children, work, etc. They make sure to get to know the preferences of the families they work with to quickly address their needs. Families don’t have to take the time to browse through random profiles. TLC’s recruiters personally interview and screen each candidate to facilitate the perfect match. “At TLC, we get to know our nannies and our clients so that when your family is in need, we will send an experienced caregiver who will give you the peace of mind you need,” Stephanie promises.
TLC not only locates caregivers for families, but also for daycares, preschools and religious organizations and special events.
“There is a misconception that it is expensive to use an agency. Using TLC will save you a lot of time and energy. For a $20 agency fee, an experienced, vetted caregiver will come to your home to care for your children. You make one call to TLC and we take care of the rest. It’s that simple,” Stephanie says.
TLC has recently since expanded to Florida where they service Miami, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Orlando, St. Petersburg and Jacksonville. TLC can even provide its St. Louis members with a screened sitter when they vacation in one of these areas.
In addition to full and part-time nannies, temporary sitters and newborn care, TLC offers housekeepers, tutors, household managers, personal chefs, adult care, house sitters, pet sitters and even drivers. They also have qualified and experienced staff to take care for a range of special needs.
“From time to time, we do receive some unusual requests. Recently we had a family call us because they needed a caregiver to sit for 8 hours with their dog who was recovering from surgery. We have also cared for children at venues while their parents perform and recently, we had a client who requested someone to drive her son and his friends to a school dance and to the events afterwards,” Stephanie said. TLC’s mission has always been to help make life easier for families by providing excellent care. So whatever the need, they’d love to try and help. For more information on services, pricing, and to get started, you can visit the TLC website at tlcforkids.com or call and speak with them directly at 314-725-5660.
The Best Apps for Nannies
There is an app for that! New technology and apps aren’t just for fun – 
some new developments are incredibly useful for families and nannies. Here are just a few favorites from TLC for Kids:
HiMaMa helps parents keep track of important moments they might otherwise miss. Nannies and parents alike can take pictures or videos and share them with each other, and with anyone else in their child’s life. It’s like a private Facebook just for keeping track of the child’s special experiences! If a family has relatives who don’t live nearby and like to get updates, or if they miss their child when the nanny is on-duty, this app is a great way to stay connected.
Cozi will keep you on track when the family becomes just too hectic to keep track of. This app is an easy and free family organizer which allows you to record and share schedules, activities, chores, and more. When a family and nanny share this app, they’ll not only stay on top of everything that’s going on but will be better aware of what’s going on in a child’s life that may affect their behavior or needs.
Babysitting Pro allows nannies to calculate and record pay, set notifications for tasks they need to complete, and update parents about their children’s activity with notifications and daily summaries. This must-have childcare app streamlines the process of communication between caregivers and parents, so that everyone is on the same page about the children’s needs and nothing falls through the cracks!
Do you have a favorite app you use for nanny and babysitting jobs? Tell us about it and we can add it to our list!
What to Pay Your Babysitter
Finding a babysitter is a rite of passage for parents. It often means that YOU are ready for a night out with your spouse or friends without having to bring along your arsenal of diapers, wipes and an extra change of clothes. It’s not easy to find someone you trust to watch your most precious possession— your kids. When you find someone the question then becomes how much do I pay her?!
Paying your babysitter a fair wage is important because it lets your sitter know you value her services and helps to ensure her interest in coming back. I often get asked what is the typical rate to pay?
At TLC for Kids, we have a minimum set rate of $12/hr . TLC sitters are experienced, CPR certified caregivers who have completed high school. Many have college or childcare coursework behind them. They also have their own transportation and come ready with books, games, puzzles and fun activities. TLC Sitters will arrive on time and ready to play!
When you have a newborn the minimum rate at TLC changes to $14/hr. If you are asking for extra housework or have more than 3 children the rate can go up to around $15/hr. This may seem like a lot, but keep in mind that it’s a small price to pay for security and peace of mind. A sitter who is making a fair wage likely takes her job seriously and relies on the income to help pay for extra expenses for college or is supplementing her income.
Parents looking for a “mother’s helper” or high school student pay a different rate. I’ve found that younger sitters typically make $8-10/hr. While a younger sitter might not be able to sit for a super late night, during a weekday, or offer sick care, she can still offer some much needed help. I’ve known of a mom or two to hire a high school student after-school and go for a jog around the block or hide out in her bedroom for an hour to unwind.
Hiring a babysitter even for a just few hours can help a frazzled mom recharge and that’s worth its weight in gold!
Available Childcare Jobs with TLC
Looking for a job where you can use your childcare experience? TLC has a job for you! Working through a nanny agency doesn’t only mean full-time nannying with one family. No matter what job you take on, we can offer you a competitive salary, hours and benefits that work for you, and guidance throughout the process with your resume, application, and other paperwork.
Here are just a few of the ways you can help out at our agency:
- Permanent Nanny: caring for one family’s children on a long-term basis
- Temporary Nanny or Babysitter: on-call any days you are free to help out for a day, an evening, a weekend – whatever works with your schedule!
- Hotel Sitter: assist out-of-town visitors looking for childcare assistance in your area
- Tutor or Homework Helper: certified teachers help kids learn any subject K-12 or in higher education
- Housekeeper or Personal Assistant: helping out in homes
- Adult Companion: there to provide non-medical care or household assistance
- House- and Pet-Sitters: taking care of houses and/or pets when families go away
- Newborn Caregivers: qualified to provide care for babies daytime or overnight(caregiver is required to say awake)
TLC can help you to figure out what type of work best suits YOUR skill set, experience, and needs. For an idea of what we’re hiring for right now, check out this page, apply here, and/or contact us! We’re so excited to meet and work with you.
Reliable Florida Hotel Babysitters!
Vacations are a lot of fun for everyone. Kids love traveling to new places and seeing all the cool things a different city can offer. If you are traveling to Miami there are so many fun places to go with your kids. Check out some of these family friendly attractions:
The Miami Museum of Natural Science , Miami Coral Castle Museum, Miami Metro Zoo, Miami Seaquarium and Jungle Island.
For kids one one of the best things about vacation is the hotel. I don’t know why but, most kids LOVE the idea of staying in a hotel for a few days.
Parents, however, can find the hotel room a little cramped. After a long days and nights of sight seeing parents can use a night away from the hotel and a little time to recharge.
TLC For Kids can help. Our Miami office offers hotel babysitting in Fort Lauderdale, Miami and the Palm Beaches! Our hotel sitters are fun, reliable and screened. They will come to the hotel with games and activities for the kids to do while parents enjoy an evening out.
Visit our website to complete the hotel registration form. TLC recommends booking your sitter prior to your arrival but last minute requests are welcome.