Posts Tagged ‘nannies’
Summer Safety Tips for Children with Special Needs
Summertime safety is a big concern for most parents, simply because many children get long breaks from school and are either home all day or with a caregiver. During the school year, it’s comforting to know your child is safe in a classroom with a competent teacher, but during summer months, it can be difficult not to worry. When your child has special needs, that worry is magnified tenfold.
It takes a little planning, but it is possible to have a relatively stress-free summer along with your child. With some preparation, communication, and careful planning, you can figure out a way for your child to be safe and have fun at the same time. Here are some of the best tips.
Summer Nanny
If your child will be with a nanny during the day, it’s important to maintain communication with them at all times and let them know what to expect at the beginning of each day. If they’ll be taking your child outside the home–to a park or playground, for instance–you might consider making a visit there first to check out the equipment and to see what sort of surfaces there are. Playgrounds with mulch are much preferable to those with gravel or concrete.
Keep a contact list for the nanny with detailed instructions on what they need to tell a first responder about your child’s medical needs should an accident occur. This includes any allergies, your child’s official diagnosis, and any medications they are taking.
Make sure to communicate to the nanny that being well-rested is important when they are spending time with your child. The benefits of a good night’s sleep are invaluable, whereas too little sleep could negatively affect their ability to function rationally and quickly.
Outdoor safety
Teaching your child how to be safe outside is imperative for summer months, and this includes water and pedestrian safety. Educating them about crosswalks, how to look both ways for vehicles, holding hands before crossing, and staying away from parked cars will go a long way in giving you peace of mind when they aren’t with you.
For water safety, consider enrolling your child in a swim class. Many children on the autism spectrum love the feel of water, so it’s especially important to teach your child how to stay safe when swimming. Always drain kids’ pools after use and consider installing motion sensors near in-ground or large above-ground pools if you have a child who wanders.
Always have your child use a helmet and knee/elbow pads when they are using any equipment that moves, such as a bike, scooter, or roller skates. Make sure the helmet and pads fit well and are in good shape.
Watch the heat index
Many children with special needs have a decreased tolerance for heat, so it’s important to follow the weather reports and prepare. Dehydration can occur quickly and with little warning, but some signs to look for are headache, nausea, cramps, dry mouth, irritability, fatigue, and few trips to the bathroom. Urine will be dark in color. If your child has any of these symptoms, get them into a cool, shady spot immediately and give them water to drink. A cool washcloth on the back of the neck can help if one is available.
Summer can bring lots of things to think about, but with a little bit of planning and good communication, you can make it a fun time for everyone involved.
TLC for Kids has caregivers who have experience working with children who have special needs. To learn more about TLC for Kids visit the website at tlcforkids.com
Thank you to our guest writer Sean Morris!
Sean Morris is a former social worker turned stay-at-home dad. He knows what it’s like to juggle family and career. He did it for years until deciding to become a stay-at-home dad after the birth of his son. Though he loved his career in social work, he has found this additional time with his kids to be the most rewarding experience of his life. He began writing for LearnFit.org to share his experiences and to help guide anyone struggling to find the best path for their life, career, and/or family.
The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.
Family Travel: Traveling With Kids
Family travel is something most families do throughout their years together. Traveling on vacations is often an annual tradition families have. From the time your child is 
born, it is likely you will take him or her on trips to see family members, theme parks, and even just one day drives. While safety is often the first thing parents consider when traveling with their kids, keeping them happy and busy along the way also adds to the success of the trip.
Safe Travel Tips
Safety is the most important factor with children traveling. Family travel should always been done with caution paid to safety above anything else. Here are some tips to keep everyone safe.
• Insure everyone is using proper safety belts and car seats throughout the trip. It’s tempting to loosen the belt for long trips, but high speed accidents on highways are common during the summer months.
• Be sure that the driver gets enough sleep and that parents are able to stay alert not only in the car but also on airplanes and buses.
• Keep items out of the car that could be choking hazards for small children. Travel games often have small pieces and are meant for older children. The jarring of a car can easily cause these to slip down the child’s throat.
• Be sure everyone knows where to meet if for any reason the group is splitting up. Cell phones are a good communication device and the responsible person’s within each group should have one.
• Talk to your children ahead of time about the risks of strangers and who to talk to if they do get lost. For family travel to be fun, everyone has to remain safe.
Family Travel Things To Do
When it comes to being on the road or in a plane for an extensive amount of time, busy kids are happy ones. Parents can do a number of things to keep kids active and busy so they don’t become overwhelmed with the long trip.
• Pack snacks. Kids are hungry every few hours and snacks are the best way to keep them quiet. Prepackaged items are sold in individual sizes, but you can also choose crackers, grapes and other small foods and place into small bags. Juice boxes and bags travel well.
• Pack an activity bag. For younger children, these goody bags can be a surprise for once you are on the road. Load them up with small toys, coloring supplies, stickers, and other activities you know they will enjoy. Don’t let them go into the bag until they are on the road.
• Pack things to do in backpacks. For older children, keeping them busy will help to cut down on your stress. Handheld games, video games, a deck of cars and travel size games can work very well. Include a few comic books, a magazine or even a book they want to read.
Many of today’s ultra fun activities for the car are in the form of technology. Portable game players, tablets, and movies are sure ways to keep everyone busy. Download the latest songs, movies and books. Challenge each child to a photo scavenger hunt using a camera or phone camera.
Family travel is often best when everyone on the trip is looking forward to something that interests them. When there are two completely different opinions, cater to both. For example, if you are traveling to an area where there is a lot of camping and wilderness hiking, and one child does not care for this, find out if there’s a local show or museum nearby they may like to stop in during the trip.
Traveling with kids is enjoyable when you plan ahead. Take the time to talk to your kids about the trip alerting them to the length of the drive. While traveling at night is not always an option, this is also a good way to cut down on the boredom factor. Many kids are happy enough with a few things to do and the conversation of the parents to keep them busy. Make this a trip that everyone enjoys by sharing stories, ideas and thoughts in an open forum. Everyone will feel welcome and happy before, during and after the trip.
The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.
Summer Nannies Are Here
When Spring Break hits parents start thinking about summer and summer childcare.
TLC for Kids can help you with your summer childcare needs. We have wonderful nannies that are interested in securing work for the summer. Hiring a nanny is the best option for Atlanta, Nashville, Memphis, Chicago, Charlotte, Florida and St. Louis families’, whether you are looking for full-time or part-time childcare.
Hiring a summer nanny from TLC is like having your very own camp counselor! Summer nannies will schedule fun parent approved outings for the kids like going to the amusement park, swimming, museum, bowling, play groups, the zoo and more. TLC summer nannies will also do tutoring over the summer so that your kids are on track for their upcoming school year.
Since we have so many nannies available, we are able to offer our registered clients substantial savings on a summer placement. Give me a call to discuss discounts for full-time, part-time, and long term temp (up to two months) placements.
Click on our summer nanny parent application to start your search. If you have any questions please give us a call.
And don’t forget we have great babysitters available for weekends, days, and evenings too.
Already have a summer nanny? For each referral you send us you will earn credits toward upcoming TLC services.
Happy Spring!
The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.
Top 5 things to do with Kids in and around Miami in the Spring
We’ve rounded up our top favorite things to do around Miami during the Spring. What’s your favorite? 
- Visit the Miami Children’s Museum: The Miami Children’s Museum is a great place for kids to learn and play. With interactive exhibits like the Castle of Dreams and the All About Art exhibit, there’s plenty for kids to do and see.
- Explore Jungle Island: Jungle Island is a wildlife park and botanical garden that’s perfect for families. With over 300 species of animals and birds, there’s something for everyone to see, plus fun attractions like the zip line and petting zoo.
- Go to the beach: Miami is known for its beautiful beaches, and Spring is a great time to visit. Take the family to South Beach, Crandon Park Beach, or one of the many other beaches in the area for a day of sun, sand, and fun.
- Visit the Miami Seaquarium: The Miami Seaquarium is a must-visit for families with kids. From the dolphin show to the sea turtle exhibit, there’s plenty to see and do. Plus, kids can even swim with dolphins or sea lions!
- Check out the Wynwood Walls: The Wynwood Walls is an outdoor art museum that’s perfect for families who love art. Kids will love the colorful and unique murals, and parents will appreciate the art history and cultural significance.
These are just a few of the many activities available in and around Miami in the Spring. With so much to do, there’s never a dull moment in this vibrant city!
The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.
Top 5 things for parents to do with children in and around St. Louis in the Spring
We’ve rounded up our Top 5 favorite places to visit this spring in and around St. Louis. What’s your favorite? 
- Visit the Missouri Botanical Garden: The Botanical Garden is a beautiful place to explore in the Spring, with over 79 acres of stunning garden displays. There are plenty of activities and events for kids, including scavenger hunts, butterfly releases, and interactive exhibits.
- Explore the St. Louis Zoo: The St. Louis Zoo is a great place to take kids of all ages. They have a wide variety of animals to see, and many exhibits are interactive, such as the stingray pool and petting zoo.
- Go to Grant’s Farm: Grant’s Farm is a historic landmark and a fun place for families to visit in the Spring. It’s free to enter and explore, and there are plenty of things to do, such as feeding the goats and seeing the exotic animals.
- Take a ride on the Gateway Arch Riverboat: Enjoy a scenic boat ride on the Mississippi River and take in the sights of the Gateway Arch and St. Louis skyline. Kids will love the adventure of being on a riverboat, and parents can relax and take in the views.
- Attend the St. Louis Science Center: The Science Center is a great place to take kids who love to learn and explore. There are plenty of interactive exhibits and hands-on activities that make learning fun, plus a planetarium and an OMNIMAX theater.
These are just a few of the many activities available in and around St. Louis in the Spring. With so much to do, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!
The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.
5 Fun Ways to Make Your Easter Egg Hunt Exciting for Kids
Wanting to make your next Easter Egg Hunt fun for the kids? Check out these five ways to make your next hunt something the kids will enjoy!
- Glow-in-the-Dark Easter Egg Hunt: Paint the Easter eggs with glow-in-the-dark paint and hide them in a dark room or outside at
night. Give each child a flashlight to help them find the eggs. - Puzzle Piece Easter Egg Hunt: Hide puzzle pieces inside each Easter egg and challenge the kids to find all the pieces and put the puzzle together.
- Scavenger Hunt Easter Egg Hunt: Create a series of clues or riddles that lead the kids from one egg to the next until they find all the eggs.
- Color-Coded Easter Egg Hunt: Assign each child a specific color of egg to find, and only hide that color egg in their designated area. This makes the hunt more challenging and competitive.
- Treasure Map Easter Egg Hunt: Draw a treasure map with clues that lead the kids to the hidden Easter eggs. Kids will love following the map and finding the treasure at the end.
These are just a few fun ways to make Easter egg hunting more exciting and engaging for kids. Be creative and have fun!
The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.
Creatively Entertain Kids At Home
When hiring a babysitter to supervise their kids, parents don’t want someone to come over and watch TV. They want a sitter who will interact and play with the kids. If you do a good job and you and the kids have fun the parents will request you back next time. 
“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from series learning. But for children, play is series learning. Play is the work of childhood.” Fred Rogers
Here are a few ideas you can do next time you are babysitting.
- Play dress up: collect fun hats, jewelry, clothing and props for the “dress-up box.”
- Play cards and board games: don’t forget favorites like Hi Ho Cherry-O, Old Maid, Go Fish, Checkers, etc.
- Have a puppet show: make puppets out of lunch sacks and construction paper.
- Dance: turn up the tunes from Sesame Street, Radio Disney, and Wee-Sing for a toe-tapping good time.
- Make jewelry using yarn and a variety of pasta shapes. You can paint them too.
- Paint a shirt, hat or tote bag using fabric paint.
- Have a treasure hunt hide things around the yard or house and have the children find them.
- Make musical instruments use spoons, pots and pans, paper towel rolls, paper plates and dried beans… and MARCH!
- Build a “fort” using boxes and old blankets.
- Make homemade holiday cards cards will all be more special when made by the little ones.
The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.
Top 5 Nanny Sites You Should Be Following
The nanny world is full of resources and information for nannies, parents and agencies. We’ve pulled together 5 of our favorites that we think you should be checking out for the information they provide.
- Nanny Magazine. This is the only publication for nannies featuring advice, industry news, insights and inspiration. They offer free articles and a subscription with subscriber only content.
- International Nanny Association. The longest running nanny organization serving the in-home child care industry, INA bring together all aspects of this industry – nannies, newborn care specialists, parents, agencies, training programs and service providers. With Recommended Practices for Nannies to the INA Nanny Credential Exam, the INA has it covered. Check out their resources for Parents and their annual conference, happening May 2023 in Orlando.
- Sproutable provides continuing education for nannies and parents including Positive Discipline, and guidance from newborn to teens.
- Nanny Care Hub. NCH is the site of industry advocate and veteran nanny Lora Brawley. Check out the blog of General information, Parenting and Nanny Life.
- Practically Perfect Podcast. The musings of two veteran nannies, Lora Brawley and Sue Downey, they bring hot topics in the industry straight to listeners everywhere.
The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.
Help! I’m a Nanny and Didn’t Get a W-2
At this time of the year we often hear from nannies with questions about taxes. If you are a nanny and haven’t received a W-2 from your employer, here are a few things you can do:
1. Ask the family if they’ve prepared your W-2 and when you can expect it. It’s entirely possible that the family got busy and completely forgot to prepare your W-2, or they didn’t realize the deadline was January 31. Also, if you recently moved and didn’t update the family with your new address, they could have mailed it to the wrong place.
2. If you discover the family isn’t going to provide a Form W-2 because they didn’t withhold or pay taxes last year, remind them that failing to handle the “nanny tax” obligations is extremely risky (felony tax evasion with expensive penalties) and denies you several important benefits. They may think that nanny taxes will be very expensive, so it’s worth letting them know that tax breaks for childcare expenses can offset most – if not all – of their employer tax costs.
3. Don’t accept a Form 1099 from the family in place of a W-2. This form is for independent contractors only. This is important to you financially because independent contractors have to pay the entire FICA tax liability (15.3%) whereas employees only have to pay half (7.65%). For a caregiver making $30,000 per year, that’s a difference of $2,295! It not only hurts your pocketbook, it’s also risky for the family. The IRS has ruled definitively that nannies should be classified as employees and families that misclassify their employee as an independent contractor are subject to tax evasion charges.
4. If the family simply refuses to give you a W-2 prior to the April 18 tax reporting deadline, you’ll be forced to file Form 4852, which is the substitute for Form W-2. Filing this form can trigger an audit for the family, but as a last resort, it’s the only way to legally report your income to the IRS. The form and instructions for filing it are available here.
Thank you Regardingnannies.com and Stephanie Breedlove for sharing this helpful information.
The Benefits of A Nanny Work Agreement
Like any other relationship, good communication is vital to having an effective nanny/parent-family relationship. To avoid any miscommunication, TLC Family Care suggests creating a work agreement, or contract, for both the nanny and family to agree to.
But what does a work agreement include?
Agreed upon salary: After you and your nanny have agreed on a salary, it should be clearly stated in the work agreement. This salary should include a description of paid holidays, how many allotted sick days your nanny has, and how many vacation days also. It should also include how sick days and vacation days will be handled. How much notice is needed for vacation days? Will vacation days be paid or unpaid? Will sick days be paid or unpaid? Whatever you decide should be defined in the agreement to avoid any conflict.
Job description: To ensure quality work, your nanny needs to know what is expected of her. In your agreement, you should write out a detailed description of what her daily duties include. Written clear expectations give you something to refer back to if responsibilities aren’t completed.
Employment reviews and raises: Let your nanny know how her work will be evaluated and how often. Will it be a discussion every two weeks, will it be a written review every month, or will it be a bi-annual evaluation? Once you figure out the mechanics, add them to your work agreement. Your work agreement should also include whether this is potential for raises and bonuses.
Termination: Although hiring an in-home caregiver feels much more intimate than most jobs, it is important to remember they are still a household employee. In the work agreement, you should outline clear steps to what happens when you or the caregiver is ready to terminate the position. How many weeks notice do you need from the caregiver if they decide to leave? If you choose to fire the nanny, will it be on the spot or will you give her notice? If so, how much notice? Once you figure out what is comfortable for you to do in this situation, define it in the work agreement.
As you can see, a work agreement will set the tone for the job and assure that everyone is on the same page.
The professionals at TLC Family Care personally assist nannies, babysitters and families in St. Louis, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, Miami and Orlando to find the right childcare arrangement. Our mission is to provide a safe and personalized approach for families and caregivers to connect with each other that is not an internet search. TLC has worked with families, nannies, sitters, newborn care providers, and tutors for over 35 years and looks forward to working with you! To find great nanny and babysitting jobs visit us at tlc@tlcforkids.com or Call 314-725-5660.