This much is clear of life at home: You’re exhausted, overwhelmed and stressed beyond belief. It’s time to employ the services of a nanny.

By Leigh Boriskin

Long gone are the days where bread-winning fathers coupled with stay-at-home mothers were the norm. When the man of the house would arrive home promptly at 6 to a piping hot dinner, well behaved children and a sparkling clean paradise, all courtesy of the woman of the house.

Today’s typical family hails from a decidedly different corner of the spectrum. With both parents holding down demanding careers, both out of necessity and by choice, and children juggling a laundry list of commitments beyond school, it’s little wonder that the need for outside help — specifically, full-time nannies — is in high demand. At the most recent count, in 2006, nearly 1.4 million nannies were employed in the United States. That number, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, is projected to increase 18 percent by 2016.

But much like the families that employ them, the responsibilities of a nanny have evolved in recent years to include far more than looking after the kids when mom and dad aren’t around. The typical workweek for a nanny, according to the International Nanny Association, ranges from 40 to 60 hours. During that time, duties may include helping children with their homework; driving them to-and-from school, after-school activities and play dates; getting dinner for the family started or even cooking the entire meal; and cleaning the house. Today’s nanny has morphed into the second-string mom or dad.

Where to start
If you and your significant other have become relegated to bumping into each other at your children’s Saturday morning soccer games, you likely have reached the point where it’s time to make an addition to your family. And I’m not talking about another kid.

Whether you choose to go the live-in route or not, hiring what is essentially a third parent is a process that must be approached with the utmost precaution. We’ve all seen the episodes of Oprah and Dateline where a seemingly innocent nanny turns a family upside down. (Not that I’m trying to freak you out, but it could happen.)

So, how do you find the perfect nanny for your family? For one, do not post an ad in your local newspaper. There exists a plethora of nanny agencies who are capable of looking as far and wide as you prefer to produce a crop of potential candidates according to your specifications.

In Bucks County and the Philadelphia region, three such agencies, A Nanny on the Net (www.anannyonthenet.com), Premier Nanny Services of Bucks County, LLC (www.premiernannyservices.com) and, Philadelphia magazine’s Best of Philly selection as Most Reliable Nanny Agency, the Philadelphia Nanny Network (www.nannyagency.com), are reliable resources.

Wendy Sachs has owned and operated the Philadelphia Nanny Network for the last 25 years. Experience, she says, working with young children outside of their own is one of three key criteria she advises parents to use to help narrow their search. The other two: Being able to communicate well with the parents and understanding a child’s needs. Instead of posing a question that can only be answered with a yes or no — “Do you want lunch?” — frame it in such a way that enables the child to gain a sense of independence — “It’s time for lunch; would you like to have a bowl of soup or a sandwich?” A detail like that is the litmus test in the world of nannies.

Where agencies like Sachs’ have a clear advantage over a couple attempting to search on their own is that they have the resources to conduct multi-layered screenings of candidates. “We don’t just look at one screening mechanism or two; we look at all the pieces of the puzzle, which is really critical,” Sachs says. 

The Internet may prove to be a useful tool in the early going, but it is by no means intended to be the only one used. One of the greatest pitfalls of online nanny searches, Sachs says, is outdated databases. “If a nanny has an arrest record from a year or two prior, it may not have been recorded as of yet,” she says.

Close to credentials
So, you’ve found some potential nannies who relate well to both you and your kids. Time to start scrutinizing. What sort of credentials should you expect of your nanny? The trouble is that there’s no nanny license, no official certification that shows that a nanny excelled in a course on managing a household. But that does not mean that nanny certification programs do not exist. 

The Houston-based, nonprofit International Nanny Association (INA) was founded in 1985 in an effort to professionalize the industry. Today, it serves as a one-stop resource for nannies, agencies and employers, offering mentoring and training programs for nannies, as well as a credential exam. The 90-minute multiple choice test measures a nanny’s knowledge of a range of appropriate areas, from child development and communication to management skills and nutrition. 

Though the exam is hardly official, it’s nonetheless a sound measure of a nanny’s skills. Membership in an organization like the INA is a good indicator, too, of a nanny’s professionalism and willingness to adhere to a certain industry standard. But it’s not an accurate measure of ability. Your accountant may be up on all the latest trends because he’s a member of a handful of accountant groups, but that does not mean he necessarily knows how to use them. Ultimately, use it to help guide your decision, not form it.

You may feel a tad uncomfortable at first with the notion of leaving your home business — specifically, your children — in the hands of another, a stranger, nonetheless. But you simply need to adjust your perspective. Bringing in someone to help does not make you any less of a parent. Hell, with a dramatic decrease in stress and time to form a coherent thought, you may actually become a better one.