Tag Archives: Family

Getting Kids on a Routine

Is it tough for your kids to transition from summer’s lazy days to school’s rigorous schedule? It is for mine. 

I wanted to come up with a way to get everyone acclimated so it was not such a struggle. To help get my kids on a routine, I write out an agenda or schedule of sorts for them to follow the next day. Some may call this micromanaging, but if they don’t have a to-do list they are completely lost at home over the summer.

Each of my kids get an index card with a schedule and it looks something like this:

• 7:30 am – Wake up, eat breakfast, make bed and pick up room
• 8:30 am – Brain exercises
• 9:30 am – Outside play (basketball, pickle ball, ride bike, go on a walk/hike)
• 11 am – Snack time 
• 12 pm – Lunch
• 1 pm – Read and practice multiplication (my husband offered them a treat if they know their times tables by end of summer)
• 2 pm – Kid’s choice (they play board games or cards)
• 3 pm – Video games (reward time)
• 4 pm – Swim 

As the day goes on, they cross items off their index card and feel a sense of accomplishment! Do they get off course, yes, but at least it provides them with some guidance throughout the day.

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted & FULLY VACCINATED on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the Tri-state & Dallas areas). Contact us today to hire.

What Moms Are Doing for Childcare Over Summer

We talked with some of our Bell Family moms to see what they are doing for childcare this summer. Read below and get inspiration for your summer childcare plan.

Still looking for childcare help this summer? Reach out to us and we’ll work with you to find the childcare coverage you need!

Mandy, mom of 1

I have my kiddo enrolled in full-time summer camp at the YMCA over the summer to keep him busy during the daytime. The camp is great — it has a new theme every week and a bunch of his school friends also attend. We’re sure to get in at least one family trip to the lake over the summer where we hire a BFC Travel Sitter to help and that’s a savor!

Lindsay, mom of 3

This summer will kick off with some local science and sports camps and a part time summer nanny to help me tag team the shuffling from activity to activity. After camp is complete, we are road tripping to Nashville to say howdy to my husband’s alma mater, then to Washington, D.C. to see my sister and her family. Next, we go to Ohio for 4 weeks to work on Grandpa and Grandma’s farm. The kids will have their morning brain exercises, daily chores, lots of play and cousin time, then off to Michigan for 1 week to celebrate Grandpa’s 70th birthday before we start the journey back to Texas. Once we are back home, I will have sitters help me tag team the remaining few weeks to run errands, plan activities and swim!

Hannah, mom of 2

My 8-year-old daughter is enrolled in camps this summer. She is going to Girl Scouts, guitar camp, soccer camp, and YMCA camp. Luckily, I work from home so on the days I don’t have something lined up, she will be home with me. My 2-year-old son will split time in daycare and our part time nanny because I could not handle him solo while I work at home.

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted & FULLY VACCINATED on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the Tri-state & Dallas areas). Contact us today to hire!

BFC Family Helpers Can Do That!

Not enough time in your day? Feeling overwhelmed? Want more time to do the things you love NOT what you have to do? 

Read what our amazing Family Helpers can do for you:

Household & Home Organization

  1. Meal & snack prep: Washing, cutting fruits/vegetables, gathering all ingredients, storing foods properly, etc.
  2. Housesitting: Checking the mail, turning on lights, receiving packages, watering plants, etc.
  3. Family schedules: Inputting school, work, extra-curricular, church, family outings in google or outlook calendar
  4. Service & repair: Scheduling of contractors and sitting at apartment/house while work is being done & ensuring project completion
  5. Tidy service (in between housekeeper visits): Wipe down counter tops, empty dish washer, swifter/dust buster
  6. Laundry: Wash, fold, put away, pack away, etc.
  7. Decluttering: Old toys, books, family items no longer in use
  8. Pack & unpack boxes or travel bags

Errand Services

  1. Grocery pick-up & delivery
  2. Dry cleaning & wardrobe alternations
  3. Personal shopping & returns 
  4. Pick up & drop off assistance for appts 
  5. Mail services: Shipping & returns 

On-Site Management (at birthday parties, weddings, business functions & family gatherings)

  1. Door greeters
  2. Kid zone monitors & childcare providers
  3. Management of check-in table
  4. On-site coordinators
  5. Other event staffing: Serving, set-up & breakdown

Senior Services

  1. Doctor visit attendance
  2. General companionship
  3. Pharmacy pickup 
  4. Travel escort: Vehicle & air travel 

Seasonal

  1. Seasonal shopping & gift wrap
  2. Decorating: Set up, breakdown & storage​

Looking to hire a BFC Family Helper, Sitter or Nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted & FULLY VACCINATED on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!

Your Family Vacation Survival Kit Is Here!

We asked a BFC mom of twins for tips she’s learned while traveling and planning her family vacation. Here’s a top 10 list to help guide you on your next family adventure!

  1. If driving or flying have lots of snacks, drinks, games, coloring and some shows downloaded on a device in your back pocket. My kids love to play the license plate game on road trips, which includes looking for license plates from various states and making it a bingo game!
  2. See if the hotel you’re staying at has a Kids’ Club (and then maybe change the hotel if it doesn’t ;)). Review the itinerary of the Kids’ Club with your kids to determine if/when they want to go to make it exciting! 
  3. Research the area you’re staying and have each family member write down the top 5 things they want to do. Review with the family and cast a vote to identify the top 3!
  4. Research and book restaurants that guarantee a kid’s menu.
  5. Check with a hotel or concierge if there are sitter services available for a date night — even better, book a BFC Travel Sitter to help! Then the kids can enjoy a fun night of room service and movies.
  6. Always look for the game room in a hotel or if you’re doing a property rental check to see if there are games there.
  7. Identify where the nearest doctor and pharmacy are in case of a last minute need.
  8. Review what hotel activities are available (bingo, pool activities, games) and make a list with the kids of some of their top ideas they want to do in a day.
  9. Bring toys or treats to add an element of fun each day. Something for the pool, the beach or outdoors that can go along with the theme of the day.
  10. If the kids meet friends while away re-establish the idea of a penpal

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted & FULLY VACCINATED on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!

Household Tips to Change the Way You Organize

Organization is everything! This includes both home organization and the daily organization of schedules and routines. Sometimes we don’t realize that children crave structure, but have no idea how to ask for it. Organization and structure is calming because they know what to expect next. As most of us learn throughout our lives, we all like some organization and structure. So as you can imagine, children live their lives wanting this with no language for it! For the everyday, try to think of ways to keep things calm and organized, even if things feel overly structured at first. For small children (through approx. 10 years old), this will have a calming effect. Routine can sometimes feel like it’s getting old to parents, but routine is everything for a child.

This also applies to keeping your household items and toys organized. Believe it or not, a huge mess stresses out a child, too! When the home is picked up, clean and organized … children tend to actually behave better because they have a sense that things are under control. Try to build moments into the day when everyone can do a group pickup so things don’t get out of control. A great trick is to sing “the cleanup song” – either your version, or the famous one we all know and love.

Whatever organization routines that you strive for – anything helps toward the goal of creating that zen in your life that both you and your children (secretly!) crave.

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted & FULLY VACCINATED on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!

Your Ultimate Lake Vacation Travel Guide

Take advantage of the warm weather while it lasts by gathering the troops and heading to the lake! Bell Family teammate and blogger, Mandy, writes about her experience with her family at Chautauqua Lake in New York and shares tips on best times to visit, where to stay, things to do and more! Check out the recap below and read the full write up on her blog.

Need help with the kiddos on your next family trip? Hire a Bell Family Travel Sitter to tag along and make the trip a breeze!

Where to Stay

  1. The Hotel Lenhart – Bemus Point – Owned and operated by the same family since 1880. This hotel is old, if you prefer lots of modern amenities it may not be for you.  
  2. Hotel Athenaeum – Institute – Located inside the Chautauqua Institute, this is a beautiful historic hotel with access to all the Institute has to offer.
  3. Webbs – Mayville – This long-time hotel features an on-site restaurant, indoor pool, and a few shops onsite.
  4. Chautauqua Harbor Hotel – Celeron –  This newly built hotel offers a restaurant, bar, and swimming pool.
  5. Chautauqua Visitors Site – You can also check out this site for cottage rentals around the lake as an option. 

Things To Do

  1.  Chautauqua Marina A great place to rent equipment for all of your water activities.
  2. Midway State Park – A small amusement park that’s been open since 1898, this is a must visit if you have kids (or love acting like a kid).
  3. The Lawson Center – A historic marina turned boat museum, this is an interesting stop.

Places to Eat

  1. Andriaccio’s – For Italian or pizza around the lake.
  2. The Village Casino – What used to be a bath house, is now a restaurant right on the water in Bemus Point. You can dock your boat right out front, and have food delivered to you, as well as dine in or on the front deck.
  3. Andriaccio’s – For Italian or pizza around the lake.

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted & FULLY VACCINATED on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!

What BFC Families Are Doing to Keep Kids Active This Summer

Struggling to find activities to keep the kiddos busy this summer? It can be challenging from going to fill a couple days a week to an entire week with entertainment. We talked with a few BFC families to see what they are doing to help keep the kids active, engaged and learning this summer. Here are their plans.

Mandy, mom of 1 (preK)

Our family is kicking off summer by hitting the road and having some (not too far) adventures in our hometown state of Texas. You can be amazed at the fun you can have at places nearby rather than traveling hundreds of miles across states. Plus, gas savings is a huge plus! We just went camping for a night next to a river where you can swim, and in July, we are heading to a small resort in Texas Hill Country that has a couple of pools and river access. Finding water activities during a Texas summer is a must!

We also enrolled our child in camp at his PreK/daycare this summer where they do art, lots of reading, and water activities. 

Lindsay, mom of 3 (baby to elementary)

To fill our long summer (May-August) our kids are keeping busy with a few big items. In June we have “Cousin Camp,” when we hire two sitters for the 10 days that my sister and her kids visit. We clean out the garage and have a theme each day along with lots of activities around that theme. Afternoons are spent in the pool with lots of screaming!

Once that concludes School Camp begins. My boys are signed up for 9am-3pm M-F and will be busy with lacrosse, swim, biking, legos, basketball, science, magic and more!

In July and August we will be road tripping up north for lots of grandparent and cousin time. The boys will spend their days on our family’s small farm building their independence and confidence by taking care of the cattle, harvesting and weeding the garden, bailing hay, mowing the grass, cook-outs, camping and spending lots of time with grandpa doing chores outdoors.

Dana, mom of 2 (early elementary)

Our summer is kicking off with a couple of fun, local camps. First there’s Swim Camp and then Golf Camp, which both help keep the kiddos active and engaged with other kids. Next up, we are taking a road trip to New England for a nice change of scenery and a bit of cooler summer weather, followed by an amusement park adventure.

We also love to visit our local library to check out new books to read at nighttime before bed and explore nearby parks for playgrounds, biking trails, etc. for weekend adventures!

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted & FULLY VACCINATED on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!

7 Household Employment Trends to Watch for 2022

In a recent article published by GTM Payroll & HR, they uncover what household employers can expect this year when it comes to employing someone to work in your home (e.g., nanny, housekeeper, in-home senior caregiver).

1. Tight nanny job market: The demand for in-home childcare is unprecedented and does not seem to be slowing down. Nanny placement agencies say in-home caregivers are in extremely high demand calling the job market “highly competitive.” Others say they are experiencing a shortage of candidates with nannies seeing their rates increasing by $2 to $4/hour.

For families, this means not only offering a competitive rate but also presenting themselves as desirable employers. In our recent survey of nannies, working for a trustworthy/ethical family and the personality of the family were more important to them than the rate of pay.

2. Popularity of nanny shares: In a nanny share, two or more families hire a caregiver who will look after all the children in one of the family’s homes. It can help families save on the cost of in-home childcare and provide similar socialization benefits as a daycare for your children, while your nanny can make a little more than their usual rate for a single family.

3. Rising minimum wage rates: Half of U.S. states are boosting their minimum wage rates at some point in 2022. It is important for household employers to check the rate that applies to them as their nanny’s hourly pay could quickly become a wage violation. Paying below minimum wage and not accounting for overtime hours are two of the easiest ways families fall out of compliance with nanny tax laws.

4. Following paid sick and family leave laws: In some states, it can just be a set amount of paid leave you need to offer your employee. In other locations, like New York; Connecticut; Washington D.C.; and Massachusetts among others, payroll contributions to state-run paid leave programs are required from employers and/or employees.

Check with your state’s labor agency to see what paid leave requirements you may have as a household employer.

5. Filing your 2021 taxes: A couple of things may be a little different this tax season if you provided paid sick or family leave for pandemic-related reasons through the American Rescue Plan. In 2021, offering paid leave was voluntary but employers can still take the same dollar-for-dollar tax credit. Also, waiting for COVID-19 test results, obtaining a vaccine, and recovering from the effects of vaccination were added as qualified reasons.

On your employee’s W-2, you will need to indicate the amount of paid leave in box 14. Then on Schedule H, you will reconcile the paid leave provided as well as your employer tax credits.

6. Contribution limits adjusted for 2022: Several contribution limits were updated for the 2022 tax year including:

  1. Dependent Care FSAs return to $5,000 for married filing jointly and $2,500 each for married filing separately
  2. QSEHRA: $5,400 for individuals and $11,050 for family coverage
  3. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): $3,500 for individuals and $7,100 for families
  4. Retirement Plan: Up to $20,500 in employee contributions to a 401(k) and $14,000 into a SIMPLE 401(k)
  5. Qualified Transportation Benefits: $280 for community and $280 for parking
  6. Student Loans: Employers can provide up to $5,250 tax-free toward a worker’s student loans

7. Another increase to the nanny tax threshold: The employment coverage threshold for household employees gets another small boost to $2,400 in 2022. If a domestic worker meets or exceeds that threshold, Social Security and Medicare taxes must be paid by the family and the employee.

Click here to read the full article from GTM.

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted & FULLY VACCINATED on-demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!

BFC COVID-19 Protection Plan

What steps is Bell Family Company taking to protect caregivers and families? Every family has a different set of rules, preferences and precautions. We will ask the family for what makes them feel most comfortable and communicate that to each caregiver. We will also communicate any questions or requests from the caregiver to the family.

Best practices that caregivers and families are taking:

  1. Washing hands thoroughly for at least 30 seconds with soap and warm water upon entering a home and throughout the duration of the job.
  2. Wearing masks in any public place at all times including commute, entering and exiting a building, around other people in a close setting, etc.
  3. If the caregiver is requested for an on-demand babysitting job she will wear a mask during the entire appointment. We ask that families and children over the age of 3 that the caregiver is in close contact with also wear a mask.
  4. Carrying disinfectant wipes and ensuring that they wipe down all surfaces that they come in contact with on the way to work (i.e., car door handles, building doors, stroller handles).
  5. Being advised not to shake hands with anyone.
  6. Ensuring they take off shoes at the front door or outside family home; some are leaving coats at the door or bringing a change of clothes separate from what they wore commuting.
  7. Keeping a safe distance of 6 feet from others when able.
  8. Advising the caregiver and family to have a call to review all Covid precautions so that everyone is aware of one another’s comfort level (prior to the caregiver’s first time in the family’s home).

Bell Family Company asks each caregiver and family the following preliminary questions before a babysitting appointment, nanny trial or first day of long term employment:

  1. Are you able to share if you or anyone in your immediate household has had a fever above 100.4 in the past 72 hours? 
  2. Are you or anyone in your immediate household currently sick with any NEW Covid symptoms (i.e., headache, fever, chills or sweating, new or worsening cough, sore throat, runny nose/congestion, loss of smell or taste, shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, aching throughout the body, vomiting or diarrhea) or any other unusual aches or pains?
  3. Have you or anyone in your immediate household been within 6 feet of anyone who has been confirmed to have Covid in the past 14 days?
  4. Would you be able to share if you or anyone in your immediate household have traveled anywhere within the last 30 days? If yes, where? Was it via plane, train, subway or car?
  5. Have you or anyone in your immediate household tested positive for Covid within the last 10 days?
  6. Are you or anyone in your immediate household awaiting results of a Covid test?
  7. Are you able to share what your current Covid precautions include? 
  8. Is there anything else you can tell that would help protect you or the family?

Disclaimer: The information and guidance provided in this document is believed to be current and accurate at the time of posting, but it is not intended as, and should not be construed to be, legal, financial, medical, or consulting advice.

Resources: CDC: COVID-19 | COVID-19 Resources for Household Employers | Employing Household Workers During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Faq: Get to Know Bell Family Company & NY Nanny Center

Bell Family Company (BFC) is a women-run company with an established reputation for quality, excellence and care. Each childcare provider has been carefully selected through our unique screening process and on-going CPR and educational training.

BFC’s sister company, NY Nanny Center (NYNC) places the highest priority on children and childcare. The center is based on the concept that excellent childcare can best be provided in an environment where nanny and family are well matched, where each is respected and valued by the other and where each understands the needs of the other.

Ready to learn more? Read our FAQs below and contact us today to find your best matched childcare provider!

How do you conduct your social media checks?

We do tell the nannies that we will be preforming social media checks. We perform those by spending time scanning google and social media including Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to make sure they have profiles that are acceptable to our standards. If we come across any activity that is not appropriate we will not proceed with accepting this childcare provider.

How many references do you contact? And how do you contact them?

We always attempt to get the most recent references to list first on the childcare provider’s profile. But because certain family’s lives are hectic, that is not always possible; some move away, some are private and do not want to provide a reference, some are going through person family situations and are not able to give a reference at that time. In those cases, we move on to the next year/employer, etc. If a childcare provider doesn’t have three childcare references, we permit them to give us a character reference, which is someone that has known them a long time (but not family). If a childcare provider only has two references total, we will accept these two on a case by case basis.

References are checked by our in-house, 10-year vetting veteran who was also an educator for 30 years and a mother of 5 girls. For consistent nanny work, she verifies references via phone call at which time she discusses the nanny’s work, etc. For on-demand sitter work, she will email the references to complete our reference form. If a given reference is only available via email, she will contact them to complete & submit our reference form. If a candidate originally joined our agency as an on-demand sitter and later applied to be a consistent nanny, that candidate will have emailed references only in addition to a long standing reputation at our company. In this situation, our agency can re-attempt to contact these references with a call at the request of the family.

Where are your nanny placement services available?

We place full time live in or live out in all cities across the U.S.

Our agency is based in Manhattan offering our full list of childcare services to the Tri-state area as well as select cities across the U.S. For a map of cities, click here.

What is the difference between a sitter and a nanny?

A sitter is used for occasional on-demand sitting, date night, daytime fill ins, weekends, etc. To book an on-demand sitter click here.

A nanny is one person who commits to a set schedule for a consistent duration of time.  To start your nanny placement process click here.

Do I have to have a referral to get into your agency?

We love referrals!

Ask any member family of Bell Family to refer you. They simply need to log onto their profile & click on ‘refer a friend’ to submit your name and email. You will get an email shortly after with a referral code to enter here!

If you do not yet know a member of Bell Family, click here and submit how you heard about us. A member of our team will review and be in contact with you.

How do I apply?

All families and nannies are required to apply with Bell Family Company.

FOR FAMILIES: Click SIGN UP on our website, fill in your basic info and submit. You’ll receive an email immediately after asking how you heard about us. We’ll then send you instruction to fill in your entire application.

FOR NANNIES: Click here to apply.

Do you have a membership fee?

Yes, we charge a $500 membership fee upfront to begin your nanny placement process. For a long term placement (anything longer than 3 months in duration), the amount is applied towards the final balance of the placement fee. Members have full access to ALL childcare services including emergency back up care, our 24/7 concierge program and more. For a list of membership benefits click here.

 How long does the placement process take?

It depends on the complexity of your request. If you are looking for an on-demand babysitter, that could take only minutes for us to place.

If you are looking for a full time long term nanny,  that takes on average between 3-5 weeks. However, we move as fast as the family does. If a family needs a nanny placed next week we can do that too.

When do I begin reviewing nanny profiles?

Once you’ve completed your family application and signed the nanny placement agreement we can start your nanny search immediately.

We develop your job conditions based on the consultation that we have with your family and begin sourcing right away. Typically we can send nanny candidate profiles to review within 48 hours.

Can I interview the nanny candidates?

Yes, always. After you review the nanny profiles and select who you would like to proceed with we offer a number of ways to get to know the nanny candidate better:

1. Virtual Phone, Zoom, Google Hangouts, Facetime interview.

2. In-person interview.

3. Meet & greet between the sitter and the family (note meet & greets are paid hourly).

Your nanny coordinator will handle all logistics with the interview and send a confirmation email so everything is clear. If you need to modify the any aspect of the interview, contact the nanny coordinator and the nanny candidate directly with an update.

Do you offer nanny trials?

Yes, we are happy to offer paid trials with your nanny candidates. The family shall pay the nanny via credit card on our agency’s online platform upon completion of each trial day at the following rates: $23 per hour for 1 child, $25 per hour for 2 children, $28 per hour for 3-4 children. For trial engagements conducted with non-local candidates the Client is also responsible for covering all accommodations, travel and food for the non-local candidate.

How do I cancel or reschedule my nanny interview/trial?

To cancel an interview/trial please reply all to your confirmation email as soon as you are aware. Make sure your nanny coordinator is on the email and aware of the situation. If you’d like your nanny coordinator to make all updates, contact her directly.

Do I need to reimburse the nanny for travel during the interview/trial process?

For any travel outside Manhattan or Brooklyn the family is responsible for providing travel reimbursement to the nanny candidate during the interview and trial process.

During COVID-19 or bad weather families will typically offer to pay round trip car fare so that the nanny can commute safely to the family’s home.

How do I pay for your services?

Once an offer is made and the nanny has accepted we will send the family an invoice for the total placement fee due. The fee will be charged in full per the credit card we have on file on the day that the nanny commences employment.

I’m ready to make an offer, how do I do that?

Before you make the actual offer to the nanny, NY Nanny recommends to all of our families to use some kind of Nanny/Family Work Agreement to outline the duties, hours, responsibilities, expectations and compensation package. This will serve as a guide to keep the position clear and both parties accountable for their roles. You can use any Nanny/Family Work Agreement you prefer or pull from ours. We ask that the family provide us with a copy of the agreement once complete. If you choose not to, our agency will need the information in an email so we have confirmation of the scope of the nanny position etc.

The nanny/family contract is not a legally binding document; its purpose is to simply state the roles, duties, compensation and expectations of both parties.

What is the difference between full and part time?

FULL-TIME (FT): A full-time nanny in the NYC metro area works between 40-60 hours/week. 

PART-TIME (PT): A part-time nanny in the NYC metro area works under 39 hours a week.

Please make sure you know the state domestic worker NY Domestic Worker Bill of Rights regarding overtime pay, workman’s comp, disability, minimum wage and required time off.    

Can you help negotiate my offer to the nanny?

Yes, we’d be more than happy to assist in negotiating your offer between you and the nanny. If you have questions about taxes, Payroll, etc. we can also recommend a great source for you to speak to before you make an offer.

 Are all your nannies CPR trained and have proper immunizations?

We highly encourage all of our nannies to be CPR trained. We host training seminars at our HQ for Adult, Child & Infant CPR in partnership with the Fire Department of New York. If a family requires the nanny they hire to be CPR Certified through the American Red Cross or another organization the family will need to reimburse the nanny for all costs associated. We can assist in booking your nanny for any additional classes or courses you require.

RE immunizations every nanny candidate is different. We will communicate any immunization requirements upfront to the nanny candidates in the job conditions and communicate that information to the family to ensure all your needs are met.

Our agency offers a number of other informational training programs throughout the year. For more information contact us.

Can my nanny do housekeeping?

Nannies are mainly focused on the children they are caring for and anything that relates to the children (i.e., school drop-off, pick-up, light tidying, meal prep, laundry for the children, occasional errands and shopping). Typically nannies are not housekeepers.

Who can I ask payroll, tax and benefits questions?

We have a long standing relationship with GTM Payroll Services. You can utilize any payroll service you prefer, but if you’d like to have a free consultation with GTM, just ask for Matt and mention our agency referred you. They will be happy to speak with you.

GTM Payroll Services provides household employers with payroll processing, tax compliance, as well as different insurance offerings for you and your nanny or sitter. They can help you manage all of the administrative tasks associated with being a household employer, offering you an unparalleled level of customer service and support.

Contact: Matt Owen ([email protected]), for more information click here or to use their tax calculator click here.

How do you find your nannies?

Most of our nannies are direct referrals through past nannies, sitters, families, colleagues and partners we know. We also recruit from other trusted sources including college campuses, select job boards/sites, through our own castings and with the International Nanny Association (INA).

Is it the families responsibility to provide healthcare, PTO, other benefits?

It is up to the family what type of benefit package they would like to offer. We have seen offer packages include the following:

VACATION: it is the industry standard to offer 2 weeks paid vacation to the nanny minimum. (1 week family chooses/1 week nanny chooses with advance notice). Families usually pay the nanny for any days they are out of town and it is a normal working day for the nanny.

PAID TRANSPORTATION: A monthly Metro Card or contribution toward the MTA card. (This is a common perk offered by most NYC families).

PAID HOLIDAYS: If they fall on a normal workday they are typically paid and off. If the nanny is required to work the holiday the family typically pays holiday pay (equal to time and a half). Please discuss what days you are offering as paid/off holidays etc. and paid working holidays.

PERSONAL/SICK DAYS: On average we see 2-5 days offered, although some families do not include this in their compensation package. Discuss the sick day policy.  

HEALTH BENEFITS (or contribution to health care): While it is a wonderful benefit to offer your nanny, it is rarely offered in NYC.

ANNUAL REVIEWS/RAISES: Are often forgotten, but are the cornerstone of good morale for the nanny and family. At the very least be sure to give verbal feedback and make sure you have an open door communication policy.

HOLIDAY BONUSES: Gift giving is very common in NYC for nannies. The NYC standard is usually a minimum of one week’s salary and some families will also give a gift in addition to the monetary compensation. It is also nice to acknowledge your nanny’s birthday.

Do you offer nannies with special needs experience?

We certainly do! Our team has licensed therapists, certified coaches, teachers and former nannies here to help with your child with special needs. For more information click here.

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted on-demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care, help with virtual learning, and more! Learn why BFC is the best childcare agency, with childcare providers available across the U.S. (on-demand service available in the tri-state area). Contact us today to hire!