Tag Archives: nanny

Sitter/Nanny

Navigating the City Safely With Children

Navigating the busy streets of the city or even the suburbs with children can be challenging. There’s a lot to look out for and be aware of. That’s why it’s important to be diligent and know how to keep the little ones safe as you help navigate them through an urban area. 

Watch our quick video, City Safety With Children on our YouTube channel! In less than 5 minutes you can learn best practices for childcare providers on crossing the street, navigation, public transportation and general safety with children.

Families LOVE childcare providers who take the extra time and effort learning best safety practices. It shows you care about their children and their well being and that’s what parents look for in their sitter or nanny.

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temp sitters after school sitters 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!

Childcare

Caring for Newborns & Infants: What Every Childcare Provider Should Know

Providing care for newborns and infants is one of the most rewarding and delicate roles in childcare. These early months are a time of rapid development, bonding and constant change. As a caregiver, your presence, attention and responsiveness make a lasting impact on both baby and family. Here’s what you need to know to offer excellent, confident care.

🕚 1. Be present, be patient: Infants thrive on predictable routines and gentle responsiveness. They may not have a schedule yet, but your calm presence helps them feel safe.

  • – Learn the baby’s unique cues (crying, eye rubbing, rooting, etc.)
  • – Speak softly and move slowly—babies respond to tone and touch
  • – Patience is key, especially during fussiness, cluster feeding or growth spurts

🍼 2. Feeding & burping basics: Whether the baby is breastfed, bottle-fed or both, be sure to follow the family’s feeding plan exactly.

  • – Always hold the baby upright during feedings and burp gently afterward
  • – Watch for signs of hunger and fullness (rooting, turning away, sucking hands)
  • – Clean bottles thoroughly and track feedings if asked
  • Pro tip: Never prop a bottle or put baby to bed with one—it’s a safety risk.

💤 3. Safe sleep practices: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the “Back to Sleep” method:

  • – Always place baby on their back in a crib or bassinet
  • – Use a firm, flat mattress with a fitted sheet—no pillows, blankets or toys
  • – Keep baby’s sleep area in the same room as an adult, if family requests
  • – Stay alert while supervising naps and check in frequently.

👶 4. Diapering & hygiene: Frequent diaper changes help prevent rash and discomfort.

  • – Check every 2–3 hours or after feedings
  • – Always clean front to back, especially with girls
  • – Apply cream if requested and wash your hands before and after
  • – Be sure to track changes if the family is monitoring for health or feeding concerns.

💗 5. Soothing & bonding: Your ability to soothe a fussy baby builds trust and security. Try:

  • – Swaddling
  • – Rocking or gentle bouncing
  • – White noise or humming
  • – Offering a pacifier (if allowed)
  • – Wearing the baby in a wrap (if the family uses one)
  • Remember: Every baby is different. Ask what works at home.

🧠 6. Stimulating development: Even newborns benefit from interaction! These moments of connection lay the groundwork for early brain development.

  • – Talk, sing or read in a soothing voice
  • – Offer supervised tummy time (2–3 times a day, starting with a few minutes)
  • – Let them safely observe different textures, colors and sounds

🚩 7. Know the red flags: Call the parents right away if you notice the following (in emergencies, always call 911 first):

  • – Sudden fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher)
  • – Lethargy or unusual sleepiness
  • – Refusal to eat for multiple feedings
  • – Difficulty breathing
  • – Skin color changes (blue, pale or blotchy)
  • – Signs of dehydration (dry mouth, no wet diaper for 6+ hours)

💬 8. Communication with parents: Open, respectful communication helps build trust and a lasting relationship. Keep parents in the loop with a daily summary:

  • – What and when baby ate
  • – Naps and diaper changes
  • – Mood and any milestones or concerns
  • – Photos (if approved)

Caring for newborns is a specialized responsibility. With the right knowledge, patience and heart you can make a powerful difference in a baby’s earliest days. Continue to show up with care, professionalism and love—our families notice and so do we.

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temp sitters after school sitters 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!

Childcare

Family Mental Health: How Bell Family Can Support With Newborn and Infant Care

Caring for a newborn or infant is a full-time responsibility, and without regular breaks or support, it can quickly take a toll on a parent’s mental health. Bell Family’s on-demand babysitting and nanny placement services are designed to provide that essential relief by connecting families with experienced, trusted caregivers who can step in when parents need time to rest, work or simply regroup. Whether it’s a few hours during the day to jump into work, catch up on sleep or take a quiet moment for yourself, our caregivers help create breathing room in the often-overwhelming early months of parenthood. We help with in-home infant care that is geared for daytime hours or even overnight needs to ensure care is provided around the clock.

Prioritizing mental health is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. By making it easier to access quality newborn or infant care during the day, our services support healthier routines for both parent and child. When caregivers are emotionally and physically supported, they show up more present, patient and engaged. With our flexible, vetted childcare options, we’re proud to help families build a foundation of balance and well-being from the very beginning.

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temp sitters after school sitters 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!

Sitter/Nanny

How an After School Nanny Can Make a Difference for Your Family This Back-to-School Season

As the back-to-school season kicks off, families across New York and the rest of the U.S. are adjusting to new routines and for many, that includes finding reliable after school care. Hiring an after school nanny can ease the daily stress of coordinating pick-ups/drop-offs, homework help, dinner and bed time and extracurriculars. Unlike traditional daycare centers or structured preschool and middle school programs, an after school nanny offers personalized childcare tailored to your family’s unique schedule, ensuring stability and comfort for your children.

Whether you’re looking for toddler care, help with multiple children or support for your child’s homework and development, an experienced nanny brings support and peace of mind. Many families find that this kind of childcare fosters better communication, builds trust and offers a consistent presence their children can depend on during the highs and lows of busy school months. This offers any family the opportunity to be more flexible with day-to-day childcare and home needs. With trained professionals with years of experience working with children of all ages, often certified in CPR and skilled in child development, an afterschool nanny can truly be a game-changer for working parents.

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted on demand babysitting, including full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temp sitters after school sitters 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!

Sitter/Nanny

Prep for First Sitter Appointment

  1. Check in with the family via email or text as soon as you get the confirmation email to say hello and that you’re looking forward to meeting them.
  2. During this exchange, reiterate the start and end time and location to ensure that all the details you received on the confirmation email are accurate. 
  3. Review the family’s profile for special notes and/or job conditions to have a good understanding of the family’s background and needs. If you have any questions you can ask BFC prior to meeting the family.
  4. Dress appropriately. Wear attire that is both childcare friendly and professional. Look presentable as this is the first impression you are making on the family.
  5. Show up on time! On time is 5 minutes early so that the family does not begin to worry if you’ll be late. Use a GPS device to get directions ahead of time and plan ahead if the weather is supposed to be bad, the subways are slow, etc.
  6. Make sure to greet the family upon meeting them and proceed with asking if you should take your shoes off and wash your hands prior to starting to work with the kids. 
  7. There is a ZERO tolerance for no shows. Cancellations with less than 4 hours notice, this will result in removal from our company. Our families rely on BFC to give them calm. If a babysitter cancels at the last minute, it turns their day upside down and creates chaos for us. If you need to cancel for any reason, give BFC HQ at least 24 hours to cancel. We understand things come up, so at least 24 hours is a courteous timeframe to give notice and we will replace you or reschedule your trial. With any cancellation, we do take note of how often someone cancels and this could affect our view of how reliable you are for future appointments. Please only take appointments you can keep so we know you are always dependable. 

Watch these videos before you take your first babysitting job with BFC. It will answer many of your questions & set you up for success:

Have a great appointment!

Sitter/Nanny

How to Check Out of a Sitter Appointment or Nanny Trial

Make sure you have your Stripe account set up. This is how a family pays you. Enter all your personal information correctly. This should take 5-10 minutes. 

Step 1: Log into your BFC profile, go to UPDATE APPLICATION on your calendar page and then click on PAYMENT SET UP tab. Click on the RED link and follow the prompts. Do not go to www.stripe.com to set up your account. 

Once done you will see, “Great job, you successfully set up your Stripe account,” if you did it successfully. That indicates you are done. If you see this copy instead, “You have some pending requirement for accepting payment click here to learn more,” click on the link to enter the missing information. 

Step 2: Depending on your bank it can take a few hours, days or weeks for your account to reflect ‘verified’. When your account reflects ‘verified’ that means that you are now able to receive funds. Be patient, it will be verified soon and you’ll be paid.

Step 3: Now Checkout!

  1. When you receive the BFC checkout notification email, click on the blue highlighted link that says “CHECK OUT”. This link takes you to the BFC login page. Login.
  2. Your main calendar page will appear. Scroll below to find your list of appointments with PROCESS CHECKOUT links. Be sure to click on the correct appointment you just completed. This will take you to the page where you enter your hours, expenses, etc. 
    • – Make sure to double check that the dates are correct for start/end time (i.e., If you work past midnight, make sure the dates are correct as 12:30pm will be the NEXT day).
    • – Make sure you add the correct number of children and the times you worked with them. If you cared for a different amount of children for different hours, make sure you break down your checkout. Sometimes the family is okay with you checking out for the total amount of children they have, regardless of exactly when you were with them.
    • – Petcare: ONLY click this box if you are specifically asked to care for the family’s pet. This does not mean playing with the pet around the home that naturally lives there, but actual pet care duties such as dog walking, or feeding cats/dogs, etc. Many families ask for these services without remembering the fee exists. If asked to do petcare, please remind the family that there is an additional $20 charge so they are not surprised at checkout.
    • – Add Misc. Expenses that were known and preapproved by the family. If the family said they would reimburse you for buying the child snacks or they offer to order you dinner and would like it put on the checkout, add this as an expense. If you have multiple expenses, you can continue to click “add” to create a list of expenses.  If the family said to add a tip, you can also add that amount to your Misc. section. 
    • – Add Transportation: IN THE TRI STATE AREA ONLY Cab/Uber/Lyft/Car Service fare home up to $30 shall be added for appointments that begin before 7 a.m. or end after 9 p.m.  Keep a photo of your receipt if the family requests to save it. Occasionally, a family will offer to order you a car service on their private account/credit card, which is also acceptable at which point you would not charge them separately for transportation. 
  3. Once done, CLICK SUBMIT you will receive an email that lets you know you’ve successfully checked out.

Note rates are set at a market minimum. If you are not comfortable with the market minimum please contact us, as all jobs are processed with these rates. Any sitter that proceeds with a booking confirms they are comfortable with the rates on our website.

The family will pay you within 3 business days per our terms. If they are late, they receive a reminder email to complete and all checkouts are typically complete within 48 hours. If a delay persists, you may email us.

Sitter/Nanny

How to Prep for a Nanny Interview or Trial

  1. Check in with the family via email or text as soon as you get the confirmation email to say hello and that you’re looking forward to meeting them.
  2. During this exchange, reiterate the start and end time and location to ensure that all the details you received on the confirmation email are accurate. 
  3. Review the family’s profile for special notes and/or job conditions to have a good understanding of the family’s background and needs. If you have any questions you can ask BFC prior to meeting the family.
  4. Dress appropriately. Wear attire that is both childcare friendly and professional. Look presentable as this is the first impression you are making on the family.
  5. Show up on time! On time is 5 minutes early so that the family does not begin to worry if you’ll be late. Use a GPS device to get directions ahead of time and plan ahead if the weather is supposed to be bad, the subways are slow, etc.
  6. Make sure to greet the family upon meeting them and proceed with asking if you should take your shoes off and wash your hands (if it is a trial and you are working with kids).
  7. After the interview, send a thank you email or text thanking the family for their time and tell them it was great meeting them.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO CANCEL: There is a ZERO tolerance for no shows.  If you need to cancel for any reason, you must give at least 24 hours notice before appointment start time. Families rely on their providers to give them calm. If a nanny cancels her interview or trial, it tells the family that they will cancel on them in the future and may not be a candidate to further consider. 

Sample Nanny Interview Questions – Practice these at home prior to the interview!

  • On being a nanny
    • Why are you a nanny?
    • Why are you looking for a new position?
    • Why are you interested in this job?
    • Describe your ideal family/employer:
    • What do you like least about being a nanny? Answer this in a positive light!
  •  On working with children
    • What are your beliefs about childrearing?
    • What do children like best about you?
    • How do you comfort children? How do you deal with separation anxiety?
    •  How do you discipline children? Give me an example of a previous discipline problem and how you handled it.
    • What are some of the rules you’ve followed in other households that you think worked well?
    • Which rules haven’t worked for you?
    • Would you be willing to follow my rules and disciplining/comforting strategies even if they’re different from yours?
Mom

How to Conquer Motherhood With 4 Kids

Going from three to four kids is a lot. People told me it’s much the same as going from two to three kids, but I think it’s harder! So, how does one manage a lot of kids? A lot of patience, love and help!

I found that getting childcare and household help assists me in being a better mother, friend and wife. 

A part time nanny can bring consistency to the family and offer a regular schedule of coverage. For my family, we use a part time daytime career nanny. This allows me to work from home consistent hours four days per week, grab lunch or a coffee once in a while with a friend and attend my workout class every Wednesday. I get to mingle, check off my weight bearing exercises and leave the house!

My nanny also helps me tidy up the kitchen and folds the children’s laundry — a BFC Family Helper would also be great at things like this!

For date night, when I need additional coverage during the day or weekends or for overnights when my husband travels, I book a BFC sitter. I use a sitter at least once per week as something always pops up in our schedule.

I love being a mom. I also love being a good wife, daughter, sister and friend.  I found outsourcing to reliable childcare providers is the best way to enjoy the many hats we mamas wear.

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.

Sitter/Nanny

Etiquette & Manners: How to Set Yourself Apart From Other Caregivers

It’s important not only to make a great first impression, but also to maintain ongoing good etiquette and manners to keep the relationship between you and the family healthy and happy!

Here are some helpful tips to ensure excellence:

  1. The family wants to like you, so make it easy for them! Present yourself with grace and warmth, and SMILE!
  2. Be sure to look the part. Be clean, groomed and put-together, while keeping your appearance kid-friendly and comfortable (i.e., nothing low-cut, above the knees, torn, dirty or see-through).
  3. Don’t use inappropriate language or chew gum.
  4. When first meeting the parents, it’s respectful to address them by Mr. or Ms. “Last Name” until they ask you to call them by their first name. Introduce yourself with eye contact, a handshake and a smile!
  5. Follow the family rules (even when you don’t agree). If you have questions about this, ask our team and we’d be happy to help.
  6. Be aware of using the family’s things and what is permitted or off limits.
  7. When running late, always email/text that you are behind. Do not make it a habit, but we and families understand transportation can have delays.
  8. Ask in advance if you need to leave early (a week’s notice is appropriate timing).
  9. If you get sick and you are a full or part time nanny, let the family  know well in advance. If you are a sitter, email HQ and let them know so they can find a replacement.

Great nanny & sitter characteristics:

• Respectful
• Energetic
• Positive-energy
• Loyal
• Helpful
• Honest

Looking to hire a babysitter or nanny in NYC? Bell Family Company provides fully vetted on-demand babysitting, including childcare for when a child is sick, full and part time nannies, baby nurses, temporary care and more! Learn why BFC is the best NY Childcare Agency servicing the tri-state area. BFC is the best in the business! Contact us today to hire a nanny in NYC or to book the best babysitters in NYC!

Childcare

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!