In the past few weeks, I have done a mini series on outsourcing to help you grow your business. So far in the past few weeks on I have discussed some how’s to help manage your time and editing.
Today I want to talk to you about hiring a nanny, baby-sitter or mother’s helper. When my kids were small there I had all three at different times. Our most consistent nanny was still in high school and needed her for the bulk of the summer. Eventually when she went to college, she worked for me when she could and I was able to work around her schedule.
Now that my kids are in school, I am choosing to outsource to an editor and spend the summers with them, but when my kids were little, I chose to edit my own photos and hire a nanny/ baby-sitter when I was in the busy season. Yes, this meant that I watched her play outside with my kids, but because she was only part time, she was a much needed break for me and for my kids!
When/ if you choose to hire out a nanny, I have found that it is so important to work with someone your kids mesh with and a person that actually likes kids. I know, hand to the head as in of course shouldn’t this be a given? But let me tell you I had to learn as I went. In the past I did trades for people, baby-sitting in return for photo sessions. While this seemed like a good idea in theory, I found that different baby-sitters had different ideas of what watching kids meant, and I felt like I was getting the cheap end of the bargain and so were my kids.
I would recommend setting up clear boundaries and goals for your nanny’s. When my kids were little it was pretty obvious; keeping them safe, feeding them, putting them down for naps, and keeping them away from me as I worked. As they grew, I had to make it more clear boundaries to nanny’s of what I expected. Some of these included making sure they had a plan for the day, some creative ideas for crafts and outside play, making sure that my kids weren’t watching too much TV, and staying off their phones for personal use unless an emergency.
Just some thoughts for you as you tread the waters of outsourcing. Feel free to e-mail or comment below with questions and I will do my best to answer as I know. Who knows too, maybe one day your kids will be walking down the aisle to celebrate the marriage of one of your nanny’s! (Below is one of our favorite nanny’s who started watching my kids right after Ben was born! We are still good friends to this day!)
.jpg)