Looking to hire a nanny? Warning signs you must consider

With so many viral videos out there of nannies abusing children - such as the Welkom nanny who was recorded slapping a baby while he was crying, shoving his head on the floor, and pulling him up by his shirt, it is only normal for any mom to be concerned.  

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Sadly, nannies are not always close relatives or family friends. Sometimes they are total strangers, and because of that, moms need to be extra careful when it comes to choosing one to hire.

Below are some of the warning signs you should look out for:

Someone who won’t allow a background check

Hiring someone without doing a reference check on them is very dangerous because you may be hiring someone who was fired from work for harming or neglecting a child. Reference checks are also very important because the previous employer can give a track record of how the nanny was on the job and you can also find out from the employee why they were fired or why they left. 

Not providing you with their real address and those of their next of kin

There are many stories about nannies running away with children. You don’t want to find your child missing and you don’t even know where to begin searching for them. So beware of someone who is not comfortable providing you with their proof of residence and details of their next of kin.

Looking untidy

First impressions count! If your nanny comes to the interview looking untidy, it may just be an indication that they are someone who is not hygienic. This may be a serious problem, especially when caring for babies, because kids get sick quiet easily from germs caused by unclean surroundings. 

Someone who tells you dodgy stories about why they left their previous employers

Pay attention to the kinds of stories the nanny tells you during the interview, especially pertaining to their previous job. If she is too quick to bad-mouth her former employers, it may be an indication that they will do the same to you after they leave.

If they don’t show any interest in the child

If your child happens to be present in the interview, but the nanny does not even smile at the child or show any interest in the child, it may be a sign that they don’t really like kids.

If all they ask you about is the money

During question time, if all the nanny cares about is how much money they will be getting and when they will be getting leave, they may just be showing you they are in this line of work for the wrong reasons. Although it’s important to talk about money, if money is the only reason they are taking the job, they might not give your child the care that they need.

If their disciplinary measures are extreme

Ask your nanny her beliefs about disciplinary measures. If they indicate ‘hitting the baby’ or anything that sounds extreme or abusive, instead of leaving the disciplining to you, they may be showing you that they might abuse your child in your absence.

If your gut tells you they are bad...

Sometimes a nanny can get all the answers right and seem like the perfect fit, but if your gut tells you they are not to be trusted, chances are your gut is right. Trust your gut.

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