Get to know potential family partners
Trade a few messages online first to make sure you're comfortable sharing your personal contact information. Do some online searches, including both Google and social media. Then, meet with interested families in person, perhaps more than once, so you can get a sense of who they are. You don't have to be best friends, but you do want compatible values and views on employing a nanny.
Match schedules, needs, and preferences
Talk about your overall family calendar and what your ideal nanny coverage would be: what days and what hours during those days? How long do you envision the nanny share lasting? What if more children are added to one family or the other? What qualities do you most value in a nanny?
Decide who will host the nanny share
You'll want to be familiar with the other family's home if that's where the caregiving will take place. Is the location convenient for you? Which parts of the home will the nanny and children have access to? Make sure to discuss things like babyproofing and the presence and means of securing dangerous items, as well as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Who else will be allowed in the home during caregiving hours? Any pets or other allergy triggers in play? Are adequate insurance policies in place, such as worker's compensation?
Outline your budget
How much are you willing to pay? Nannies usually charge more for nanny shares than if they were working for just one family. Settle how much and when you'll pay your part. (How you pay matters a lot, too: There are many advantages to paying legally, on both sides.) How will you handle other shared expenditures such as food and diapers?
Here are some helpful articles:
Pin down important details
When you're going over your nanny share requirements with others, cover as many concrete details as possible, such as:
- Will the nanny need a personal car or use a family vehicle?
- Are holidays, sick days and vacation time included?
- What type of issues would lead to terminating the nanny?
- How will families stay in touch: text, email, face-to-face?