Spending a couple of days at BlogHer reminded me, once again, that my own daily struggle to balance family and career is a huge issue with so many other women. At the Success on our Own Terms panel, author and entrepreneur Jane Buckingham, spoke about how challenging she found it to find time to get her to do list done. She admitted, almost confessed, to hiring a nanny. She seemed embarrassed to admit to having "help".
When my son was 3-weeks old and I was in the midst of postpartum depression, I hired a part time nanny. Not only did she allow me the time to shower and nap, she also taught me how to be a mother. For five years she helped me care for my son and daughter, while giving me breathing space to focus on launching my business.
I'm not embarrassed to say that I need a nanny. I'm domestically challenged. I'm not a good cook. I get distracted doing laundry and I'm too busy at meetings and dealing with my kids to clean. So I hire someone.
Truth is, what I'm looking for in a nanny today is quite different from the baby days. My kids are 7 and 10. I need a housekeeper who enjoys kids - rather than a caregiver who occasionally tidies.
The problem I had is how to find someone who is right for the job. In the past I've used the Canadian Nanny site to hire some nannies (including the Kerry, the super model) but frankly these days I don't have time to go through hundreds of resumes, set up a bunch of interviews, call references. It can be incredibly time consuming.
A bunch of my Mompreneur girlfriends highly recommended I contact the WeeCare Agency. I have to say, if you're an overextended career mom like me, this is the way to go. In an hour long phone interview with owner Robyn Zeldin she asked me a series of questions about my needs and expectations. She advised me on what industry standards are in terms of hours and salary. And then she put her team to work on my family's behalf.
Based on my requirements, she handpicked three women with the skill sets I was looking for. Each was sent to my home for an interview. Each applicant spent time with my family, and then we hired our favourite.
The agency drafted the contract and we had a new nanny. Except she didn't like the idea that I worked from home and quit after a day.
The agency called me right away with the bad news and another list of possible applicants. In fact, if the relationship with the nanny sours within three months, the agency goes through the hiring process with you again at no charge.
Bingo! It's been three months since we hired Miliney and it's a great fit. The agency fee was worth it for me.
No matter how you manage to have a career and kids, don't be ashamed of getting help. Nanny, au pair, babysitter, cleaning woman - the extra dollars are worth your sanity and will ultimately increase your productivity. That's a wise investment any way you look at it.
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