While a live-in nanny in Canada could end up costing a family between $1,200 and $1,500 on average, the top benefits of hiring a nanny could easily outweigh the costs. The trick is to make sure that you and your family only deal with the best nanny agencies. Before you waste time looking at all of the nanny agencies in Canada, you should make sure that you keep a few helpful hints in mind.

Remembering hints like these will help you avoid the biggest nanny hiring mistakes, which in turn will let you enjoy all of the benefits of hiring a nanny.

• Background Check? – No one wants to learn that they’ve hired the next Louise Woodward by mistake. Because a live in caregiver will be with your children and around your house for at least eight hours a day, you’ll naturally want to make sure that they do not have any skeletons on their closet. If a background check comes up clean, chances are that you’re on the right path.
• Ask the Right Questions – If you want your children to be taken care of by someone that shares the same values as you do, you should make sure that you ask about such things during the screening process. These days, nanny services provide more than just a cook and babysitter. They provide an individual that’s there to help make sure your children are properly nurtured. If certain values are important to you, you cannot afford to hire someone who feels differently.
• Ask for References – Make sure that you find a nanny that can give you a list of verifiable references. An individual that has been worked with several families, is CPR certified and has taken classes on childhood development could provide your family with a wide range of benefits. If you are able to verify these achievements and skills by talking to a one or two references, you probably will not have to worry about your new nannies qualifications.

As long as you follow hints like these, the benefits of hiring a nanny are yours for the taking. As for those who may think that you’re being too critical or taking too long to make a decision, be sure to remind them that it’s your children you’re looking out for. Being extra careful while screening for a new nanny isn’t being too cautious. It’s called being a good parent.