THEY say the real essence of being a woman is the capability to produce an offspring, to nurture and to ensure the well being of her children as they grow old. But in these modern times when most women find themselves dividing their time between work and motherly duties, being able to find the perfect nanny will come in very handy for every mommy out there.
A nanny, baby sitter, or "yaya" is someone tasked to take care and look after babies, toddlers and kids if parents are not able to watch over their own children because they need to earn a living to support the family's needs. It is not an easy task to find the right person for this job, since this is one of the hardest occupations as it requires a lot of the right qualities and even experiences to match the demands that go with being a nanny.
Just like when one is looking for his or her perfect someone, there are also certain qualities and traits that one must look out for, and these become the guidelines in deciding who to hire as a baby sitter. As a mommy of two, one of the most important things that matter to me upon choosing the nanny for my babies is experience. Taking care of babies requires a full understanding of the many tantrums that babies go through, this is why nannies who are a bit older are more preferable to younger inexperienced applicants. As much as possible, it is best to hire someone who is also a mother herself, because her own experiences in raising children is already a great advantage.
Of course, it is expected that babies are different from one another, even siblings still will not be exactly the same as one another. There will be babies who are easier to take care of, while there are those who are really considered as badly-behaved. This is why being a nanny requires having a mountain load of patience in dealing with various types of children's behavior. It is really upsetting if the yaya will rashly slap or pinch kids especially when they become naughty and rowdy. No parent would want their children to physically suffer from violent tendencies just like a nanny maltreating the baby as shown in a CCTV footage.
Another essential quality that a nanny must possess is being a trustworthy person. Nannies and baby sitters are always welcomed in the confines of our own homes, and trusting an outsider with all your properties and possessions is also an important aspect of looking for the perfect yaya. On top of this, entrusting the safety and welfare of our children to this person is something that is very indispensible, because our children are definitely the most important persons in our lives.
Whenever I am in search for a yaya to take care of my kids, I always give this instruction -- if there's anything that happened to my kids like if they fell on the floor and bumped their head, they have to report this immediately. A lot of cases happened before with other nannies being afraid to be honest and tell the parents about what happened to their children because they did not want to be scolded or reprimanded, but it is better if both the parents and the nanny have a very open line of communication to always safeguard the children's well-being.
Being a reliable person is another criterion for finding the right yaya. It means that this person has the initiative to do what needs to be done for the baby, like keeping the room tidy and organized, arranging all the baby stuff like clothes, feeding bottles, toys, etc. Since mommies are usually tired after a day's work, it will be very exhausting if she will still have to attend to these tasks.
Lastly, and I think this is the most important quality that one must look for in a yaya is that, she does not take it as a job. Rather, she looks at it as if they are her own children that she is taking care of, and love them unconditionally. Parents should also remember that while we reward them financially through their salary, it is still not enough to show our gratitude for their concern and love for our kids. We must not treat them as if they are outsiders and employees, but we should make them feel that they are already a part of our family. That is the only way that we can say that we have found the perfect nanny.