Job Transition Check List

Leaving a job is never easy. It's always an emotional time so it's easy to lose track of the little things you need to do in those final days before you move on.

The GTM blog addresses a "Transition Checklist" for Nannies in Transition."

Ending a job is never easy. Whether it is your decision, your employer’s or a mutual agreement to part ways, there are many things to take into consideration during this time of transition. To help you through this challenging and unsure time, we have developed a checklist and put together some helpful resources to get you back on track and on your way to the next great chapter in your career!

Transition Checklist

Make sure to return any items that your employer provided you during employment (i.e. car or house keys, car seats, garage door opener, gas card, cell phone, etc.).

Make sure you understand the process of receiving your final paycheck and any remaining pay (severance) that has been agreed upon.

To read the rest of this very useful "Transition Checklist" and get the list of helpful resources 

: go to the  GTM Blog 

Happy Birthday Harriette

Today (June 3, 2013) would have been Harriette's 71st  Birthday.
Maybe you are thinking " So...I didn't know her why are you telling me?........but what Harriette did in her life, impacted all of us. I made a promise to Harriette before she died that I would never let her be forgotten. I am happy to say that I honored her promise by founding the INA Service Award Pin program in 2010. The program was funded by contributions from former members of the National Association of Nannies. The Harriette Grant Service Award Pin is presented to nannies and specialty nannies.  This award pin, named in honor of Harriette Grant, reflects Harriette’s dedication to the nanny profession and it is one way we can continue to honor and remember her legacy.

For those of you who did not know her, here is her story, and why it matters.

Harriette Grant passed away on June 30, 2002. She had been a nanny for 40 years. You can read her story in the book Like a Second Mother but here is my tribute to her life and her enormous contribution to nannies everywhere.

The following article about Harriette Grant first appeared in the NAN Newsletter in June of 2001. In November of 2001, Harriette was diagnosed with Leukemia and she passed away on June 30, 2002.

A Nanny for the Ages by Glenda Willm Propst
These are some newspaper headlines from 1961:
U.S. Breaks Off Diplomatic Relations With Cuba;
John F. Kennedy Inaugurated as President of the U.S. Peace Corps Established by Kennedy;
UN General Assembly Condemns Apartheid;
Freedom Riders Attacked by White Citizens in Anniston and Birmingham; 
Bay of Pigs Invasion; 
Kennedy and Khrushchev Meet in Vienna to Discuss Disarmament; 
Berlin Wall Constructed; 
Actor Gary Cooper Dies at Age 60.

These are some popular books from 1961:
Stranger In A Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein;
Catch-22, by Joseph Heller; 
Tropic of Cancer, by Henry Miller (the first legal publication in the U.S.).

Some of the popular movies that year were:
"West Side Story,"
"The Hustler," and
 "Judgment at Nuremberg."
And among the most popular songs were:
"Love makes the World Go Round,
""Moon River,
""Where the Boys Are," and
 "Exodus."

How many of you remember any of these events and cultural markers? How many of you were even born in 1961?
Well, even if we are among those who were not yet born in 1961, there was an event that in some way affected all our lives that year. This event did not make the headlines, but it changed our lives all the same.
In July, 1961,Harriette Grant began her career as a nanny. At that time there were no newspaper articles about nanny salaries or benefits there were no formal nanny training programs in the United States, there were no nanny support groups, and there were no nanny organizations.Harriette was just 19 when she started taking care of Sylvia Whitman. In the book "Like a Second Mother," Sylvia writes about a very different Harriette from the person we know. Sylvia's "Rat," as she affectionately called her, changed her hair color every week, and their house was the best patrolled in the neighborhood because all the policemen had a crush on Harriette.Harriette was with the Whitman family for nine years, and she maintains a close relationship with Sylvia Whitman, who is now all grown up with a family of her own.In 1970 Harriette moved to Washington, DC, to care for the Brown children, with whom she stayed for 20 years. Even after the children were teenagers, Harriette remained and helped the Browns part time (she took a second part time job with another family in the neighborhood). Harriette was there when one of the Brown children graduated from Princeton University, and when her other "child" graduated from High School. While she was in DC, Harriette began to get serious about solving the problems surrounding the lack of support nannies had.Harriette Grant was one of the founders of the very first nanny support group in the USA. It was called ADCAN - the Association of DC Area Nannies. The group still runs strong today, and prides itself on being the oldest nanny support group in the nation. If you have ever tried to start or run a support group, you will understand what an accomplishment that is.Harriette was also a founding member of International Nanny Association, served on its board of directors, and was the INA's first Nanny of the Year in 1990.She co founded NAN with Glenda Willm Propst and Eva Harkness in 1992.When Harriette moved to New York City in 1999, she became one of the founders of the Professional Nannies of New York.
I first met Harriette Grant at the INA conference in Vail, Colorado, in 1988. We were going to be serving on the INA Board together. It did not take long for us to realize that we had the same concerns, the same vision, and the same passion for the nanny profession. After the conference, we burned up the phone lines on a regular basis.We became very good friends, and in 1992, along with Eva Harkness, we founded the National Association of Nannies.
In 1997, when Harriette asked me to run with her for Co-President of NAN, one of my greatest concerns was that it might hurt our friendship. We promised each other not to let that happen. I think we would both admit that at times it was a struggle, but we served as Co-Presidents for four years, and were still on speaking terms. We did not always agree, but we always respected each other and we have always tried to make what was best for NAN our top priority.
NAN benefited from her vision, her professionalism, her steadfastness, her wisdom, and her commitment to the Nanny profession.It's a little overwhelming to think of all the things that have happened in the last 40 years, and of how far the nanny profession has come. I think of all the changes Harriette saw and of all the nannies she encountered on her journey.When I think of Harriette Grant, I think of the quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:
"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail."
Harriette led the way where there was no path. She blazed a trail for 40 years, .As her torch is passed, we can all learn a valuable lesson from her life, her example, and her dedication to her career.
It is up to each of us to continue the work that Harriette started. We are pioneers of the nanny profession, and it is our job to continue to blaze the trail.
Harriette, you have been our friend, our leader, and our inspiration. We will never forget you and we will work hard to continue your legacy.You leave us with many wonderful memories but a hole in our heart that only you could fill.
Rest in peace dear friend.I miss you every single day.
Glenda

Moving Through Sadness and Grief

By Marni Kent

Sadness…from time to time, days, weeks or months can feel hopeless and without relief. This can come in many forms, loss of a job, relationship, friend or even a longtime pet. During these challenging times, it may seem as life cannot go on, or at least not in the manner you are accustomed to.  Grieving is a struggle that should be expected during these unfortunate times. As difficult as it may be at times, try and view this time as an opportunity for new and exciting challenges.

Life as you once knew it may not be the same, but change is good, embrace it. Opinions vary a lot on this subject, but one consistency always evident, grieving is a process regardless of the life changing event. Some will take longer than others to overcome, but with your will and perseverance you will find your way once again. When you do, you can move forward and on.

The process grieving itself is many times only associated with death or the dying. This could not be further from the truth. People define themselves in different ways, their job, a relationship, their family. All of this is normal. We are from childhood to death a product of our environments, not just one environment, but many as we age. The discourse of how best to cope with the loss is as individual as the opinions about the subject. What is suggested in a text book or from a so called expert may simply not work for you. Grieving will take a predictable pattern, but you have to be willing to let it run it’s course.

Denial and/or refusal to accept your circumstances typically will be your initial challenge. Take a breath, see the loss for what it is and let the aforementioned process begin.

Your anger over what transpired will be ever present. Like sadness, angst is a powerful emotion with explosive tendencies. It’s an impressive sight watching an adult allow their emotions get the best of them. Actually, it can be a very frightening event, anger is normal, but control it, don’t let it control you.

Pleading or bargaining, this stage is or can be frustrating.  You ask, why not me, why her/him. You are trying to get an answer to something there may not be an answer for, remember your dealing with the human kind, sometimes there is no right or wrong answer to this question.

The guilt associated with loss is normal. Feeling guilty for the said, the unsaid, in-action is typical. It is a normal aspect of the grieving process.

Acceptance, there comes a time when reality will set in that there is nothing you can say or do to regain or remedy the life altering events. It is part of life, it’s up to you to accept your new circumstances so you can move forward.

Your will to move forward depends on your drive to be happy again. Some people may never attain the stage of having hope and willingness to be happy again. There is no shame or dishonor in feeling happy again after someone has passed. Achieving this stage of the process can be difficult, but given time and your determination it will be upon you before you know it. During this especially challenging time, be focused on other very important personal things, your health, diet, re-establishing family ties, reflecting on your career goals, and be clear about what really makes you happy.

Lastly, always remember, there are great numbers of very successful people that have experienced significant failures. But instead of wallowing in their failures, they picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and use the failure as opportunity and lesson of how to be stronger and more successful than they originally were striving for. When you overcome difficult times, you become stronger, more disciplined and driven. With all these new found personal attributes, you will need to find balance. Use your wisdom and experience to achieve it. Remember, life is about decisions, as time goes, we become these decisions.     

   

    Marni Kent has been a professional nanny for almost 27 years. She has cared for children of all ages, and was the International Nanny Association Nanny of the Year in 2002

How My Professional Nanny Connections Helped Me through a Difficult Time In My Career

by Cynthia Augustine 

The nanny agency that I currently work with (Family Helpers) has helped me through many hard times over the years that I have worked with them.  Before I began working with my current agency, I was working for a family in the state where I grew up.  All of my friends and family lived there too.  The family I was working for got transferred to the other side of the US and asked me to go with them to continue working as their nanny.  I found myself in a state far from home, where I knew no one.  I continued to work for them for the next three years.  Three years later, the wife got transferred again, so I decided not to move with them to yet another new state and so, my job ended.  I had a very small circle of friends because as a nanny, I had worked many hours every week, which left me very little time to socialize.

I found myself looking for a new job, but because I was in an area I was still not too familiar with, I needed help.  I investigated several agencies, some of which I applied to.  When I met the people at the agency I currently use, I knew it was a good fit.  Finding Family Helpers has become a life line for me.  I could tell that they would be honest with me and help me to find the right job.  I got a job through them quickly, and soon I was back on my feet.  They have been there for me ever since.

The jobs I have gotten through them over the last few years have been very different from one another.  But, each job has been great and I have been challenged and have become a better nanny.  A good example is the first job they placed me in.  It was with a family where the mother had terminal cancer.  I had to go into work being happy and not let my emotional stress show.  Whenever I needed help, advice or support, I would call Family Helpers  and they always helped me figure out the best way to approach the situation.

The agency I work with is more than a name, they really are like family.  I have been working with them for the last five years.  It takes the stress away, knowing I have a good group of people standing behind me, ready to help me find a new job, or just listen to what’s going on.  They are always there when I have a question.  I call them family because they don’t just place me, collect their fee and move on.  They check on me to make sure everything is going well.  They help me if there is a problem and share in my accomplishments.  I know that if I ever need them, they are just a phone call away!

Advice to a New Live-in Nanny

INA Scholarship Essay Submission

Advice to a New Live-in Nanny by Rachel Massengil

When looking for a position it can be very helpful to find a good agency that is going to work with you to find a family whom you best fit.  If you are going to look on your own make sure to know what you want to do in a position.  You will run into families that will load you down with “light housekeeping”, make sure to have everything defined.  Having your hours defined is very important when you live-in.  The norm is to be salaried for X amount of hours per week and then a certain hourly pay for anything over that.  I accepted a position once where the hours were not defined and I ended up working 60+ hours per week, which ended up being below minimum wage per hour.  I trusted the family when they said the hours would fluctuate and even out in the end, especially because I had just finished a position with a wonderful family.

Have a trial period with a family where you both have the chance to see how you fit together.  With a live-out job you can leave at the end of the day and not have to spend much time with the parents, vs. when you live-in you may feel confined to your space if you are not comfortable with the family.  Personalities will play a big role.

Speak with a family in advance to see if they would include paid time off for professional development through wonderful associations like INA (International Nanny Association) and NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children).  They are great resources and very helpful for networking.

Finding other nannies in your area to connect with is very helpful.  You can contact INA to see if there are any Nanny Groups in your area, or nannies.  This helped me so much when I started my first position.  I found an online nanny support group where I could bring up different work related questions.  The family also worked to get me connected with another great live-in nanny, who worked with a family they knew.  I was in a new area and this nanny did a great job helping me learn the area and provide support when issues came up.

Lastly, enjoy being a nanny!  It is wonderful.  You get to work personally with these children and watch them grow.  Give your best each day.  Have a great adventure!

Practical Advice for a New Nanny

INA Essay Submission 

Practical Advice for a New Nanny : by Amy Marie

I have been a nanny for about four years, so in a way I am still a new nanny, but I have learned quite a bit in those four years and am looking forward to continuing my career and growing as a professional nanny. When I think back to when I was looking for my first nanny job, I made a lot of mistakes professionally.  If I could offer advice to a new nanny just starting out, it would be practical advice. I would say get a contract, get as much training as you can, and pay your taxes.

A contract sets you apart from a “babysitter” and helps you and your new employers come to the same page about every detail of your position. A contract should include your hours, rate of pay, and a list of your exact responsibilities. It should also include emergency procedures, rules on driving, television, etc.  Some nannies have paid time off, insurance payments, a minimum pay, or extras, such as your employers covering some of all of your expenses for attending the INA conference.  Anything that you agree to verbally should be in the contract.

When you are just starting out, you may not have much experience. I learned that if you don’t have years of experience, you can often make up for it in training. Taking different childcare related classes not only teaches important skills that you will need for work as a nanny, but it shows potential employers that you are putting forth an effort to be the best that you can be. All nannies should be CPR and First aid certified for infants and children. Other courses you can take are water safety, parenting classes, and Early Childhood Education classes from a local college. It’s also a good idea to take the INA skills exam. It will give you a chance to test your knowledge, and it is a way for you to show parents that you are educated in the health and safety of children.

It is extremely important to pay your taxes. Yes, it means smaller paychecks, but there are many benefits to getting paid the legal way. The IRS can audit you and the family, and you will both be hit with back taxes and penalties. Paying taxes also enables you to prove income, so when you are applying for a car loan, or an apartment, you will have paystubs and W-2s to provide. Lastly, paying your taxes makes you eligible for unemployment if you are laid off. All nanny positions eventually come to an end, and having unemployment as a safety net until you can find your next long term position is incredibly valuable. You can figure out the taxes on your own, but many nannies, including myself, use a payroll service, which makes the process easy and less stressful for you and your employers.

Most importantly, congratulations on your wonderful career choice and good luck!

INA ESSAY :My Advice to a New Nanny

INA Essay Submission: By Deirdre Bellows

My Advice to a New Nanny

I think the most important thing for anyone thinking of becoming a nanny is that you know yourself and that you stay true to yourself.  You don’t become a nanny to make money or to gain fame.  If you come into this career thinking that you’ll make a lot of money being a “babysitter” or that you’ll become friends with famous people,  you will burn out fast.  You become a nanny because you have a natural love for children and because you know the value of raising a compassionate and confident child.  You have to be able to give selflessly for the best of the child.  You need to be alright with small achievements and, possibly, no recognition.  Smiles, hugs and a child’s success have to be enough of a reward for you.

The other aspect of knowing yourself and staying true to yourself is that this will be of immense help to you in finding the right job.  For me, I need to work for a family who sees me as an integral part of their family.  We need to work together as a team and they need to respect and appreciate my experience and expertise.  I can be a live-out or a live-in nanny, but I need my own space.  I could have accepted higher paying jobs, but I wasn’t willing to compromise my basic needs in order to make more money.  I know that I can’t share a bedroom with my charge(s).  And, I know that I’m not very good at being seen and not heard.  You need to know yourself well enough to know what you can and cannot compromise on to be the best nanny that you can be.

Being a career, professional nanny has definitely helped me to know myself better.  I take this self-knowledge into every interview to insure that I don’t compromise in areas that are important to me.  This has made finding the perfect fitting job much easier.  In many ways finding the perfect job for you is like finding the perfect person to share your life with.  There are things that you are and are not willing to compromise on in a relationship.  You don’t want to lose yourself in a relationship and  you don’t want to lose yourself in your job.  Being in a bad job is like being in a bad marriage.  Both are very difficult to get out of and both can eat away at your confidence and your sense of self. 

Know yourself so that you never lose yourself and so that you can be your best for a child who deserves nothing less.